Weather Modification Research and Technology Transfer Authorization Act of 2005 - S. 517

THOMAS: Legislative Information for the Public ^ | March 3, 2005 | Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)

[Siobhan]

S 517 IS

109th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 517

To establish the Weather Modification Operations and Research Board, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 3, 2005

Mrs. HUTCHISON introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

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A BILL

To establish the Weather Modification Operations and Research Board, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Weather Modification Research and Technology Transfer Authorization Act of 2005'.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

It is the purpose of this Act to develop and implement a comprehensive and coordinated national weather modification policy and a national cooperative Federal and State program of weather modification research and development.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) BOARD- The term `Board' means the Weather Modification Advisory and Research Board.

(2) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR- The term `Executive Director' means the Executive Director of the Weather Modification Advisory and Research Board.

(3) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT- The term `research and development' means theoretical analysis, exploration, experimentation, and the extension of investigative findings and theories of scientific or technical nature into practical application for experimental and demonstration purposes, including the experimental production and testing of models, devices, equipment, materials, and processes.

(4) WEATHER MODIFICATION- The term `weather modification' means changing or controlling, or attempting to change or control, by artificial methods the natural development of atmospheric cloud forms or precipitation forms which occur in the troposphere.

SEC. 4. WEATHER MODIFICATION ADVISORY AND RESEARCH BOARD ESTABLISHED.

(a) IN GENERAL- There is established in the Department of Commerce the Weather Modification Advisory and Research Board.

(b) MEMBERSHIP-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Board shall consist of 11 members appointed by the Secretary of Commerce, of whom--

(A) at least 1 shall be a representative of the American Meteorological Society;

(B) at least 1 shall be a representative of the American Society of Civil Engineers;

(C) at least 1 shall be a representative of the National Academy of Sciences;

(D) at least 1 shall be a representative of the National Center for Atmospheric Research of the National Science Foundation;

(E) at least 2 shall be representatives of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the Department of Commerce;

(F) at least 1 shall be a representative of institutions of higher education or research institutes; and

(G) at least 1 shall be a representative of a State that is currently supporting operational weather modification projects.

(2) TENURE- A member of the Board serves at the pleasure of the Secretary of Commerce.

(3) VACANCIES- Any vacancy on the Board shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

(b) ADVISORY COMMITTEES- The Board may establish advisory committees to advise the Board and to make recommendations to the Board concerning legislation, policies, administration, research, and other matters.

(c) INITIAL MEETING- Not later than 30 days after the date on which all members of the Board have been appointed, the Board shall hold its first meeting.

(d) MEETINGS- The Board shall meet at the call of the Chair.

(e) QUORUM- A majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold hearings.

(f) CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR- The Board shall select a Chair and Vice Chair from among its members.

SEC. 5. DUTIES OF THE BOARD.

(a) PROMOTION OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT- In order to assist in expanding the theoretical and practical knowledge of weather modification, the Board shall promote and fund research and development, studies, and investigations with respect to--

(1) improved forecast and decision-making technologies for weather modification operations, including tailored computer workstations and software and new observation systems with remote sensors; and

(2) assessments and evaluations of the efficacy of weather modification, both purposeful (including cloud-seeding operations) and inadvertent (including downwind effects and anthropogenic effects).

(b) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE- Unless the use of the money is restricted or subject to any limitations provided by law, the Board shall use amounts in the Weather Modification Research and Development Fund--

(1) to pay its expenses in the administration of this Act, and

(2) to provide for research and development with respect to weather modifications by grants to, or contracts or cooperative arrangements, with public or private agencies.

(c) REPORT- The Board shall submit to the Secretary biennially a report on its findings and research results.

SEC. 6. POWERS OF THE BOARD.

(a) STUDIES, INVESTIGATIONS, AND HEARINGS- The Board may make any studies or investigations, obtain any information, and hold any hearings necessary or proper to administer or enforce this Act or any rules or orders issued under this Act.

(b) PERSONNEL- The Board may employ, as provided for in appropriations Acts, an Executive Director and other support staff necessary to perform duties and functions under this Act.

(c) COOPERATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES- The Board may cooperate with public or private agencies to promote the purposes of this Act.

