NIDIS Reauthorization Act of 2026

This bill renews the National Integrated Drought Information System, a federal program run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that tracks and forecasts drought. It adds flash drought research and tools, the use of technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, and work to fill data gaps such as snowpack, soil moisture, and groundwater. It directs the program to sign agreements with the National Mesonet Program to share data. Within one year, NOAA must develop a plan to fold its drought products and forecast models into probability-based forecasts. The bill authorizes funding that rises from $15 million in 2026 to $17 million in 2030.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Tim Sheehy Republican sponsor
• 0 cosponsors