[116th Congress Public Law 181]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[[Page 881]]
PROMOTING RESEARCH AND OBSERVATIONS OF SPACE WEATHER TO IMPROVE THE
FORECASTING OF TOMORROW ACT
[[Page 134 STAT. 882]]
Public Law 116-181
116th Congress
An Act
To improve understanding and forecasting of space weather events, and
for other purposes. <<NOTE: Oct. 21, 2020 - [S. 881]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Promoting
Research and Observations of Space Weather to Improve the Forecasting of
Tomorrow Act.>>
SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 51 USC 10101 note.>> SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Promoting Research and Observations
of Space Weather to Improve the Forecasting of Tomorrow Act'' or the
``PROSWIFT Act''.
SEC. 2. <<NOTE: 51 USC 60601 note.>> SPACE WEATHER.
(a) Policy.--It shall be the policy of the United States to prepare
and protect against the social and economic impacts of space weather
phenomena by supporting actions to improve space weather forecasts and
predictions including: sustaining and enhancing critical observations,
identifying research needs and promoting opportunities for research-to-
operations and operations-to-research collaborations both within and
outside of the Federal Government, advancing space weather models,
engaging with all sectors of the space weather community, including
academia, the commercial sector, and international partners, and
understanding the needs of space weather end users.
(b) Amendment to Title 51, United States Code.--Subtitle VI of title
51, United States Code, is amended by adding after chapter 605 the
following:
``CHAPTER <<NOTE: 51 USC 60601 prec.>> 606--SPACE WEATHER
``Sec.
``60601. Space weather.
``60602. Integrated strategy.
``60603. Sustaining and advancing critical space weather observations.
``60604. Research activities.
``60605. Space weather data.
``60606. Space weather knowledge transfer and information exchange.
``60607. Pilot program for obtaining commercial sector space weather
data.
``60608. Space weather benchmarks.
``Sec. 60601. <<NOTE: 51 USC 60601.>> Space weather
``(a) Findings.--
``(1) Space weather.--Congress makes the following findings
with respect to space weather:
``(A) Space weather phenomena pose a significant
threat to ground-based and space-based critical
infrastructure, modern technological systems, and humans
working in space.
[[Page 134 STAT. 883]]
``(B) The effects of severe space weather on the
electric power grid, satellites and satellite
communications and information, aviation operations,
astronauts living and working in space, and space-based
position, navigation, and timing systems could have
significant societal, economic, national security, and
health impacts.
``(C) Space-based and ground-based observations
provide crucial data necessary to understand, forecast,
and prepare for space weather phenomena.
``(D) Clear roles and accountability of Federal
departments and agencies are critical for efficient and
effective response to threats posed by space weather.
``(E) Space weather observation and forecasting are
essential for the success of human and robotic space
exploration.
``(F) In October 2015, the National Science and
Technology Council published a National Space Weather
Strategy and a National Space Weather Action Plan
seeking to integrate national space weather efforts and
add new capabilities to meet increasing demand for space
weather information.
``(G) In March 2019, the National Science and
Technology Council published an updated National Space
Weather Strategy and Action Plan to enhance the
preparedness and resilience of the United States to
space weather.
``(2) Role of federal agencies.--Congress makes the
following findings with respect to the role of Federal agencies
on space weather:
``(A) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration provides operational space weather
monitoring, forecasting, and long-term data archiving
and access for civil applications, maintains ground-
based and space-based assets to provide observations
needed for space weather forecasting, prediction, and
warnings, provides research to support operational
responsibilities, and develops requirements for space
weather forecasting technologies and science.
``(B) The Department of Defense provides operational
space weather research, monitoring, and forecasting for
the Department's unique missions and applications.
``(C) The National Aeronautics and Space
Administration provides increased understanding of the
fundamental physics of the Sun-Earth system through
basic research, space-based observations and modeling,
developing new space-based technologies and missions,
and monitoring of space weather for the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration's space missions.
``(D) The National Science Foundation provides
increased understanding of the Sun-Earth system through
ground-based measurements, technologies, and modeling.
