119th Congress (2025-2026)

HR 4482

Stop NOAA Closures Act

In Committee

Jurisdiction

US Congress

Session

119th Congress (2025-2026)

Official source

Chamber

House

Session

119th Congress (2025-2026)

Jurisdiction

US Congress

Bill overview

This bill, titled the Stop NOAA Closures Act, aims to prevent the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from closing, suspending, terminating leases of, or limiting access to its facilities. It establishes a moratorium on these actions, with exceptions for emergencies. The bill also requires NOAA to report to Congress before any facility closures are considered, detailing the selection process and justification for such actions, including cost-benefit analyses and potential impacts on services.

Key provisions

Imposes a moratorium on NOAA facility closures, suspensions, and limitations on access.
Requires NOAA to report to Congress 180 days after enactment detailing the process for facility closures.
The report must include criteria for facility selection, cost-benefit analyses, and impact assessments.
Requires 30 days’ notice to Congress before any facility closure, suspension, or limitation.
Exempts temporary actions taken to protect the health and safety of NOAA personnel.
The moratorium will cease after 180 days unless a report is submitted to Congress.
The report must include analysis of anticipated savings and costs associated with closures.
The report must consider the anticipated impact on services provided by NOAA.

Who is affected

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Federal Government Agencies
Scientists and Researchers
The Public (potentially impacted by NOAA services)
Congressional Committees (Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, Commerce, Science, and Transportation)

Positions across the country

No public positions recorded for this legislation.

Arguments in favor

Reasons to support this legislation.

No arguments in favor have been submitted.

Submit yours

Arguments opposed

Reasons to oppose this legislation.

No arguments opposed have been submitted.

Submit yours

Legislative history

2025-07-17House

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.

2025-07-17House

2025-07-17

Introduced in House

Read the latest version inline or switch to a previous version.

Jul 17, 2025XMLView source

119th CONGRESS — 1st Session

H. R. 4482

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

A BILL

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.

1.Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Stop NOAA Closures Act

2.Moratorium with respect to facilities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

(a)Moratorium

(1)In generalExcept 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 emergenciesParagraph (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 CongressParagraph (1) shall cease to be effective on the date that is 180 days after the report described in paragraph (4) is submitted.

(4)ReportNot 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 generalSubject 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)RequirementThe 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 emergenciesParagraph (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 dateSubsection (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).

HR 4482

Bill overview

Key provisions

Who is affected

Sponsors

Primary sponsor

Cosponsors

Positions across the country

Arguments in favor

Arguments opposed

Bill text

Notable changes

Fiscal impact

Positions across the country