IOWA 4TH DISTRICT CONGRESSMAN RANDY FEENSTRA HAS INTRODUCED BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO MODERNIZE THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE’S COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK KNOWN AS NWS CHAT.
THE NETWORK DISSEMINATES CRITICAL, TIME-SENSITIVE INFORMATION TO BROADCASTERS, EMERGENCY MANAGERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC DURING SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS RECENTLY IDENTIFIED SEVERAL SYSTEMATIC UPGRADES CRITICAL TO ITS EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS OPERATION, INCLUDING THE NEED TO REPLACE NWS CHAT.
IN LIGHT OF RECENT STORMS ACROSS IOWA AND THE MIDWEST, FEENSTRA’S NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COMMUNICATIONS IMPROVEMENT ACT WOULD DIRECT THE WEATHER SERVICE DIRECTOR TO REVIEW AND SELECT AN OFF-THE-SHELF COMMERCIAL ALTERNATIVE TO NWS CHAT THAT PRIORITIZES RELIABILITY AND SECURITY.
FEENSTRA SAYS “FOR TOO LONG, NWS CHAT HAS FAILED OUR BROADCASTERS, EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAMS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THIS BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION WILL FINALLY ENSURE THAT LOCAL OFFICIALS AND EMERGENCY PERSONNEL RECEIVE ACCURATE, TIMELY INFORMATION THAT SAVES LIVES”.
CO-SPONSORS INCLUDE IOWA REPRESENTATIVES CINDY AXNE, MARIANNETTE MILLER-MEEKS, ASHLEY HINSON AND CONGRESSMAN CARLOS GIMENEZ OF FLORIDA.
