July 17, 2025
Mr. Amo (for himself, Mr. Huffman, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Elfreth, Mr. Espaillat, Ms. Velázquez, Mr. Mullin, Ms. Brownley, Mr. Pallone, Ms. Ansari, Mr. Smith of Washington, Ms. Stevens, Mr. Magaziner, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Ms. Simon, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Ms. Norton, Ms. Plaskett, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. Neguse, Mr. Lynch, Ms. Tokuda, Mrs. Sykes, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Kennedy of New York, Ms. Strickland, Ms. Kaptur, Ms. Jacobs, Ms. Barragán, Mr. Keating, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Garamendi, Ms. Castor of Florida, Ms. Ross, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Stanton, Mr. Fields, Ms. Salinas, Mr. Correa, Ms. Scanlon, Mr. Beyer, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Subramanyam, Ms. Bonamici, Mrs. Foushee, Mr. Ivey, Mr. Latimer, Mr. Tonko, Mrs. Fletcher, Ms. Titus, Mr. Takano, Mr. Case, Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida, Ms. Dexter, Ms. Schrier, Ms. McBride, Mr. Landsman, Mr. Frost, and Mr. Cohen) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Science, Space, and Technology, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
To impose a moratorium on closing, suspending, terminating leases of, ceasing construction of, consolidating, or otherwise imposing any new limitation on access to facilities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Stop NOAA Closures Act
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Sec. 2. Moratorium with respect to facilities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(a) Moratorium
(1) In general
Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), the Secretary of Commerce, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or the Administrator of General Services, as the case may be, may not close, suspend, terminate a lease of, cease construction of, consolidate, or otherwise impose any new limitation on access to a facility of the Administration.
(2) Exception for emergencies
Paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to any temporary action by the Secretary of Commerce, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or the Administrator of General Services, as the case may be, to close, suspend, terminate a lease of, cease construction of, consolidate, or otherwise limit access to a facility of the Administration in response to an emergency that poses an immediate threat to the health or safety of personnel of the Administration.
(3) Cessation upon report to Congress
Paragraph (1) shall cease to be effective on the date that is 180 days after the report described in paragraph (4) is submitted.
(4) Report
Not earlier than January 21, 2029, the Secretary of Commerce, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Administrator of General Services shall jointly submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report outlining and justifying the process for selecting any facility of the Administration for closure, suspension, termination of a lease, cessation of construction, consolidation, or other limitation on access to such a facility. Such report shall include information relating to the following:
(A)
An analysis of the criteria used for such selection.
(B)
A description of any method of cost-benefit analysis applied in connection with such closure, suspension, termination of lease, cessation of construction, consolidation, or other limitation, including any analysis that takes into account the following:
(i)
The anticipated savings resulting from such closure, suspension, termination of lease, cessation of construction, consolidation, or other limitation.
(ii)
The anticipated costs associated with replacing services lost as a result of such closure, suspension, termination of lease, cessation of construction, consolidation, or other limitation.
(iii)
The anticipated impact on services of the Administration.
(iv)
Such other relevant factors as the Secretary, the Administrator of the Administration, and the Administrator of General Services may determine.
(b) Future closures, suspensions, terminations of leases, cessations of construction, consolidations, and other limitations on access
(1) In general
Subject to paragraph (3), the Secretary of Commerce, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or the Administrator of General Services, as the case may be, may not close, suspend, terminate a lease of, cease construction of, consolidate, or otherwise impose any new limitation on access to a facility of the Administration unless the requirement of paragraph (2) is satisfied.
(2) Requirement
The requirement of this paragraph is that not later than 30 days before a closure, suspension, termination of lease, cessation of construction, consolidation, or other limitation with respect to a facility referred to in paragraph (1), the Secretary of Commerce, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Administrator of General Services jointly submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report outlining and justifying the process for selecting such facility for such closure, suspension, termination of lease, cessation of construction, consolidation, or other limitation. Such report shall include information in accordance with subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (a)(4).
(3) Exception for emergencies
Paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to any temporary action by the Secretary of Commerce, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or the Administrator of General Services, as the case may be, to close, suspend, terminate a lease of, cease construction of, consolidate, or otherwise limit access to a facility of the Administration in response to an emergency that poses an immediate threat to the health or safety of personnel of the Administration.
(c) Effective date
Subsection (b) shall apply with respect to a closure, suspension, termination of lease, cessation of construction, consolidation, or other limitation referred to in paragraph (1) of such subsection occurring after the cessation of the moratorium under subsection (a).