[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1218 Reported in Senate (RS)]






                                                       Calendar No. 403
108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1218

                          [Report No. 108-203]

  To provide for Presidential support and coordination of interagency 
     ocean science programs and development and coordination of a 
  comprehensive and integrated United States research and monitoring 
                                program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 10, 2003

  Mr. Hollings (for himself, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Breaux, Mr. 
Kerry, Mr. Lautenberg, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Levin, 
and Mr. DeWine) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

                           November 19, 2003

               Reported by Mr. McCain, with an amendment
 [Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in 
                                italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To provide for Presidential support and coordination of interagency 
     ocean science programs and development and coordination of a 
  comprehensive and integrated United States research and monitoring 
                                program.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``Oceans and Human Health 
Act''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Findings.--The Congress makes the following 
findings:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) The rich biodiversity of marine organisms 
        provides society with an essential biomedical resource, a 
        promising source of novel compounds with therapeutic potential, 
        and a potentially important contribution to the national 
        economy.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) The diversity of ocean life and research on 
        the health of marine organisms, including marine mammals and 
        other sentinel species, helps scientists in their efforts to 
        investigate and understand human physiology and biochemical 
        processes, as well as providing a means for monitoring the 
        health of marine ecosystems.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) The oceans drive climate and weather factors 
        causing severe weather events and shifts in temperature and 
        rainfall patterns that affect the density and distribution of 
        disease-causing organisms and the ability of public health 
        systems to address them.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) The oceans act as a route of exposure for 
        human disease and illnesses through ingestion of contaminated 
        seafood and direct contact with seawater containing toxins and 
        disease-causing organisms.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) During the past two decades, the incidence of 
        harmful blooms of algae has increased around the world, 
        contaminating shellfish, causing widespread fish kills, 
        threatening marine environmental quality and resulting in 
        substantial economic losses to coastal communities.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) Existing Federal programs and resources 
        support research in a number of these areas, but gaps in 
        funding, coordination, and outreach have impeded national 
        progress in addressing ocean health issues.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) National investment in a coordinated program 
        of research and monitoring would improve understanding of 
        marine ecosystems, allow prediction and prevention of marine 
        public health problems and assist in realizing the potential of 
        the oceans to contribute to the development of effective new 
        treatments of human diseases and a greater understanding of 
        human biology.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are to provide 
for--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Presidential support and coordination of 
        interagency ocean science programs; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) development and coordination of a 
        comprehensive and integrated United States research and 
        monitoring program that will assist this Nation and the world 
        to understand, use and respond to the role of the oceans in 
        human health.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 3. NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Director of Office of Science and Technology Policy To 
Chair Council.--Section 207(a) of the National Science and Technology 
Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6616(a)) is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) by striking ``Chairman of Federal Coordinating 
        Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology'' in the 
        subsection heading and inserting ``Chair of the National 
        Science and Technology Council''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the 
        following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) serve as Chair of the National Science and 
        Technology Council; and''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Functions.--Section 401 of the National Science and 
Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 
6651) is amended to read as follows:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``SEC. 401. FUNCTIONS OF COUNCIL.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    ``(a) In General.--The National Science and Technology 
Council (hereinafter referred to as the `Council') shall consider 
problems and developments in the fields of science, engineering, and 
technology and related activities affecting more than one Federal 
agency, and shall recommend policies and other measures designed to--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) provide more effective planning and 
        administration of Federal scientific, engineering, and 
        technology programs;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) identify research needs, including areas 
        requiring additional emphasis;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) achieve more effective use of the 
        scientific, engineering, and technological resources and 
        facilities of Federal agencies, including elimination of 
        unwarranted duplication; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) further international cooperation in 
        science, engineering and technology.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Coordination.--The Council may be assigned 
responsibility for developing long-range and coordinated plans for 
scientific and technical research which involve the participation of 
more than 2 agencies. Such plans shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) identify research approaches and priorities 
        which most effectively advance scientific understanding and 
        provide a basis for policy decisions;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) provide for effective cooperation and 
        coordination of research among Federal agencies; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) encourage domestic and, as appropriate, 
        international cooperation among government, industry and 