``(E) The Department of the Interior collects,
distributes, and archives operational ground-based
magnetometer data in the United States and its
territories, works with the international community to
improve global geophysical monitoring, and develops
crustal conductivity models to assess and mitigate risks
from space weather-induced electric ground currents.
[[Page 134 STAT. 884]]
``(F) The Federal Aviation Administration provides
operational requirements for space weather services in
support of aviation and for coordination of these
requirements with the International Civil Aviation
Organization, and integrates space weather data and
products into the Next Generation Air Transportation
System.
``(b) Coordination by Office of Science and Technology Policy.--The
Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall--
``(1) coordinate the development and implementation of
Federal Government activities conducted with respect to space
weather to improve the ability of the United States to prepare
for, avoid, mitigate, respond to, and recover from potentially
devastating impacts of space weather; and
``(2) coordinate the activities of the interagency working
group on space weather established under subsection (c).
``(c) <<NOTE: Deadline. Establishment. Coordination.>> Space
Weather Interagency Working Group.--Not later than 90 days after the
date of enactment of the PROSWIFT Act, the National Science and
Technology Council shall establish an interagency working group on space
weather (in this chapter referred to as the `interagency working group')
to coordinate executive branch actions that improve the understanding
and prediction of and preparation for space weather phenomena, and
coordinate Federal space weather activities.
``(1) Membership.--The following entities shall be members
of the interagency working group:
``(A) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
``(B) The National Aeronautics and Space
Administration.
``(C) The National Science Foundation.
``(D) The Department of Defense.
``(E) The Department of the Interior.
``(F) Such other Federal agencies as the Director of
the Office of Science and Technology Policy deems
appropriate.
``(2) Interagency agreements.--
``(A) The members of the interagency working group
may enter into one or more interagency agreements
providing for cooperation and collaboration in the
development of space weather spacecraft, instruments,
technologies, and research to operations and operations
to research in accordance with this chapter.
``(B) The Administrator of the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration and the Administrator of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall
enter into one or more interagency agreements providing
for cooperation and collaboration in the development of
space weather spacecraft, instruments, and technologies
in accordance with this chapter.
``(3) International, academic community, and commercial
sector collaboration.--Each Federal agency participating in the
space weather interagency working group established under this
subsection shall, to the extent practicable, increase engagement
and cooperation with the international community, academic
community, and commercial space weather sector on the
observational infrastructure, data, and
[[Page 134 STAT. 885]]
scientific research necessary to advance the monitoring,
forecasting, and prediction of, preparation for, and protection
from, space weather phenomena.
``(d) Space Weather Advisory Group.--
``(1) In general.--
``(A) <<NOTE: Deadline. Consultation.>>
Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of the enactment of the PROSWIFT Act, the Administrator
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
in consultation with other relevant Federal agencies,
shall establish a space weather advisory group (in this
chapter referred to as the `advisory group') for the
purposes of receiving advice from the academic
community, the commercial space weather sector, and
space weather end users that informs the interests and
work of the interagency working group.
``(B) <<NOTE: Appointments.>> Composition.--The
advisory group shall be composed of not more than 15
members appointed by the interagency working group, of
whom--
``(i) 5 members shall be representatives of
the academic community;
``(ii) 5 members shall be representatives of
the commercial space weather sector; and
``(iii) 5 members shall be nongovernmental
representatives of the space weather end user
community.
``(C) <<NOTE: Deadline. Appointment.>> Chair.--Not
later than 30 days after the date on which the last
member of the advisory group is appointed under
subparagraph (B), the Administrator of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall appoint 1
member as the Chair of the advisory group.
``(D) Terms.--The length of the term of each member
of the advisory group shall be 3 years beginning on the
date on which the member is appointed.
``(E) Term limits.--
``(i) In general.--A member of the advisory
group may not serve on the advisory group for more
than 2 consecutive terms.
``(ii) Chair.--A member of the advisory group
may not serve as the Chair of the advisory group
for more than 2 terms, regardless of whether the
terms are consecutive.
