Weather Modification Regulation Act
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
Weather Modification Regulation Act - Title I: Weather Modification Licenses and Permits, Reporting Requirements, and Penalties - Requires any State which establishes a system to regulate any weather modification activity to license any person engaged in such activity and enumerates qualifications for such licenses. Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to assist any State in its regulation of weather modification activity and in the dissemination of information concerning such activity. Requires a Federal permit for any person engaged in any weather modication activity, and enumerates qualifications for such permit. States that no permit shall be issued unless the applicant has first obtained a license. Outlines conditions whereby a permit may be revoked or suspended by the Secretary after an opportunity of hearing. Requires any holder of a permit to make daily reports covering any weather modification which are to be transmitted to the Secretary by certified mail daily. Outlines what information shall be included in each report. Requires additional weather reports if the Secretary requests them. Allows the Secretary to require records to be maintained by each holder of a permit which can be inspected under prescribed conditions by the Secretary. Requires any agency, military department, local government or State conducting weather modification activities to prepare daily reports, and to submit such reports to the Secretary by certified mail daily. Prescribes penalties for the violation of requirements for a federal permit of fines between $10,000 and $50,000, and fines of not more than $25,000 for failure to make weather reports to the Secretary. Gives the U.S. district courts power to enjoin any violation concerning federal permits reporting requirements, or other regulations promulgated by the Secretary. Title II: Weather Modification Information System - Authorizes the Secretary to establish within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a weather modification information system to monitor daily weather conditions, and to record and evaluate weather modification. Permits the Secretary to use the system to assist in determining whether: (1) to issue, revoke or suspend permits; (2) to obtain data from the Weather Bureau on a timely basis; and (3) to use such system to maintain records of any weather modification and such activity conducted in any State. Authorizes the Secretary to establish a computerized data processing system to facilitate the operation of the weather modification information system. Title III: International Weather Modification Control - Allows the President to cooperate and enter into agreements with other nations and international organizations to establish, monitor, and regulate weather modification activities. Requires any U.S. citizen who has primary supervisory responsibility for carrying out weather modification activities to submit reports to the Secretary at least 10 days prior to such activity. Outlines what information is to be included in these reports. Requires the Secretary to establish and maintain a register of persons engaged in weather modification activities in the U.S. and other nations whom he deems properly qualified. Allows the Secretary to distribute copies of such register upon request to any foreign nation. Requires approval by the Secretary of State, unless the President determines it unnecessary in a particular case for any agency or military department before engaging in any weather modification activity in any foreign nation. Prescribes penalties of fines up to $25,000 for failure of a U.S. citizen to make reports or register while engaging in weather modification activities in any foreign country. Title IV: General Provisions - Authorizes the Secretary to make such regulations as are necessary to carry out this Act. Authorizes necessary appropriations. Repeals the former regulating weather modification activities. (15 U.S.C. 330 et seq.)
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on March 20, 1973. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on March 20, 1973: Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 93rd Congress (1973-74), 651 of the 23,396 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 2.8 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
FRANK EVANS (D-CO) introduced it on March 20, 1973, and 9 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They are 9 Democrats.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on March 20, 1973, 19532 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 19532 days ago, on March 20, 1973.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 93rd Congress has not finished by January 3, 1975 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers