This bill, titled the Tsunami Warning, Research, and Education Act of 2025, reauthorizes and significantly amends the existing Tsunami Warning and Education Act to enhance the nation's tsunami preparedness. It expands the act's scope to explicitly include research and education, aiming to improve the timeliness and accuracy of warnings and ensure robust data management for all related activities.

The legislation strengthens the Tsunami Forecasting and Warning Program by integrating advanced technologies like the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and mandating industry best practices for operational conditions. It expands interagency cooperation with entities such as USGS, NASA, and NSF to leverage diverse data streams and incorporate tsunami notifications into the USGS Earthquake Early Warning System. The bill also requires updates to tsunami inundation maps and models to better support mitigation and recovery efforts in tsunami-prone regions across the Pacific, Arctic, and Atlantic Oceans.

New mandates include evaluating the effectiveness of tsunami alert levels and reviewing NOAA Weather Radio coverage in at-risk areas. The National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program is enhanced with requirements for coastal digital elevation models and evaluations of tsunami-driven sediment transport and debris impact on critical infrastructure. Tsunami warning centers must maintain fail-safe capabilities and conduct biannual backup drills, while weather forecast offices are tasked with community education and outreach.

The bill bolsters the Tsunami Research Program by expanding social and behavioral science research and requiring a comprehensive research and development plan every 36 months to prioritize research needs, including for non-seismically driven tsunamis, and facilitate the transition of research into operational use. Finally, the bill authorizes $32,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, with specific minimum allocations for state-level mitigation and research programs.