``(2) Duties.--The advisory group shall advise the
interagency working group on the following:
``(A) Facilitating advances in the space weather
enterprise of the United States.
``(B) Improving the ability of the United States to
prepare for, mitigate, respond to, and recover from
space weather phenomena.
``(C) Enabling the coordination and facilitation of
research to operations and operations to research, as
described in section 60604(d).
``(D) Developing and implementing the integrated
strategy under section 60602 including subsequent
updates and reevaluations.
``(3) User survey.--
``(A) <<NOTE: Deadline.>> In general.--Not later
than 180 days after the establishment of the advisory
group, the advisory group shall conduct a comprehensive
survey of the needs of users
[[Page 134 STAT. 886]]
of space weather products to identify the space weather
research, observations, forecasting, prediction, and
modeling advances required to improve space weather
products.
``(B) Survey considerations.--The survey conducted
under subparagraph (A) shall--
``(i) <<NOTE: Assessment.>> assess the
adequacy of current Federal Government goals for
lead time, accuracy, coverage, timeliness, data
rate, and data quality for space weather
observations and forecasting;
``(ii) <<NOTE: Consultation.>> identify
options and methods to, in consultation with the
academic community and the commercial space
weather sector, improve upon the advancement of
the goals described in clause (i);
``(iii) identify opportunities for collection
of new data to address the needs of the space
weather user community;
``(iv) identify methods to increase
coordination of space weather research to
operations and operations to research;
``(v) identify opportunities for new
technologies, research, and instrumentation to aid
in research, understanding, monitoring, modeling,
prediction, forecasting, and warning of space
weather; and
``(vi) identify methods and technologies to
improve preparedness for potential space weather
phenomena.
``(C) Coordination with agencies.--In carrying out
the requirements of this subsection, the advisory group
shall communicate and coordinate with the interagency
working group to ensure the needs of the governmental
space weather user community are adequately and
appropriately identified by the survey under
subparagraph (A).
``(D) <<NOTE: Deadline.>> Briefing to congress.--
Not later than 30 days after the completion of the
survey under subparagraph (A), the advisory group shall
provide to the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of
the Senate a briefing on the results of the survey under
subparagraph (A).
``(E) <<NOTE: Deadline. Public information.>>
Publication.--Within 30 days of the briefing to
Congress, the advisory group shall make the results of
the survey under subparagraph (A) publicly available.
``(F) <<NOTE: Review. Assessment. Time
period. Update.>> Reevaluation.--The advisory group
shall review and assess the survey under subparagraph
(A) not less than every 3 years and update, resubmit,
and republish the survey in accordance with the
requirements of subparagraphs (D) and (E).
``(4) Federal advisory committee act.--Section 14 of the
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply
to the advisory group.
``Sec. 60602. <<NOTE: Deadlines. 51 USC 60602.>> Integrated
strategy
``(a) In General.--The Director of the Office of Science and
Technology Policy, in collaboration with the interagency working group
and upon the advice of the advisory group, shall develop a strategy for
coordinated observation of space weather among members of the
interagency working group (in this chapter, referred
[[Page 134 STAT. 887]]
to as the `integrated strategy'). The integrated strategy shall
identify--
``(1) observations and measurements that must be sustained
beyond the lifetime of current ground-based and space-based
assets, as described under section 60603, that are essential for
space weather research, models, forecasting, and prediction;
``(2) new observations and measurements that may
significantly improve space weather forecasting and prediction;
and
``(3) plans for follow-on space-based observations under
section 60603.
``(b) Considerations.--In developing the integrated strategy in
subsection (a), the Director of the Office of Science and Technology
Policy shall consider, as appropriate, the following:
``(1) Potential contributions of commercial solutions, prize
authority, academic and international partnerships,
microsatellites, small satellite options, ground-based
instruments, and hosted payloads for observations identified in
section 60602(a)(2).
``(2) Work conducted before the date of enactment of the
PROSWIFT Act by the National Science and Technology Council with
respect to space weather.
``(3) The survey under section 60601(d).
``(4) Any relevant recommendations from the most recent
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Decadal Survey for Solar and Space Physics (Heliophysics).
