Tsunami Warning, Research, and Education Act of 2026

Bill Number

S. 3881

Origin Chamber

Senate

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Emergency Management

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-02-12: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Last Updated

2026-02-27T20:08:22Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Tsunami Warning, Research, and Education Act of 2026 reauthorizes and updates the existing Tsunami Warning and Education Act (from 2006) to strengthen the United States' ability to detect, forecast, warn about, mitigate, and research tsunamis. It emphasizes timely warnings, improved technology integration, expanded coordination with federal agencies, states, tribes, and Native Hawaiian groups, and better public education to reduce risks in tsunami-prone areas, particularly along Pacific, Arctic, and Atlantic coasts.

Key Provisions

• Definitions and Scope Expansion: Adds definitions for "Indian Tribe" (self-governing Native American groups), "Native Hawaiian organization" (entities supporting Native Hawaiian education and culture, including specific Hawaiian departments), and "Tribal organization" (tribal entities eligible for federal self-determination programs). Extends coverage to include Arctic Ocean risks and non-seismic tsunami sources like landslides or volcanic activity.

• Tsunami Forecasting and Warning Program (Section 804 Updates):
• Enhances observation networks with tools like global navigation satellite systems (GNSS, satellite-based positioning for precise location tracking), tidal gauges (devices measuring water levels), and buoys.
• Requires integration with USGS Earthquake Early Warning System for tsunami notifications.
• Mandates Tsunami Warning Coordinators at warning centers to liaise with partners, including tribes.
• Standardizes procedures, products, and protocols across centers while allowing regional adaptations; includes biannual backup drills and annual full drills with emergency managers.
• Adds data archiving per federal evidence-based policymaking laws.
• Requires annual reports to Congress on standardization, hiring, and drills.

• Specific Studies and Improvements:
• Alert Level Evaluation: NOAA must study and update tsunami alert terminology, timing, and effectiveness within one year, involving social scientists and communities.
• NOAA Weather Radio Review: Assess coverage in tsunami-risk areas and recommend expansions within one year.
• Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS): Clarifies roles among NOAA, FEMA, and FCC for delivering alerts via Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts; updates memorandum of understanding within 180 days.
• GAO Coordination Study: Government Accountability Office (GAO, independent auditor for Congress) assesses collaboration across NOAA programs, other agencies (e.g., USGS, FEMA), states, tribes, and locals; provides recommendations and requires NOAA response within specified timelines.

• National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program (Section 805 Updates):
• Supports community preparedness, including vertical evacuation structures (tall buildings or platforms for safe elevation during floods) and sirens.
• Expands mapping to include coastal elevation models, probabilistic hazard analysis (risk probability assessments), sediment transport effects, debris impacts on infrastructure (e.g., power grids, water systems), and high-resolution data for ports.
• Creates a public repository for inundation (flooding) and evacuation maps; develops standardized evacuation guidelines using social and behavioral science (studies on human behavior during disasters).

• Tsunami Research Program (Section 806 Updates):
• Funds research on seismic and non-seismic tsunamis, including data portals, decision support tools (software aiding emergency decisions), and transitions from research to operations.
• Requires a triennial research plan prioritizing detection, forecasting, and collaborations with agencies, tribes, universities (including Tribal Colleges), and private entities.

• Other Programs and Requirements:
• Global Tsunami Warning and Mitigation Network: Improves international data sharing and management.
• Tsunami Science and Technology Advisory Panel: Includes behavioral science expertise.
• Annual Reports: NOAA must report funding allocations for mitigation and research programs each fiscal year.
• Government-to-Government Consultation: Mandates direct talks with Indian Tribes on implementation.
• Outreach: NOAA must work with rural tsunami-prone communities and promote the TsunamiReady program (community certification for preparedness).
• Authorizations: $35 million annually for fiscal years 2027–2031, with at least 27% for hazard mitigation and 8% for research.

