Amo, Franklin Lead Bipartisan Bill To Improve Federal Risk Analysis And Protect Taxpayer Dollars

WASHINGTON, DC - THIS WEEK, Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI) and Chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Environment, Congressman Scott Franklin (R-FL), introduced the Advancing Consistent and Credible Use of Risk Assessment Tools and Evaluation (ACCURATE) Act. This bipartisan bill creates a federal commission to help ensure federal agencies use more consistent, credible, and transparent private-sector risk tools when spending taxpayer dollars. Congressman Max Miller (R-OH), who championed the bill in the previous Congress, is joining as an original cosponsor.

"From Superstorm Sandy to this year's Blizzard of '26, Rhode Islanders are no strangers to the dangers of extreme weather," said Congressman Gabe Amo (D-RI). "The ACCURATE Act ensures federal agencies rely on sound, reliable data to assess risk. Thanks to Chair Franklin, our commonsense, bipartisan bill brings together government and industry to better protect lives, property, and livelihoods."

"Federal agencies are making significant decisions about disaster response, infrastructure, and insurance using private-sector risk tools, but too often there is no consistent standard for how those tools are evaluated," said Chairman Scott Franklin (R-FL). "The ACCURATE Act brings greater transparency and accountability to the process by establishing clear guidelines for how these tools are reviewed and used. This is about making sure federal decisions are based on sound, reliable data and taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely."

"Safeguarding taxpayer dollars is always a top priority," said Congressman Max Miller (R-OH). "I am proud to support this legislation to protect communities. Accurate forecasting and effective disaster response are vital for millions of Americans from all backgrounds, and it is critical to strengthen how the federal government assesses hazard risk tools. This bill marks important progress, ensuring wise use of tax dollars to address one of life's most unpredictable forces: the weather."

"The American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) applauds Congressman Scott Franklin on the introduction of the Advancing Consistent and Credible Use of Risk Assessment Tools and Evaluation Act (ACCURATE Act)," said Sam Whitfield, American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA)'s Senior Vice President of Federal Government Relations. "This legislation would establish a commission to bring together public- and private-sector experts to help strengthen the reliability, transparency, and consistency of hazard risk assessment tools used by federal agencies. Ensuring the reliability and accuracy of hazard risk data and models is vital to rural and urban communities, industries, and emergency responders nationwide who rely on these tools to help safeguard lives, properties, and critical infrastructure."

"Accurate and reliable weather models and forecasts are vital to insurers for determining the risk of severe weather and pricing coverage as accurately as possible," said Jimi Grande, NAMIC Senior Vice President - Federal & Political Affairs. "NAMIC applauds Rep. Franklin for his leadership in introducing the Advancing Consistent and Credible Use of Risk Assessment Tools and Evaluation (ACCURATE) Act to enhance federal weather data. Protecting our homes and communities starts with understanding the risks we face, and as Americans encounter increasingly severe and unpredictable weather, the need for quality data has never been more apparent."

"With severe weather events increasing in frequency and intensity, it is more important than ever to ensure the weather data and risk models communities, businesses, and government officials at all levels rely on are reliable and accurate," said BuildStrong America Executive Director Natalie Enclade. "BuildStrong America applauds Representatives Scott Franklin (R-FL) and Gabe Amo (D-RI) for leading the charge on this timely and important issue."

Background

The ACCURATE Act directs the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology to establish a Commission on Hazard Risk Assessment Tools to improve how the federal government evaluates hazard risk tools purchased from the private sector. The Commission will recommend standards, methodologies, and procurement best practices to make these tools more consistent, credible, and transparent. The Under Secretary will review those recommendations and determine whether to adopt them for federal use.

Specifically, the Commission will:

• Review the private-sector hazard risk assessment tools federal agencies use;
• Recommend standards for data inputs, model assumptions, and validation of model outputs;
• Develop best practices for evaluating and procuring those tools; and
• Report to Congress on federal use of these tools and the effectiveness of recommended standards.

Developed with input from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the legislation has also received support from the American Property and Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA), National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC), and BuildStrong America, reflecting broad industry recognition of the importance of establishing clear standards for how the federal government evaluates and uses hazard risk assessment tools purchased from the private sector.

Click here for the full bill text.

Congressman Amo, serves as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Environment of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. This subcommittee has jurisdiction over the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which administers the National Weather Service.

Last year, Amo and Congresswoman Emilia Sykes (D-OH) led 64 Democratic colleagues in calling on the Acting NOAA Administrator Laura Grimmto reinstate the Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters Report to ensure America has a record of the increasing number of storms that cause catastrophic financial damage to communities.

###