S. 3817: TORNADO Act

117th Congress · introduced 2022-03-10 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 629.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2022-03-10 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 629. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

TORNADO Act

Plain summary

Tornado Observations Research and Notification Assessment for Development of Operations Act or the TORNADO Act This bill establishes programs and activities to improve the forecasting of hazardous weather and water events, including tornadoes. The bill directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to maintain and improve the system by which the risks of hazardous weather and water events are communicated to the general public, with the goal of informing action and encouraging response to prevent loss of life and property. NOAA shall also maintain a hazard risk communication office; establish or maintain a research program to modernize the creation and communication of risk-based, statistically reliable, probabilistic hazard information to inform effective responses to hazardous weather and water events; establish a pilot program for tornado hazard communication to test the effectiveness of the implementation of the research conducted pursuant to this bill; submit to Congress a strategic plan for developing and prioritizing the implementation of high-resolution probabilistic forecast guidance for hazardous weather and water events using a next-generation weather forecast and warning framework; perform one or more post-storm surveys and assessments following each hazardous weather or water event that is of sufficient societal importance; update, if necessary, the system for rating tornado severity; and maintain the Vortex USA tornado research program. The Government Accountability Office shall submit a report that examines the information technology infrastructure of the National Weather Service.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to 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

TORNADO Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to 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. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS] · 7 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 3817, TORNADO Act (2022-09-26)

Cosponsors on this site

Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), John Thune (R-SD), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Gary C. Peters (D-MI)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS] reported raising $306,823 (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 (1)

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).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117s3817.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/s>

Record fed-us-cong117-s3817 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117