Weather Modification Research and Technology Transfer Authorization Act of 2005

The Weather Modification Research and Technology Transfer Authorization Act (S.517) was introduced March 3, 2005, on the floor of the U.S. Senate by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) without co-sponsors. The bill was placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders on December 8, 2005. Calendar No. 319.

A companion bill, Weather Modification Research and Technology Transfer Authorization Act of 2005 (H.R.2995), was introduced June 20, 2005, by Representative Mark Udall (D-Colorado) in the U.S. House of Representatives, without co-sponsors. On June 27, 2005, the bill was referred to the Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and Standards.

Earlier bills
Senator Hutchison introduced the same bill, To establish the Weather Modification Operations and Research Board and outline its duties and responsibilities (S.2170), in the 2nd Session, 108th Congress, March 4, 2004.

"The bill will develop a comprehensive and coordinated national weather modification policy through federal and state research and development programs. It will also establish a Weather Modification Advisory and Research Board within the U.S. Department of Commerce to promote and expand the practical knowledge of weather modification. Further, it recognizes the significance of state and federal collaboration in this endeavor."

Weather modification forbidden
It should be noted that 'weather control', as well as 'weather tampering', is expressly forbidden dating from at least December 10 1976, when the 'United Nations General Assembly Resolution 31/72, TIAS 9614 Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques' was adopted.

"The Convention was: Signed in Geneva May 18 1977; Entered into force October 5 1978; Ratification by U.S. President December 13 1979; U.S. ratification deposited at New York January 17 1980."

Hearing
Joint Hearing: S.517, the Weather Modification Research and Technology Transfer Authorization Act of 2005, Senate Commerce Committee's Science and Space Subcommittee and Disaster Prevention and Prediction Subcommittee, November 10, 2005.

Bush Administration position
In a December 13, 2005, letter to Senator Hutchison, John H. Marburger, III, Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President, wrote:


 * "The Administration respectfully requests that you defer further consideration of the bill pending the outcome of an inter-agency discussion of these issues that the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) would coordinate – with the Department of Justice on legal issues, with the Department of State on foreign policy implications, with the Departments of Defense and State on national security implications, and with pertinent research agencies to consider the reasons the U.S. Government previously halted its work in this area. At the conclusion of this review, the Administration would report back to you on the results of these discussions so you are fully apprised of all possible issues associated with authorizing a new Federal program on this topic."

External resources

 * "Sen. Hutchison’s Weather Modification Bill Approved by Commerce Committee," KTEN10 NBC News (Texas), November 17, 2005.
 * Greg Simmons, "Bill May Renew U.S. Weather Control Efforts," Fox News, December 8, 2005.
 * "Rosalind Peterson on the weather modification bill," Holmestead (Canada), March 2006, with updates.
 * Rosalind Peterson, "Controversial Experimental Weather Modification Bill in US Congress," Global Research (Canada), May 11, 2006.