SENATE COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY PASSES CANTWELL'S 'HURRICANE HUNTER' BILL TO GATHER BETTER STORM DATA FOR COASTAL COMMUNITIES

WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Sen. Maria Cantwell issued the following press release:

Today, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation unanimously passed the Hurricane Hunter Aircraft Recapitalization Act, a bill introduced last month by the committee's ranking member, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA).

The legislation would, for the first time, codify the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) Hurricane Hunter mission in federal law and authorize up to nine Hurricane Hunter aircraft. It also includes provisions to better prepare the nation's first line of defense against stronger and more frequent hurricanes, atmospheric rivers, and winter storms.

"As atmospheric rivers become more frequent and severe a...