The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee voted Thursday to approve a bill by Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison establishing a weather modification program.

“It is critical that we assess and evaluate the efficacy of weather modification research to the extent that lives are saved and property damage is limited,” Hutchison said.

“This work is vital, especially as we near the end of such a devastating hurricane season.”

The bill would create a Weather Modification Subcommittee within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and would gather outside experts on a board to advise the subcommittee to expand the scientific understanding of modifying the weather.

“Hurricanes Rita and Katrina and the recent tornados and violent storms in the Midwest took many lives and destroyed both property and the environment,” Hutchison said.

“By developing sustained research we can provide answers to the issues of predictability and reliability of weather modification research.”

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