        university scientists.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Other Duties.--The Council shall perform such other 
related advisory duties as shall be assigned by the President or by the 
Chair of the Council.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Assistance of Other Agencies.--For the purpose of 
carrying out the provisions of this section, each Federal agency 
represented on the Council shall furnish necessary assistance to the 
Council. Such assistance may include--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) detailing employees to the Council to 
        perform such functions, consistent with the purposes of this 
        section, as the Chairman of the Council may assign to them; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) undertaking upon the request of the Chair, 
        such special studies for the Council as come within the scope 
        of authority of the Council.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(e) Standing Committees; Working Groups.--For the 
purpose of developing interagency plans, conducting studies, and making 
reports as directed by the Chairman, standing committees and working 
groups of the Council may be established.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 4. INTERAGENCY OCEANS AND HUMAN HEALTH RESEARCH 
              PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Establishment of Committee.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) The National Science and Technology Council 
        shall coordinate and support a national research program to 
        improve understanding of the role of the oceans in human 
        health. In planning the program, the Council shall establish a 
        Committee on Oceans and Human Health that shall consist of 
        representatives from those agencies with programs or missions 
        that could contribute to or benefit from the program. The 
        Committee shall consist of at least one representative from--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                Administration;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the National Science 
                Foundation;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) the National Institute of 
                Environmental Health Sciences and other institutes 
                within the National Institutes of Health;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) the Centers for Disease 
                Control;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) the Environmental Protection 
                Agency;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) the Food and Drug 
                Administration;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (G) the Department of Homeland Security; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (H) such other agencies and departments as 
                the Council deems appropriate.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) The members of the Committee biennially shall 
        select one of its members to serve as Chair. The Chair shall be 
        knowledgeable and experienced with regard to the administration 
        of scientific research programs, and shall be a representative 
        of an agency that contributes substantially, in terms of 
        scientific research capability and budget, to the interagency 
        program.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Implementation Plan.--Within one year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Chair of the National Science and 
Technology Council, through the Committee on the Oceans and Human 
Health, shall develop and submit to the Congress a plan for coordinated 
Federal activities under the program. In developing the plan, the 
Committee will consult with the Inter-Agency Task Force on Harmful 
Algal Blooms and Hypoxia. Such plan will build on and complement the 
ongoing activities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, the National Science Foundation, the National Institute 
of Environmental Health Sciences, and other departments and agencies 
and shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) establish, for the 10-year period beginning in 
        the year it is submitted, the goals and priorities for Federal 
        research which most effectively advance scientific 
        understanding of the connections between the oceans and human 
        health, provide usable information for the prediction and 
        prevention of marine public health problems and use the 
        biological potential of the oceans for development of new 
        treatments of human diseases and a greater understanding of 
        human biology;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) describe specific activities required to 
        achieve such goals and priorities, including establishment of 
        national centers of excellence, the funding of competitive 
        research grants, ocean and coastal observations, training and 
        support for scientists, and participation in international 
        research efforts;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) identify and address, as appropriate, relevant 
        programs and activities of the Federal agencies and departments 
        that would contribute to the program;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) consider and use, as appropriate, reports and 
        studies conducted by Federal agencies and departments, the 
        National Research Council, the Ocean Research Advisory Panel, 
        the Commission on Ocean Policy and other entities;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) make recommendations for the coordination of 
        program activities with ocean and human health-related 
        activities of other national and international organizations; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) estimate Federal funding for research 
        activities to be conducted under the program.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Program Scope.--The program shall include the 
following activities related to the role of oceans in human 
health:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Interdisciplinary research among the ocean and 
        medical sciences, and coordinated research and activities to 
        improve understanding of processes within the ocean that may 
        affect human health and to explore the potential contribution 
        of marine organisms to medicine and research, including--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) vector- and water-borne diseases of 
                humans and marine organisms, including marine mammals 
                and fish;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) harmful algal blooms;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) marine-derived 
                pharmaceuticals;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) marine organisms as models for 
                biomedical research and as indicators of marine 
                environmental health;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) marine environmental 
                microbiology;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) bioaccumulative and endocrine-
                disrupting chemical contaminants; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (G) predictive models based on indicators 
                of marine environmental health.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Coordination with the National Ocean Research 
