{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://elfreth.house.gov/media/press-releases/elfreth-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-preserve-crucial-data-noaa-severe", "Elfreth Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Preserve Crucial Data at NOAA for Severe Weather Prediction and Response", "2025-11-20", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "House", "MD", "Sarah Elfreth", "E000301", "elfreth.house.gov", "elfreth", "https://elfreth.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Today, Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-03), Vice Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee, introduced the bipartisan NOAA Data Preservation Act alongside Representative Nick Begich (R-AK-AL).\n\nThe NOAA Data Preservation Act establishes simple requirements that facilitate the preservation of digital scientific data stored in cloud storage systems by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA\u2019s digital data has been crucial in predicting and guiding preparation efforts for severe weather events across the country.\n\nDespite the importance of this data,in April 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce planned to cancel the cloud storage service contract holding data for NOAA as a proposed cost-saving measure. This sudden cancellation would have resulted in a 100% data loss for digitally stored data, including the elimination of the National Severe Storm Laboratory and Earth Prediction Innovation Center, which maintains key data for weather forecasting. Although that decision was reversed, there are currently no safeguards in place stopping the Department of Commerce from suddenly and unilaterally eliminating a cloud storage system and the data it holds.\n\n\u201cAs hurricane season comes to a close, the data collected by NOAA is invaluable in helping our communities prepare for the storms ahead. I am introducing the NOAA Data Preservation Act with Congressman Begich to ensure we can learn the proper lessons from previous weather patterns. This is a commonsense bill that would not only ensure the preservation of crucial data, but would save taxpayer dollars that were used to collect that data,\u201d said Congresswoman Elfreth.\n\n\u201cNOAA\u2019s research data is crucial for sound decision-making, especially regarding the long-term management of our fisheries. Alaskans depend on reliable, transparent, long-term data to manage our fisheries, wildlife, and understand changing weather patterns,\u201d said Congressman Begich. \u201cThe NOAA Data Preservation Act is commonsense, bipartisan legislation that ensures critical scientific data is preserved, and I\u2019m proud to co-lead this legislation with Congresswoman Elfreth to protect the data that our communities rely on and that American taxpayers have invested in collecting.\u201d\n\nThe bill would set requirements that the Department of Commerce must follow in the event of the planned cancellation of a cloud storage service contract for NOAA. Commerce would be required to:\n\nHave a new cloud data storage contract in place to take effect immediately following the conclusion of the prior contract to ensure continuity of data storage;\n\nPreserve all data in transition from the former storage space to the new cloud storage site; and\n\nProactively communicate with NOAA employees and scientists who contact NOAA regarding the timeline for transition and new access points for existing data sets.\n\nThe NOAA Data Preservation Act is supported by numerous scientific and environmental organizations, including the Union of Concerned Scientists, Association of Zoos & Aquariums, Defenders of Wildlife, American Rivers, National Aquarium, Environmental Defense Fund, Oceana, Ocean Conservancy, and Natural Resource Defense Council.\n\n\u201cProtecting NOAA\u2019s scientific data means protecting lives. Uninterrupted access to NOAA\u2019s vast datasets is essential to keep forecasts accurate, warnings for the public timely, and communities safe from escalating weather and climate threats in a world warmed by fossil-fuel emissions,\u201d said Carlos Martinez, PhD. Senior Climate Scientist, Union of Concerned Scientists.\n\n\u201cScientific data is the seedstock for information that powers forecasting, planning, and preparedness to deal with the changes affecting our world and the people who live in it. Ensuring the continuity of data storage for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is vital to creating a brighter future. Supporting the NOAA Data Preservation Act is supporting the science that continues to guide and protect us,\u201d said Dan Ashe, president and CEO of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re very grateful for Representative Elfreth\u2019s leadership in introducing a bill that addresses the critical need to preserve NOAA\u2019s scientific research and data. This is especially important right now as the administration is censoring or eliminating entirely critical information from government websites,\u201d said Daniel Moss, senior government relations representative at Defenders of Wildlife. \u201cIn addition to preserving NOAA\u2019s weather and climate-related data, this legislation seeks to protect essential data related to marine mammal conservation. NOAA Fisheries leads our federal government\u2019s work on marine mammal conservation, including efforts to prevent critically endangered species like the Southern resident orca, North Atlantic right whale and Rice\u2019s whale from going extinct. This work \u2014 including data collection and data preservation \u2014 is being devastated by the massive cuts slashing staff and research at NOAA Fisheries\u2019 regional science centers.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe NOAA Data Preservation Act is a timely, commonsense bill that ensures our nation's hydrological and flood forecast data remains transparent, reliable and accessible. It is imperative that river communities have the tools they need - like the National Water Map and Hydrologic Outlook - to understand emerging threats and changing conditions in their watersheds. We appreciate Representatives Elfreth's and Begich's leadership on this bill to protect rivers and enhance public safety,\u201d said Leda Huta, senior advocacy strategist for American Rivers Action Fund.\n\n\u201cWe all rely on robust scientific data to inform decisions that affect Americans\u2019 health and livelihoods,\u201d said Jennifer Driban, Chief Mission Officer for the National Aquarium. \u201cAs a science-based organization, we appreciate this bipartisan approach toward ensuring that agencies maintain the data which taxpayers have invested in collecting for the benefit of the American people.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe rely on NOAA data to make life- and property-saving decisions in the face of extreme weather, to monitor the health of our fisheries and to understand the patterns of our oceans and atmosphere,\u201d said Environmental Defense Fund VP for Political and Government Affairs Joanna Slaney. \u201cThis legislation comes at a pivotal time because of the Trump administration's repeated attempts to prevent the collection and sharing of data necessary for healthy, thriving communities.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor more than 200 years, the United States, through National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and its predecessor agencies, has collected and compiled oceanic and atmospheric data. From water temperature to fish stock assessments, this historical record is critically important to inform decisions and understand our changing planet. The NOAA Data Preservation Act, introduced by Rep. Sarah Elfreth and Rep. Nick Begich, will preserve this priceless trove of information for the future,\u201d said Gib Brogan, Senior Campaign Director at Oceana in the United States.\n\n\u201cEnsuring uninterrupted access to NOAA data is critical as we look to the past to plan for the future,\u201d said Jeff Watters, Vice President of External Affairs at Ocean Conservancy. \u201cAccessing NOAA data helps scientists and decision makers protect the ocean, wildlife, and communities, provide early warnings for severe weather events, and protect lives and property. We encourage Congress to act quickly to pass this critical bill.\u201d\n\nThe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, and includes the National Weather Service, which coordinates programs directly related to weather warnings and forecasting for the entire country. Timely warnings and accurate weather reports are crucial for saving lives during severe weather events, with the National Weather Service estimating that timely warnings can reduce the risk of injury and death by up to 50%.\n\nElfreth has led multiple efforts aimed at improving response and resilience to severe weather events, including introducing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to improve readiness against climate events at military bases. Elfreth has also co-sponsored bills like the Stop NOAA Closures Act aimed at protecting the agency and the crucial functions they provide to our country. Finally, Elfreth has spoken out on the importance of NOAA at the House Natural Resources Issue Forum on NOAA.\n\nThe bill is co-sponsored by Representatives Nick Begich (R-AK-AL), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Julia Brownley (D-CA-26), Kathy Castor (D-FL-14), Madeleine Dean (D-PA-04), Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-AL), Seth Magaziner (D-RI-02), and George Whitesides (D-CA-27).\n\nThe full bill text is available HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://elfreth.house.gov/media/press-releases/elfreth-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-preserve-crucial-data-noaa-severe"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1654598638415337, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}