• Report on Specific Tsunami Threats (Section 4):
• GAO must produce a report within 18 months on preparing for, mitigating, responding to, and recovering from tsunamis in key zones: Cascadia Subduction Zone (Pacific Northwest), Alaska-Aleutian Zone, and Kuril-Kamchatka Zone (near Alaska).
• Includes command structures, interagency coordination, risk assessments for federal facilities, search-and-rescue strategies, critical infrastructure protection (e.g., transportation, energy), and recommendations for changes.
• Preceded by an impact assessment on life loss, infrastructure, secondary hazards (e.g., landslides, fires), pollution, and ports.
• NOAA must develop an implementation strategy within 6 months, consulting agencies like FEMA, Coast Guard, and National Guard.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Inclusivity for Tribes and Native Hawaiians: Broadly inserts requirements for coordination, consultation, and inclusion of Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations across programs, previously limited or absent.
• Technological and Operational Upgrades: Adds GNSS, expanded gauge networks, and integration with NASA/USGS/NSF data; mandates fail-safe backups, standardization of warnings (replacing "uniform" with "standardized" for flexibility), and supercomputing/staffing for models.
• Accountability Mechanisms: Introduces multiple new studies, briefings, and reports to Congress (e.g., annual funding reports, GAO studies); shifts some responsibilities (e.g., center geographic coverage becomes more flexible).
• Research and Mitigation Expansions: Adds non-seismic sources, behavioral science, data portals, and specific mapping tools; creates a new research plan and tribal consultation section.
• Funding Specificity: Reauthorizes with fixed annual amounts and minimum allocations, unlike prior open-ended authorizations.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: Increases workload for NOAA (e.g., studies, drills, hiring coordinators) and coordination with USGS, FEMA, NSF, NASA, FCC, and GAO; requires budget reporting and tribal consultations, potentially straining resources but improving efficiency.
• On Citizens: Enhances warning timeliness and accuracy, potentially reducing deaths and property damage in coastal areas (e.g., via better alerts, maps, and education); benefits rural, tribal, and Native Hawaiian communities through targeted outreach and evacuation tools.
• On International Relations: Strengthens the global network for data sharing, aiding tsunami warnings for U.S. territories and allies in the Pacific, fostering cooperation with international partners.
• Broader Effects: Could save lives and infrastructure costs from tsunamis (e.g., in high-risk zones like Alaska and Pacific Northwest); promotes equitable disaster preparedness by addressing underserved groups.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Federal Agencies: NOAA (lead), USGS, NSF, NASA, FEMA, FCC, Coast Guard, GAO, National Guard, Department of Transportation.
• State, Local, and Tribal Entities: Governments in tsunami-prone states (e.g., Alaska, Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington); Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations; local emergency managers and coastal communities.
• Other Groups: Academic institutions (including Tribal Colleges), private sector (e.g., infrastructure operators), research bodies, and rural/high-risk populations.
• Congress: Committees on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Senate) and Science, Space, and Technology (House), receiving reports and briefings.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Reinforces federal authority under existing disaster laws (e.g., evidence-based policymaking statutes); mandates consultations aligning with tribal self-determination laws (e.g., Indian Self-Determination Act), ensuring government-to-government relations without altering sovereignty.
• Constitutional: No direct challenges; supports general welfare clause by enhancing public safety, with equity focus on tribes fulfilling trust responsibilities (federal duty to protect Native interests).
• Political: Bipartisan sponsorship highlights consensus on Pacific Rim threats; emphasizes accountability through congressional oversight, potentially influencing future disaster funding debates; promotes inclusion of marginalized groups, advancing environmental justice without partisan bias.

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

Sponsor

Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]

Cosponsors (2)

Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK], Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK]

Recent Actions

• 2026-02-12: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
• 2026-02-12: Introduced in Senate

Bill Versions

• Tsunami Warning, Research, and Education Act of 2026 — issued 2026-02-12 — PDF (42 pages)