        Leadership Council (10 U.S.C. 7902(a)) to ensure that any 
        integrated ocean and coastal observing system provides 
        information necessary to monitor, predict and reduce marine 
        public health problems including--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) baseline observations of physical 
                ocean properties to monitor climate 
                variation;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) measurement of oceanic and atmospheric 
                variables to improve prediction of severe weather 
                events;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) compilation of global health 
                statistics for analysis of the effects of oceanic 
                events on human health;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) documentation of harmful algal blooms; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) development and implementation of 
                sensors to measure biological processes, acquire 
                health-related data on biological populations and 
                detect contaminants in marine waters and 
                seafood.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Development through partnerships among Federal 
        agencies, States, or academic institutions of new technologies 
        and approaches for detecting and reducing hazards to human 
        health from ocean sources and to strengthen understanding of 
        the value of marine biodiversity to biomedicine, including--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) genomics and proteomics to develop 
                genetic and immunological detection approaches and 
                predictive tools and to discover new biomedical 
                resources;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) biomaterials and 
                bioengineering;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) in situ and remote sensors to detect 
                and quantify contaminants in marine waters and 
                organisms and to identify new genetic 
                resources;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) techniques for supplying marine 
                resources, including chemical synthesis, culturing and 
                aquaculturing marine organisms, new fermentation 
                methods and recombinant techniques; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) adaptation of equipment and 
                technologies from human health fields.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Support for scholars, trainees and education 
        opportunities that encourage an interdisciplinary and 
        international approach to exploring the diversity of life in 
        the oceans.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 5. NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION OCEANS 
              AND HUMAN HEALTH PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Establishment.--As part of the interagency program 
planned and coordinated under section 4, the Secretary of Commerce 
shall establish an Oceans and Human Health Program to coordinate and 
implement research and activities of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration related to the role of the oceans in human 
health. In establishing the program, the Secretary shall consult with 
other Federal agencies conducting integrated oceans and human health 
research and research in related areas, including the Centers for 
Disease Control, the National Science Foundation, and the National 
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The Oceans and Human Health 
Program shall provide support for--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) a program and research coordination 
        office;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) an advisory panel;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) one or more National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration national centers of excellence;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) research grants; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) distinguished scholars and 
        traineeships.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Program Office.--The Secretary shall establish a 
program office to identify and coordinate oceans and human health-
related research and activities within the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration and carry out the elements of the program. 
The program office will provide support for administration of the 
program and, in cooperation with the oceans and human health advisory 
panel, will serve as liaison with academic institutions and other 
agencies participating in the interagency oceans and human health 
research program planned and coordinated under section 3.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Advisory Panel.--The Secretary shall establish an 
oceans and human health advisory panel to assist in the development and 
implementation of the Oceans and Human Health Program. Membership of 
the advisory group shall provide for balanced representation of 
individuals with multi-disciplinary expertise in the marine and 
biomedical sciences. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) 
shall not apply to the oceans and human health advisory 
panel.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) National Centers.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) The Secretary shall identify and provide 
        financial support through a competitive process to develop, 
        within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, for 
        one or more centers of excellence that strengthen the 
        capabilities of the Administration to carry out programs and 
        activities related to the oceans' role in human health. Such 
        centers shall complement and be in addition to the centers 
        established by the National Science Foundation and the National 
        Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) The centers shall focus on areas related to 
        agency missions, including use of marine organisms as 
        indicators for marine environmental health, ocean pollutants, 
        marine toxins and pathogens, harmful algal blooms, seafood 
        testing, drug discovery, and biology and pathobiology of marine 
        mammals, and on disciplines including marine genomics, marine 
        environmental microbiology, ecological chemistry and 
        conservation medicine.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) In selecting centers for funding, the 
        Secretary will consider the need for geographic representation 
        and give priority to proposals with strong interdisciplinary 
        scientific merit that encourage educational opportunities and 
        provide for effective partnerships among the Administration, 
        other Federal entities, State, academic, medical, and industry 
        participants.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Research Grants.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) The Secretary is authorized to provide grants 
        of financial assistance for critical research and projects that 
        explore the relationship between the oceans and human health 
        and that complement or strengthen Administration programs and 
