Built To Last Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- S. 4439
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Science, Technology, Communications
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-29: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-21T15:09:40Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Built To Last Act of 2026 (S. 4439) aims to improve building resilience against future extreme weather and environmental changes by requiring federal agencies to identify, develop, and share consistent, forward-looking meteorological data (projections of future weather events and trends) with organizations that create building standards and codes.
Key Provisions
- Definitions:
- Extreme weather includes events like droughts, hurricanes, floods, and extreme temperatures.
- Other environmental trends cover issues like wildfires, sea-level rise, and land subsidence (sinking ground).
- Long-term and other terms are defined flexibly by relevant officials.
- Role of Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (head of NOAA): Identify and support research for a consistent federal dataset of future extreme weather models, projections, observations, and trends; provide regional-scale (mesoscale) weather data when needed.
- Role of NIST Director (National Institute of Standards and Technology):
- Make the dataset publicly available.
- Identify federal and non-federal efforts on standards, building codes, and voluntary certifications.
- Advise and assist standards-developing organizations to incorporate forward-looking data into their work, using programs like the Fire Research Center and National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program.
- Working Group: Led by the Office of Science and Technology Policy Director, in coordination with the U.S. Global Change Research Program and Mitigation Framework Leadership Group, to support research for the dataset.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces new mandates for NOAA and NIST without amending prior laws; builds on existing programs (e.g., National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act, Global Change Research Act).
- No direct overrides of current standards or codes; focuses on voluntary integration.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases coordination and research duties for NOAA, NIST, OSTP, and related programs, potentially requiring new resources for data modeling and outreach.
- Citizens: Could lead to stronger, more durable buildings and infrastructure, reducing damage and costs from future extreme weather.
- Industry and Local Governments: Encourages updates to building codes for better resilience, benefiting construction, insurance, and disaster recovery.
- No direct international relations impact.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Agencies: NOAA, NIST, OSTP, U.S. Global Change Research Program, Mitigation Framework Leadership Group.
- Standards Organizations: Groups developing building codes (e.g., International Code Council), standards, and certifications.
- Private Sector: Builders, architects, engineers, insurers.
- Public: Homeowners, businesses, and communities in weather-vulnerable areas.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Relies on existing agency authorities; promotes voluntary adoption of data into private standards, avoiding mandates that could face legal challenges.
- Constitutional: No apparent issues; falls under Congress's commerce and spending powers for science and safety.
- Political: Supports climate resilience without regulatory mandates, potentially bridging partisan divides by focusing on practical preparedness.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-29: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 2026-04-29: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Built To Last Act of 2026 — issued 2026-04-29 — PDF (6 pages)