``(c) Review of Integrated Strategy.--
``(1) <<NOTE: Consultation. Contracts.>> Review.--The
Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration and the Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, in consultation with Federal
agencies participating in the interagency working group, shall
enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences,
Engineering, and Medicine to review the integrated strategy
developed in this section.
``(2) Considerations.--The review from paragraph (1) shall
also consider the current state, capability, and feasibility of
the commercial space weather sector to provide new and
supplemental observations and measurements that may
significantly improve space weather forecasting and prediction.
``(3) Transmittal.--The Director of the Office of Science
and Technology Policy, the Administrator of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Administrator of
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall
transmit the integrated strategy and the results of the review
required under paragraph (1) to the Committee on Science, Space,
and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate not later
than 1 year after the date of the completion of the survey under
section 60601(d)(3). <<NOTE: Public information.>> The
integrated strategy and its review shall be made publicly
available within 30 days of submittal to Congress.
``(d) <<NOTE: Cost estimates.>> Implementation Plan.--Not later
than 180 days after delivery of the review of the integrated strategy in
subsection (c)(3), the interagency working group shall develop a plan to
implement the integrated strategy, including an estimate of the cost and
schedule required for implementation. Upon completion, the interagency
working group shall submit the implementation plan to the Committees on
Science, Space, and Technology and Armed
[[Page 134 STAT. 888]]
Services of the House of Representatives and the Committees on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation and Armed Services of the
Senate. <<NOTE: Public information.>> The implementation plan shall be
made publicly available within 30 days of submittal to Congress.
``(e) <<NOTE: Update.>> Reevaluation.--The Director, in
collaboration with the interagency working group, shall update the
integrated strategy not later than 1 year after the reevaluation of the
user survey from section 60601(d)(3)(F) in accordance with the
requirements of subsections (a) through (d).
``Sec. 60603. <<NOTE: 51 USC 60603.>> Sustaining and advancing
critical space weather observations
``(a) Policy.--It is the policy of the United States to--
``(1) <<NOTE: Data. Public information.>> establish and
sustain a baseline capability for space weather observations and
to make such observations and data publicly available; and
``(2) obtain enhanced space weather observations, as
practicable, to advance forecasting and prediction capability,
as informed by the integrated strategy in section 60602.
``(b) Sustaining Baseline Space-based Observational Capabilities.--
``(1) The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration shall, in cooperation with the European
Space Agency and other international and interagency partners,
maintain operations of the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/
Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph (referred to in this
section as `SOHO/LASCO') for as long as the satellite continues
to deliver quality observations.
``(2) The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration shall prioritize the reception of SOHO/
LASCO data.
``(3) The Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration shall maintain, for as long as is
practicable, operations of current space-based observational
assets, including but not limited to the Geostationary
Operational Environmental Satellites system, and the Deep Space
Climate Observatory.
``(c) <<NOTE: Coordination.>> Backup Space-based Observational
Capability.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense and the
Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration,
shall work with Federal and international partners in order to secure
reliable backup baseline capability for near real-time coronal mass
ejection imagery, solar wind, solar imaging, coronal imagery, and other
relevant observations required to provide space weather forecasts.
``(d) SOHO/LASCO Operational Contingency Plan.--The Administrator of
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall develop an
operational contingency plan to provide continuous space weather
forecasting in the event of an unexpected SOHO/LASCO failure, and prior
to the implementation of the backup space-based baseline observational
capability in section 60603(c).
``(e) <<NOTE: Deadline.>> Briefing.--Not later than 120 days after
the date of enactment of the PROSWIFT Act, the Administrator of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall provide a briefing
to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House
[[Page 134 STAT. 889]]
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate on the plan to secure reliable backup
baseline capability described in subsection (c) and the SOHO/LASCO
operational contingency plan developed under subsection (d).