activities related to the ocean's role in human health. The Secretary 
shall consult with the oceans and human health advisory panel 
established under subsection (c) and the National Sea Grant College 
Program and may work cooperatively with other agencies participating in 
the interagency program under section 3 to establish joint criteria for 
such research and projects.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Grants under this subsection shall be awarded 
        through a peer-review process that may be conducted jointly 
        with other agencies participating in the interagency program 
        established in section 3 or under the National Oceanographic 
        Partnership Program under section 7901 of title 10, United 
        States Code.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (f) Distinguished Scholars and Traineeships.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) The Secretary shall designate and provide 
        financial assistance to support distinguished scholars from 
        academic institutions, industry or State governments for 
        collaborative work with scientists and facilities of the 
        Administration.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) In consultation with the Directors of the 
        National Institutes of Health and the National Science 
        Foundation, the Secretary of Commerce may establish a program 
        to provide training and experience to scientists at the 
        beginning of their careers who are interested in the role of 
        the oceans in human health.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 6. PUBLIC INFORMATION AND OUTREACH.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Commerce, in 
consultation with the Centers for Disease Control, the Food and Drug 
Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and the States, 
shall design and implement a national public information and outreach 
program on potential ocean-related human health risks, including health 
hazards associated with the human consumption of seafood. Under such 
program, the Secretary shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) collect and analyze information on ocean-
        related health hazards and illnesses, including information on 
        the number of individuals affected, causes and geographic 
        location of the hazard or illness;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) disseminate the results of the analysis to any 
        appropriate Federal or State agency, the public, involved 
        industries, and other interested persons;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) provide advice regarding precautions that may 
        be taken to safeguard against the hazard or illness; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) assess and make recommendations for observing 
        systems to support the program.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Seafood Safety.--To address health hazards associated 
with human consumption of seafood, the Secretary, in consultation with 
the Centers for Disease Control, the Food and Drug Administration, the 
Environmental Protection Agency and the States, shall assess risks 
related to--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) seafood that is domestically harvested and 
        processed as compared with imported seafood that is harvested 
        and processed outside the United States;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) seafood that is commercially harvested and 
        processed as compared with that harvested for recreational or 
        subsistence purposes and not prepared commercially; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) contamination originating from certain 
        practices that occur both prior to and after sale of seafood to 
        consumers, especially those connected to the manner in which 
        consumers handle and prepare seafood.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) NOAA Oceans and Human Health Program.--There are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce to carry out 
the NOAA Oceans and Human Health program established under section 
5, $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2005, 
and $20,000,000 annually for fiscal year 2006 through fiscal year 
2008.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Public Information.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the public information and 
outreach program established under section 6, $5,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2004 through 2007.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Oceans and Human Health Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The rich biodiversity of marine organisms provides 
        society with an essential biomedical resource, a promising 
        source of novel compounds with therapeutic potential, and a 
        potentially important contribution to the national economy.
            (2) The diversity of ocean life and research on the health 
        of marine organisms, including marine mammals and other 
        sentinel species, helps scientists in their efforts to 
        investigate and understand human physiology and biochemical 
        processes, as well as providing a means for monitoring the 
        health of marine ecosystems.
            (3) The oceans drive climate and weather factors causing 
        severe weather events and shifts in temperature and rainfall 
        patterns that affect the density and distribution of disease-
        causing organisms and the ability of public health systems to 
        address them.
            (4) The oceans act as a route of exposure for human disease 
        and illnesses through ingestion of contaminated seafood and 
        direct contact with seawater containing toxins and disease-
        causing organisms.
            (5) During the past two decades, the incidence of harmful 
        blooms of algae and hypoxia has increased in United States 
        coastal waters, including the Great Lakes, and around the 
        world, contaminating shellfish, causing widespread fish kills, 
        threatening marine environmental quality and resulting in 
        substantial economic losses to coastal communities.
            (6) Existing Federal programs and resources support 
        research in a number of these areas, but gaps in funding, 
        coordination, and outreach have impeded national progress in 
        addressing ocean health issues.
            (7) National investment in a coordinated program of 
        research and monitoring would improve understanding of marine 
        ecosystems, allow prediction and prevention of marine public 
        health problems and assist in realizing the potential of the 
        oceans to contribute to the development of effective new 
        treatments of human diseases and a greater understanding of 
        human biology.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are to provide for--
            (1) Presidential support and coordination of interagency 
        ocean science programs; and
            (2) development and coordination of a comprehensive and 
        integrated United States ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes 
        research and monitoring program that will assist this Nation 
        and the world to understand, use and respond to the role of the 
        oceans in human health.

