S. 1958: Federal Operational Resilience in Emergency Conditions And Storm Tracking Act

This bill, titled the Federal Operational Resilience in Emergency Conditions And Storm Tracking Act (or FORECAST Act), aims to ensure that certain critical positions within the National Weather Service (NWS) are exempt from federal hiring freezes. Here are the main components of the bill:

Exemption from Hiring Freezes

The Secretary of Commerce would be authorized to exempt specific jobs within the NWS from any federal government hiring freeze. This exemption applies to positions deemed essential for public safety, particularly those involved in:

• Issuing weather and flood warnings
• Maintaining vital observational equipment
• Protecting life and property from weather-related hazards

Implementation Timeline

The Secretary must implement this exemption within 30 days of the bill's enactment.

Reporting Requirements

Following the bill's enactment, the Secretary is required to submit a report to Congress on the staffing levels for these critical positions at the NWS. This report is due one year after enactment and must be submitted annually thereafter.

Retroactive Application

The bill includes a provision that nullifies any job offer rescinded for these covered positions since January 20, 2025, meaning individuals whose job offers were withdrawn during this timeframe would have their offers reaffirmed under this legislation.

Definitions

Key definitions in the bill include:

• Covered position: This refers to specific roles within the NWS, including job series for meteorologists (1340), hydrologists (1315), and electronics technicians (856), as well as any future equivalent job series.
• Secretary: This term refers to the Secretary of Commerce, who is responsible for implementing the provisions of this bill.

Relevant Companies

None found