``(f) Sustaining Ground-based Observational Capability.--The
Director of the National Science Foundation, the Director of the United
States Geological Survey, the Secretary of the Air Force, and, as
practicable in support of the Air Force, the Secretary of the Navy,
shall each--
``(1) maintain and improve ground-based observations of the
Sun, as necessary and advisable, to help meet the needs
identified in the survey under section 60601(d)(3); and
``(2) continue to provide space weather data through ground-
based facilities, including radars, lidars, magnetometers,
neutron monitors, radio receivers, aurora and airglow imagers,
spectrometers, interferometers, and solar observatories.
``(g) Considerations.--In implementing subsections (b), (c), and
(d), the Administrators of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
the Directors of the National Science Foundation and United States
Geological Survey, and the Secretaries of the Air Force and the Navy
shall prioritize cost-effective and reliable solutions.
``(h) Ground-based Observational Data.--The Director of the National
Science Foundation shall--
``(1) <<NOTE: Public information.>> make available to the
public key data streams from the platforms and facilities
described in subsection (d) for research and to support space
weather model development;
``(2) develop experimental models for scientific purposes;
and
``(3) support the transition of the experimental models to
operations where appropriate.
``(i) <<NOTE: Coordination.>> Enhanced Space-based Observations.--
The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, should
develop options to build and deploy space-based observational
capabilities, beyond the baseline capabilities referenced in subsection
(b), that may improve space weather measurements and observations. These
supplemental observational capabilities could include commercial
solutions, prize authority, academic partnerships, microsatellites,
ground-based instruments, and opportunities to deploy the instrument or
instruments as a secondary payload on an upcoming planned launch.
``Sec. 60604. <<NOTE: 51 USC 60604.>> Research activities
``(a) Basic Research.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, and the Secretary of Defense, shall--
``(1) continue to carry out basic research on heliophysics,
geospace science, and space weather; and
``(2) support competitive, peer-reviewed proposals for
conducting research, advancing modeling, and monitoring of space
weather and its impacts, including the science goals outlined in
decadal surveys in solar and space physics conducted by the
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
[[Page 134 STAT. 890]]
``(b) Multidisciplinary Research.--
``(1) Findings.--Congress finds that the multidisciplinary
nature of solar and space physics creates funding challenges
that require coordination across scientific disciplines and
Federal agencies.
``(2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
science centers could coordinate multidisciplinary solar and
space physics research. The Administrator of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration and Director of the
National Science Foundation should support competitively awarded
grants for multidisciplinary science centers that advance solar
and space physics research, including research-to-operations and
operations-to-research processes.
``(3) Multidisciplinary research.--The Director of the
National Science Foundation, the Administrator of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Administrator of
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, shall each
pursue multidisciplinary research in subjects that further the
understanding of solar physics, space physics, and space
weather.
``(c) Science Missions.--The Administrator of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration should implement missions that meet
the science objectives identified in solar and space physics decadal
surveys conducted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering,
and Medicine.
``(d) Research to Operations; Operations to Research.--The
interagency working group shall, upon consideration of the advice of the
advisory group, develop formal mechanisms to--
``(1) transition the space weather research findings,
models, and capabilities of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, the National Science Foundation, the United
States Geological Survey, and other relevant Federal agencies,
as appropriate, to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration and the Department of Defense;
``(2) <<NOTE: Coordination.>> enhance coordination between
research modeling centers and forecasting centers; and
``(3) communicate the operational needs of space weather
forecasters of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration and Department of Defense, as appropriate, to the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National
Science Foundation, and the United States Geological Survey.
``Sec. 60605. <<NOTE: 51 USC 60605.>> Space weather data
``(a) In General.--The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration and the Director of the National Science Foundation
shall continue to--
``(1) make space weather-related data obtained for
scientific research purposes available to space weather
forecasters and operations centers; and
``(2) support model development and model applications to
space weather forecasting.
``(b) Research.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration shall make space weather-related data
obtained from operational forecasting available for research.