SEC. 3. INTERAGENCY OCEANS AND HUMAN HEALTH RESEARCH PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment of Committee.--
            (1) The President, through the National Science and 
        Technology Council, shall coordinate and support a national 
        research program to improve understanding of the role of the 
        oceans in human health. In planning the program, the Council 
        shall establish or designate a Committee on Oceans and Human 
        Health that shall consist of representatives from those 
        agencies with programs or missions that could contribute to or 
        benefit from the program. The Committee shall consist of at 
        least one representative from--
                    (A) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                Administration;
                    (B) the National Science Foundation;
                    (C) the National Institute of Environmental Health 
                Sciences and other institutes within the National 
                Institutes of Health;
                    (D) the Centers for Disease Control;
                    (E) the Environmental Protection Agency;
                    (F) the Food and Drug Administration;
                    (G) the Department of Defense;
                    (H) the Department of Homeland Security; and
                    (I) such other agencies and departments as the 
                Council deems appropriate.
            (2) The members of the Committee biennially shall select 
        one of its members to serve as Chair. The Chair shall be 
        knowledgeable and experienced with regard to the administration 
        of scientific research programs, and shall be a representative 
        of an agency that contributes, in terms of scientific research 
        capability and budget, to the interagency program.
    (b) Implementation Plan.--Within 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Chair of the National Science and Technology Council, 
through the Committee on the Oceans and Human Health, shall develop and 
submit to the Congress a plan for coordinated Federal activities under 
the program. Nothing in this subsection is intended to duplicate or 
supersede the activities of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Harmful 
Algal Blooms and Hypoxia established under section 603 of the Harmful 
Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 
1451 note). In developing the plan, the Committee will consult with the 
Inter-Agency Task Force on Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia. Such plan 
will build on and complement the ongoing activities of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science 
Foundation, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 
and other departments and agencies and shall--
            (1) establish, for the 10-year period beginning in the year 
        it is submitted, the goals and priorities for Federal research 
        which most effectively advance scientific understanding of the 
        connections between the oceans and human health, provide usable 
        information for the prediction and prevention of marine-related 
        public health problems and use the biological potential of the 
        oceans for development of new treatments of human diseases and 
a greater understanding of human biology;
            (2) describe specific activities required to achieve such 
        goals and priorities, including establishment of national 
        centers of excellence, the funding of competitive research 
        grants, ocean and coastal observations, training and support 
        for scientists, and participation in international research 
        efforts;
            (3) identify and address, as appropriate, relevant programs 
        and activities of the Federal agencies and departments that 
        would contribute to the program;
            (4) consider and use, as appropriate, reports and studies 
        conducted by Federal agencies and departments, the National 
        Research Council, the Ocean Research Advisory Panel, the 
        Commission on Ocean Policy and other expert scientific bodies;
            (5) make recommendations for the coordination of program 
        activities with ocean and human health-related activities of 
        other national and international organizations; and
            (6) estimate Federal funding for research activities to be 
        conducted under the program.
    (c) Program Scope.--The program shall include the following 
activities related to the role of oceans in human health:
            (1) Interdisciplinary research among the ocean and medical 
        sciences, and coordinated research and activities to improve 
        understanding of processes within the ocean that may affect 
        human health and to explore the potential contribution of 
        marine organisms to medicine and research, including--
                    (A) vector- and water-borne diseases of humans and 
                marine organisms, including marine mammals and fish;
                    (B) harmful algal blooms and hypoxia;
                    (C) marine-derived pharmaceuticals;
                    (D) marine organisms as models for biomedical 
                research and as indicators of marine environmental 
                health;
                    (E) marine environmental microbiology;
                    (F) bioaccumulative and endocrine-disrupting 
                chemical contaminants; and
                    (G) predictive models based on indicators of marine 
                environmental health or public health threats.
            (2) Coordination with the National Ocean Research 
        Leadership Council (10 U.S.C. 7902(a)) to ensure that any 
        integrated ocean and coastal observing system provides 
        information necessary to monitor, predict and reduce marine 
        public health problems including--
                    (A) baseline observations of physical ocean 
                properties to monitor climate variation;
                    (B) measurement of oceanic and atmospheric 
                variables to improve prediction of severe weather 
                events;
                    (C) compilation of global health statistics for 
                analysis of the effects of oceanic events on human 
                health;
                    (D) documentation of harmful algal blooms and 
                hypoxia; and
                    (E) development and implementation of sensors to 
                measure biological processes, acquire health-related 
                data on biological populations and detect contaminants 
                in marine waters and seafood.
            (3) Development through partnerships among Federal 
        agencies, States, or academic institutions of new technologies 
        and approaches for detecting and reducing hazards to human 
        health from ocean sources and to strengthen understanding of 
        the value of marine biodiversity to biomedicine, including--
                    (A) genomics and proteomics to develop genetic and 
                immunological detection approaches and predictive tools 
                and to discover new biomedical resources;
                    (B) biomaterials and bioengineering;
                    (C) in situ and remote sensors to detect and 
                quantify contaminants in marine waters and organisms 
                and to identify new genetic resources;
                    (D) techniques for supplying marine resources, 
                including chemical synthesis, culturing and 
                aquaculturing marine organisms, new fermentation 
                methods and recombinant techniques; and
                    (E) adaptation of equipment and technologies from 
                human health fields.
            (4) Support for scholars, trainees and education 
        opportunities that encourage an interdisciplinary and 
        international approach to exploring the diversity of life in 
        the oceans.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION OCEANS AND 
              HUMAN HEALTH INITIATIVE.

