Stop NOAA Closures Act

Bill Number

H.R. 4482

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Government Operations and Politics

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-07-18: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

Last Updated

2025-11-13T09:05:36Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The "Stop NOAA Closures Act" (H.R. 4482) aims to protect facilities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) by imposing a temporary ban on closures or reductions in operations and requiring detailed justifications for any future changes. NOAA is a federal agency focused on weather forecasting, ocean research, and environmental monitoring. The legislation seeks to ensure continuity of NOAA's services while allowing for emergency responses and eventual oversight through congressional reporting.

Key Provisions

• Temporary Moratorium (Section 2(a)):
• Prohibits the Secretary of Commerce, NOAA Administrator, or General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator from closing, suspending operations, ending leases, stopping construction, consolidating, or limiting access to any NOAA facility.
• Exceptions: Does not apply to temporary actions needed for emergencies threatening the health or safety of NOAA personnel (e.g., natural disasters or security threats).
• The moratorium ends 180 days after a joint report is submitted to Congress, but this report cannot be submitted before January 21, 2029.
• Required Report: The officials must jointly submit a report to specific House and Senate committees (Science, Space, and Technology; Natural Resources; and Commerce, Science, and Transportation) detailing the process for selecting facilities for changes. It includes:
• Criteria for selection.
• A cost-benefit analysis covering anticipated savings, costs to replace lost services, impacts on NOAA operations, and other relevant factors.

• Future Restrictions After Moratorium (Section 2(b)):
• Any proposed changes to NOAA facilities must be preceded by a similar joint report submitted at least 30 days in advance to the same congressional committees, justifying the selection process and including the same cost-benefit details.
• Exceptions: Emergency actions for health or safety threats are exempt, similar to the moratorium.
• Applies only to actions occurring after the moratorium ends.

• Effective Date (Section 2(c)):
• The future restrictions take effect once the moratorium expires.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• This bill introduces new procedural hurdles not previously required under current federal law for managing NOAA facilities. It mandates congressional notification and detailed analyses before any reductions, shifting decision-making from executive agency discretion to include legislative oversight. Previously, agencies like NOAA (under the Department of Commerce) and GSA could handle facility changes with internal approvals, subject to general budget constraints but without these specific reporting timelines or bans.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: Restricts operational flexibility for NOAA, the Department of Commerce, and GSA, potentially delaying cost-saving measures or modernizations. It promotes stability in NOAA's infrastructure but could increase administrative burdens due to reporting requirements.
• Citizens: Ensures uninterrupted access to NOAA services, such as weather predictions, climate data, and marine research, which benefit the public through disaster preparedness and environmental protection. Communities near NOAA facilities may see job security for employees, but long-term efficiency gains (e.g., from consolidations) could be postponed, possibly affecting taxpayer-funded operations.
• International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though NOAA collaborates globally on ocean and atmospheric issues (e.g., with the United Nations or other nations on climate monitoring). Delays in facility changes could indirectly support consistent U.S. participation in international scientific efforts.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• NOAA and Federal Agencies: NOAA employees, leadership, the Department of Commerce, and GSA, who must comply with the moratorium and reporting rules.
• Congressional Committees: House Committees on Science, Space, and Technology and Natural Resources; Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, which gain enhanced oversight roles.
• Local Communities and Workers: Residents and businesses near NOAA facilities (e.g., research labs or observatories) that rely on them for jobs and services.
• General Public and Researchers: Users of NOAA data for farming, fishing, emergency response, and scientific studies, who benefit from service continuity.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Establishes enforceable restrictions on executive branch actions, potentially leading to lawsuits if agencies attempt changes without compliance. The emergency exceptions provide flexibility to avoid legal challenges on public safety grounds.
• Constitutional: Enhances Congress's oversight of federal spending and agency operations under its appropriations power (Article I), but could raise questions about separation of powers if seen as overly micromanaging executive functions.
• Political: Supported by a large, bipartisan group of House members (over 50 cosponsors), indicating broad concern over potential NOAA facility cuts, possibly tied to budget debates. It promotes transparency in federal asset management without altering core NOAA missions.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Amo, Gabe [D-RI-1]

Cosponsors (83)

Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2], Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Elfreth, Sarah [D-MD-3], Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13], Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7], Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15], Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26], Rep. Pallone, Frank [D-NJ-6], Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3], Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9], Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11], Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2], Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8], Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29], Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12], Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12], Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Del. Plaskett, Stacey E. [D-VI-At Large], Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6], Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2], Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Sykes, Emilia Strong [D-OH-13], Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19], Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26], Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10], Rep. Kaptur, Marcy [D-OH-9], Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51], Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44], Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9], Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25], Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5], Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8], Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14], Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4], Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6], Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6], Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46], Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5], Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8], Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24], Rep. Subramanyam, Suhas [D-VA-10], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4], Rep. Ivey, Glenn [D-MD-4] and 33 more

Recent Actions

• 2025-07-18: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
• 2025-07-17: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Science, Space, and Technology, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-07-17: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Science, Space, and Technology, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-07-17: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Science, Space, and Technology, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-07-17: Introduced in House
• 2025-07-17: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Stop NOAA Closures Act — issued 2025-07-17 — PDF (6 pages)