SB 1378, the TAME Extreme Weather and Wildfires Act, would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), through the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, to expand the use of artificial intelligence in weather, water, space weather, and wildfire forecasting. The bill defines key terms such as artificial intelligence weather models, observational data, synthetic data, and weather data, and states that its purpose is to improve forecast accuracy and timeliness, strengthen hazard response, and deepen public-private partnerships in forecasting and related research.
The bill requires NOAA to develop and curate comprehensive weather-forecasting training datasets within four years, using existing federal Earth-system datasets where possible. It authorizes NOAA to develop and test global, regional, and local AI weather models; explore AI for disseminating weather and wildfire risk information; continue support for traditional observations, numerical weather models, data assimilation, and Earth-system research; and report to Congress every two years through 2035 on implementation. It also encourages technical assistance to forecasters and emergency managers, common evaluation frameworks for AI and numerical models, independent study of AI’s impacts on the weather enterprise, and new partnership and co-investment structures with academic, private, and international entities.
The bill would also require NOAA to create a public-access plan for operational and certain experimental AI weather models, along with related documentation and, where legally permissible, associated federal data and metadata. At the same time, it includes accommodations to protect national security, intellectual property, trade secrets, contractual restrictions, and NOAA’s mission to protect lives and property. Separately, it directs NOAA to report within one year on risks posed by foreign countries of concern accessing U.S. weather data, including risks of espionage or intellectual property theft.
In terms of state-law impact, the bill does not directly amend state statutes, but it could affect state and local emergency management, wildfire response, and weather-related decision-making by improving NOAA products and support tools used by state agencies, emergency managers, and public safety officials. It also authorizes appropriations of $105 million for fiscal year 2026 and $25 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2030 to carry out the section.
Because there were no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, the overall sentiment cannot be measured from debate or roll call history. Based on the text alone, the bill appears broadly pro-innovation and pro-preparedness, with an emphasis on modernization and public benefit. The main points of potential contention are likely to be the scale of federal spending, the balance between public release of AI models and protection of proprietary or sensitive data, and the national-security concerns tied to foreign access to weather data.
SB 1378 would expand NOAA’s statutory role in artificial intelligence research, model development, dataset curation, public dissemination, and technical assistance for weather-related forecasting. It would create new reporting obligations, encourage interagency and private-sector collaboration, and authorize new appropriations to support these activities. The bill does not directly change state law, but it could influence state emergency management, wildfire preparedness, and local forecasting practices through improved federal products and guidance.
No committee discussion or vote history was provided, so there is no recorded legislative sentiment to summarize from debate or roll calls. On its face, the bill is framed positively as a modernization and public-safety measure, with support implied for innovation, forecasting accuracy, and hazard preparedness. The inclusion of national-security safeguards and limits on disclosure suggests an effort to address likely concerns before enactment.
The most likely areas of contention are the bill’s funding levels, the extent to which NOAA should publicly release AI models and associated data, and how to protect intellectual property, trade secrets, and national security. The bill explicitly anticipates concerns about foreign countries of concern accessing U.S. weather data and allows withholding of models or data when necessary for national security. Another possible point of debate is whether NOAA should prioritize AI development without diminishing investment in traditional observations and numerical weather modeling.