    (a) Establishment.--As part of the interagency program planned and 
coordinated under section 3, the Secretary of Commerce shall establish 
an Oceans and Human Health Initiative to coordinate and implement 
research and activities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration related to the role of the oceans in human health. In 
carrying out this section, the Secretary shall consult with other 
Federal agencies conducting integrated oceans and human health research 
and research in related areas, including the Centers for Disease 
Control, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institute of 
Environmental Health Sciences. The Oceans and Human Health Initiative 
shall provide support for--
            (1) program and research coordination;
            (2) an advisory panel;
            (3) one or more National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration national centers of excellence;
            (4) research grants; and
            (5) distinguished scholars and traineeships.
    (b) Advisory Panel.--The Secretary shall establish an oceans and 
human health advisory panel to assist in the development and 
implementation of the Oceans and Human Health Initiative. Membership of 
the advisory group shall provide for balanced representation of 
individuals with multi-disciplinary expertise in the marine and 
biomedical sciences. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) 
shall not apply to the oceans and human health advisory panel.
    (c) National Centers.--
            (1) The Secretary shall identify and provide financial 
        support through a competitive process to develop, within the 
        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, for one or 
        more centers of excellence that strengthen the capabilities of 
        the Administration to carry out programs and activities related 
        to the oceans' role in human health. Such centers shall 
        complement and be in addition to the centers established by the 
        National Science Foundation and the National Institute of 
        Environmental Health Sciences.
            (2) The centers shall focus on areas related to agency 
        missions, including use of marine organisms as indicators for 
        marine environmental health, ocean pollutants, marine toxins 
        and pathogens, harmful algal blooms, hypoxia, seafood testing, 
        drug discovery, and biology and pathobiology of marine mammals, 
        and on disciplines including marine genomics, marine 
        environmental microbiology, ecological chemistry and 
        conservation medicine.
            (3) In selecting centers for funding, the Secretary will 
        consider the need for geographic representation and give 
        priority to proposals with strong interdisciplinary scientific 
        merit that encourage educational opportunities and provide for 
        effective partnerships among the Administration, other Federal 
        entities, State, academic, medical, and industry participants.
    (d) Research Grants.--
            (1) The Secretary is authorized to provide grants of 
        financial assistance for critical research and projects that 
        explore the relationship between the oceans and human health 
        and that complement or strengthen Administration programs and 
        activities related to the ocean's role in human health. The 
        Secretary shall consult with the oceans and human health 
        advisory panel established under subsection (b) and the 
        National Sea Grant College Program and may work cooperatively 
        with other agencies participating in the interagency program 
        under section 3 to establish joint criteria for such research 
        and projects.
            (2) Grants under this subsection shall be awarded through a 
        peer-review process that may be conducted jointly with other 
        agencies participating in the interagency program established 
        in section 3 or under the National Oceanographic Partnership 
        Program under section 7901 of title 10, United States Code.
    (e) Distinguished Scholars and Traineeships.--
            (1) The Secretary shall designate and provide financial 
        assistance to support distinguished scholars from academic 
        institutions, industry or State governments for collaborative 
        work with scientists and facilities of the Administration.
            (2) In consultation with the Directors of the National 
        Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, the 
        Secretary of Commerce may establish a program to provide 
        training and experience to scientists at the beginning of their 
        careers who are interested in the role of the oceans in human 
        health.

