Bill to expand Hurricane Hunter fleet filed

A bipartisan Senate Bill aims to triple the size of the Hurricane Hunter fleet.

The bill, introduced Wednesday, would give the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, two-and-a-half billion dollars to buy at least six new planes.

There’s also an additional $45 million per year to hire more specialized pilots to fly them.

On top of that, the measure would codify NOAA’s reconnaissance and research role into law, thus giving it protection from Washington’s bureaucratic battles.