[[Page 134 STAT. 891]]
``Sec. 60606. <<NOTE: 51 USC 60606.>> Space weather knowledge
transfer and information exchange
<<NOTE: Deadline. Contract.>> ``Not later than 180 days after the
date of enactment of the PROSWIFT Act, the Administrator of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in collaboration with the
Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and
the Director of the National Science Foundation, shall enter into an
arrangement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and
Medicine to establish a Space Weather Government-Academic-Commercial
Roundtable to facilitate communication and knowledge transfer among
Government participants in the space weather interagency working group
established under section 60601(c), the academic community, and the
commercial space weather sector to--
``(1) facilitate advances in space weather prediction and
forecasting;
``(2) <<NOTE: Coordination.>> increase coordination of
space weather research to operations and operations to research;
and
``(3) improve preparedness for potential space weather
phenomena.
``Sec. 60607. <<NOTE: Deadlines. 51 USC 60607.>> Pilot program
for obtaining commercial sector space weather
data
``(a) <<NOTE: Contracts.>> Establishment.--Not later than 12 months
after the date of enactment of the PROSWIFT Act, the Administrator of
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may establish a
pilot program under which the Administrator will offer to enter into
contracts with one or more entities in the commercial space weather
sector for the provision to the Administrator of space weather data
generated by such an entity that meets the standards and specifications
published under subsection (b).
``(b) <<NOTE: Consultation.>> Data Standard and Specifications.--
Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of the PROSWIFT
Act, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, may
publish standards and specifications for ground-based, ocean-based, air-
based, and space-based commercial space weather data and metadata.
``(c) Contracts.--
``(1) In general.--Within 12 months after the date of
transmission of the review of the integrated strategy to
Congress under section 60602(c)(3) and taking into account the
results of the review, the Administrator of the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration may offer to enter, through an
open competition, into at least one contract with one or more
commercial space weather sector entities capable of providing
space weather data that--
``(A) meets the standards and specifications
established for providing such data under subsection
(b); and
``(B) is provided in a manner that allows the
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration to calibrate and evaluate the data for
use in space weather research and forecasting models of
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the
Department of Defense, or both.
``(2) <<NOTE: Reports.>> Assessment.--If one or more
contract is entered into under paragraph (1), not later than 4
years after the date
[[Page 134 STAT. 892]]
of enactment of the PROSWIFT Act, the Administrator of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall assess,
and submit to the Committees on Science, Space, and Technology
and Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the
Committees on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and Armed
Services of the Senate, a report on the extent to which the
pilot program has demonstrated data provided under contracts
described in paragraph (1) meet the standards and specifications
established under subsection (b) and the extent to which the
pilot program has demonstrated--
``(A) the viability of assimilating the commercially
provided data into National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration space weather research and forecasting
models;
``(B) whether, and by how much, the data so provided
add value to space weather forecasts of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the
Department of Defense; and
``(C) the accuracy, quality, timeliness, validity,
reliability, usability, information technology security,
and cost-effectiveness of obtaining commercial space
weather data from commercial sector providers.
``Sec. 60608. <<NOTE: 51 USC 60608.>> Space weather benchmarks
<<NOTE: Review. Update.>> ``The interagency working group
established under section 60601(c) shall periodically review and update
the benchmarks described in the report of the National Science and
Technology Council entitled `Space Weather Phase 1 Benchmarks' and dated
June 2018, as necessary, based on--
``(1) any significant new data or advances in scientific
understanding that become available; or
``(2) the evolving needs of entities impacted by space
weather phenomena.''.
(c) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--
(1) <<NOTE: 51 USC 10101 prec.>> The table of chapters of
title 51, United States Code, is amended by adding after the
item relating to chapter 605 the following:
``606. Space Weather............................................60601''.
(2) <<NOTE: Repeals.>> Section 809 of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010
(42 U.S.C. 18388) and the item relating to that section in the
table of contents
[[Page 134 STAT. 893]]
under section 1(b) of that Act (Public Law 111-267; 124 Stat.
2806) are repealed.
Approved October 21, 2020.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 881:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
SENATE REPORTS: No. 116-171 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 166 (2020):
July 27, considered and passed Senate.
Sept. 16, considered and passed House.
DAILY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS (2020):
Oct. 21, Presidential statement.
<all>