SEC. 5. PUBLIC INFORMATION AND OUTREACH.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with 
the Centers for Disease Control, the Food and Drug Administration, the 
Environmental Protection Agency and the States, shall design and 
implement a national public information and outreach program on 
potential ocean-related human health risks, including health hazards 
associated with the human consumption of seafood. Under such program, 
the Secretary shall--
            (1) collect and analyze information on ocean-related health 
        hazards and illnesses, including information on the number of 
        individuals affected, causes and geographic location of the 
        hazard or illness;
            (2) disseminate the results of the analysis to any 
        appropriate Federal or State agency, the public, involved 
        industries, and other interested persons;
            (3) provide advice regarding precautions that may be taken 
        to safeguard against the hazard or illness; and
            (4) assess and make recommendations for observing systems 
        to support the program.
    (b) Seafood Safety.--To address health hazards associated with 
human consumption of seafood, the Secretary, in consultation with the 
Centers for Disease Control, the Food and Drug Administration, the 
Environmental Protection Agency and the States, shall perform a 
coordinated assessment of risks and benefits associated with seafood 
handling and consumption.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) NOAA Oceans and Human Health Initiative.--There are authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce to carry out the NOAA 
Oceans and Human Health Initiative established under section 4, 
$10,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2005, 
$15,000,000 for fiscal year 2006, and $20,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2007 and 2008.
    (b) Public Information.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
the Secretary to carry out the public information and outreach program 
established under section 5, $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 
through 2007.




                                                       Calendar No. 403

108th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                                S. 1218

                          [Report No. 108-203]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

  To provide for Presidential support and coordination of interagency 
     ocean science programs and development and coordination of a 
  comprehensive and integrated United States research and monitoring 
                                program.

_______________________________________________________________________

                           November 19, 2003

                       Reported with an amendment