S. 4802, the Hurricane Hunter Aircraft Recapitalization Act, advanced out of committee on July 22, 2026.
S. 4802 — Hurricane Hunter Aircraft Recapitalization Act
What it does
This bill authorizes NOAA to spend $2.5 billion over five years (2027–2031) to acquire and maintain new hurricane-hunting aircraft to replace aging planes, and an additional $45 million annually for aviation operations. It requires NOAA to maintain continuous hurricane reconnaissance capability, preserve real-time data sharing for forecasting, and keep backup aircraft to prevent operational gaps during transitions.
Quorum's transparency scan gave Hurricane Hunter Aircraft Recapitalization Act a moderate transparency flag.
What happens next
S. 4802 advanced out of committee. Next stop: a floor vote.
Who is behind it
Filed by Maria Cantwell. Cosponsored by Alex Padilla, Lisa Blunt Rochester, Roger Wicker and Ted Budd.
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