(d) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS- The Board may enter into cooperative agreements with the head of any department or agency of the United States, an appropriate official of any State or political subdivision of a State, or an appropriate official of any private or public agency or organization for conducting weather modification activities or cloud-seeding operations.

(e) CONDUCT AND CONTRACTS FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT- The Executive Director, with the approval of the Board, may conduct and may contract for research and development activities relating to the purposes of this section.

SEC. 7. COOPERATION WITH THE WEATHER MODIFICATION OPERATIONS AND RESEARCH BOARD.

The heads of the departments and agencies of the United States and the heads of any other public or private agencies and institutions that receive research funds from the United States shall, to the extent possible, give full support and cooperation to the Board and to initiate independent research and development programs that address weather modifications.

SEC. 8. FUNDING.

(a) IN GENERAL- There is established within the Treasury of the United States the Weather Modification Research and Development Fund, which shall consist of amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection (b) or received by the Board under subsection (c).

(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated to the Board for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this Act $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2005 through 2014. Any sums appropriated under this subsection shall remain available, without fiscal year limitation, until expended.

(c) GIFTS- The Board may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or donations of services or property.

SEC. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE.

This Act shall take effect on October 1, 2005.

[Siobhan]

This begs the question -- what the hell is this?

Okay, seriously I appreciate Kay Bailey bringing this out of the darkness into the light. Good on her.

The weatherwars.info guy will certainly be talking about this...

[Siobhan]

ping

[Siobhan]

ping

[Dustbunny]

`Weather Modification Research and Technology...

They have to be kidding.

Creating a job with grants where none exists in order for relatives to have an income.

[PositiveCogins]

I guess we start nuking hurricanes. If a blast of warm dry
air caused Katrina to go from a cat 5 to a cat 4 just
before land fall then a big hot bomb could weaken a bad storm a little. Of course then you would have fallout to deal
with. Oh well. Its not like this is new. They have been jackin around with cloud seeding for a while.

[cyborg]

oh thanks...very interesting!

[this_ol_patriot]

Of course it could also heat the water up and turn it into a Cat 9.

[PositiveCogins]

Na Anything over a cat 8.99 would create its own singularity
an cease to exist..

[Cvengr]

Ping,...not to think our tin foil hats weren't tight enough or anything....

[Siobhan]

I felt certain this would be of interest to you. God bless!

[cyborg]

Wow that's deep. How do you that?

[PositiveCogins]

I dont, I just made it up. But. At one time Even TV's and lasers were just made up. Now thats tin foil hat material.

[cyborg]

Made up in the inventor's mind :-) My tinfoil hat is on 24-7.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Ping

[redgolum]

My Dad (who works odd hours) said on last nights Coast to Coast, there was a guy that said the hurricane was an attack by Russia against the US and China (a big typhoon just whacked China).

We do not have the technology to do that. A nuke might have stopped the storm, but might not have also.

[Quix]

Have certainly wondered about that in terms of New Orleans.

I absolutely believe there is something to it. I just don't know how precise it is. Some supposed experts insist it is extremely precise--a well refined and well, fully developed technology.

What do I know. I just don't believe it's all disinformation. I believe there's substance to it, to some degree.

Regardless, whether God allows man's evil to do him in or what, God will insure discipline of evil doing and of pressuring Israel to give up Covenant lands.

Supporting evil is not a remotely good way to get God's protection and blessings.

I just read that the California Senate approved homosexual marriage. That leaves me expecting a huge quake in CA within weeks to a few months.

Times are a changin' folks.

[Quix]

Would your ping list be interested in the

PROPHETIC EVENTS ON THE HORIZON [27 CHRISTIAN PROPHETIC SOURCES FROM 1940-NOW]

thread at:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/1472056/posts?page=134

???

[Quix]

DB, There's a lot more than smoke to this issue.

Research it out extensively and see if you still feel the same way.

[Quix]

Your tinfoil hat is on 24/7?

Yeah, wellll, certain stubborn, rigid, narrow folks on FR

are convinced that

I AM a tinfoil hat.

LOL.

[Desdemona]

This begs the question -- what the hell is this?

Satire? I certainly hope so.

Controlling the weather...you know a lot of meteorologists come to my hometown to learn how to predict the weather in a crash sort of course. Most of the time, they can't. Same thing goes for contolling it, although on a much larger scale.