We'll have to disagree. As noted, if something sounds too good to be true, it is. No way Myers is donating to Santorum to not have this bill drafted. There may be aspects you like, but it's clear as day what is lying under the surface. There is a giant profit motive for the bill. Again, it is quite clear. I have read the bill. And this section and following, the reference back to it, should give any taxpayer chills. One would have to have a tremendous faith in government that no recent administration (particularly this one) with appointments of industry insiders and lobbyists to positions that sometimes greatly benefit the private sector at the expense of the public good. Here is the text that I have a serious problem with.

(b) COMPETITION WITH PRIVATE SECTOR.--The
20 National Weather Service shall not provide, or assist other
21 entities in providing, a service or product (other than a
22 service or product described in subsection (a)(1)(A)) that
23 is or could be provided by the private sector unless--

S 786 IS
3
1 (1) the Secretary determines that the private
2 sector is unwilling or unable to provide such service
3 or product; or
4 (2) the United States Government is obligated
5 to provide such service or product under inter-
6 national aviation agreements to provide meteorolog-
7 ical services and exchange meteorological informa-
8 tion.
9 (c) ISSUANCE DATA, FORECASTS, WARN-
OF AND

10 INGS.--All data, information, guidance, forecasts, and
11 warnings received, collected, created, or prepared by the
12 National Weather Service shall, to the maximum extent
13 practicable, be issued in real time, and without delay, in
14 a manner that ensures that all members of the public have
15 the opportunity for simultaneous and equal access to such
16 data, information, guidance, forecasts, and warnings.
17 (d) PROHIBITION CERTAIN DISCLOSURES.--An
ON

18 officer, employee, or agent of the National Weather Serv-
19 ice, or of any other department or agency of the United
20 States, who comes by reason of that status into possession
21 of any weather data, information, guidance, forecast, or
22 warning that might influence or affect the market value
23 of any product, service, commodity, tradable, or business
24 may not--

S 786 IS
4
1 (1) willfully impart, whether directly or indi-
2 rectly, such weather data, information, guidance,
3 forecast, or warning, or any part thereof, before the
4 issuance of such weather data, information, guid-
5 ance, forecast, or warning to the public under sub-
6 section (c); or
7 (2) after the issuance of such weather data, in-
8 formation, guidance, forecast, or warning to the
9 public under subsection (c), willfully impart com-
10 ments or qualifications on such weather data, infor-
11 mation, guidance, forecast, or warning, or any part
12 thereof, to the public, except pursuant to an
13 issuance that complies with that subsection.

Steve