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S. 2817: Space Weather Research and Forecasting Act

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S. 2817: Space Weather Research and Forecasting Act

114th Congress · introduced 2016-04-19 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 689.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2016-04-19 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 689. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Space Weather Research and Forecasting Act

Plain summary

Space Weather Research and Forecasting Act This bill directs the Office of Science and Technology Policy to: improve the nation's ability to prepare, avoid, mitigate, respond to, and recover from potentially devastating impacts of space weather events; coordinate the activities of the National Space Weather Program Council members; and develop an integrated strategy for solar and solar wind observations beyond the lifetime of current assets. The National Science and Technology Council shall establish an interagency working group on space weather. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shall: secure reliable secondary capability for near real-time coronal mass ejection imagery; and develop requirements and a plan for follow-on space-based observations for operational purposes. The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Air Force shall each: maintain ground-based observations of the sun; and provide space weather data by means of ground-based facilities, including solar observatories. NOAA and the Air Force shall conduct a survey to prioritize the needs of space weather forecast users. The NSF, NOAA, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shall pursue multidisciplinary research in subjects regarding solar physics, space physics, and space weather. NASA shall seek to implement missions meeting science objectives identified in National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Solar and Space Physics Decadal surveys. NASA, the NSF, NOAA, and the Air Force shall: develop a mechanism to transition NASA and NSF research findings, models, and capabilities to NOAA and the Department of Defense space weather operational forecasting centers; and enhance coordination between research modeling centers and forecasting centers. NASA and the NSF shall support the development of technologies and instrumentation to improve space weather forecasting lead-time and accuracy. NASA and the NSF shall: make space weather related data obtained for scientific research available to space weather forecasters and operations centers, and support model development and applications to space weather forecasting. The Space Weather Interagency Group shall develop benchmarks for measuring solar disturbances. NOAA shall inform the Department of Homeland Security about space weather hazards to protect national critical infrastructure from space weather events. The National Security Council shall develop mechanisms to protect national security assets from space weather threats.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Space Weather Research and Forecasting Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI] · 4 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 2817, Space Weather Research and Forecasting Act (2016-11-22)

Cosponsors on this site

Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI] reported raising $303,094 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong114-s2817 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114