[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1252 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1252

       To promote ocean and human health and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 11, 2009

Mr. Rockefeller (for himself, Mr. Inouye, and Ms. Cantwell) introduced 
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 
                on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
       To promote ocean and human health and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Oceans and Human Health 
Reauthorization Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. INTERAGENCY OCEANS AND HUMAN HEALTH RESEARCH PROGRAM.

    (a) Coordination.--Subsection (a) of section 902 of the Oceans and 
Human Health Act (33 U.S.C. 3101) is amended by striking ``in human 
health.'' and inserting ``, coasts, and Great Lakes in human health and 
deliver information, products, and services to assist the Nation in 
reducing public health risks, including those related to climate 
change, and enhancing health benefits from the ocean.''.
    (b) Implementation Plan.--Subsection (b) of section 902 of the 
Oceans and Human Health Act (33 U.S.C. 3101) is amended--
            (1) by amending the matter preceding paragraph (1) to read 
        as follows:
    ``(b) Implementation Plan.--Not later than 5 years after the date 
of the enactment of the Oceans and Human Health Reauthorization Act of 
2009, an Interagency Oceans and Human Health Task Force or working 
group established by the National Science and Technology Council, 
through the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, 
shall revise and update the 2007 `Interagency Oceans and Human Health 
Research Implementation Plan' and submit to the Congress the updated 
Plan. 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 (Public Law 105-383; 16 
U.S.C. 1451 note). The updated plan shall--'';
            (2) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) by inserting ``, surveillance, and 
                forecasting'' after ``prediction'';
                    (B) by inserting ``, including problems related to 
                climate change,'' after ``health problems'';
                    (C) by inserting ``and chemical'' after 
                ``biological''; and
                    (D) by inserting ``products for the prevention 
                and'' after ``new'';
            (3) in paragraph (2), by striking ``and participation;'' 
        and all that follows through the end and inserting 
        ``participation in national and international research and 
        outreach efforts, and outreach to the medical community and the 
        public;'';
            (4) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``, including joint 
        efforts,'' after ``departments'';
            (5) in paragraph (4), by striking ``preventive'' and 
        inserting ``preventing'';
            (6) in paragraph (5), by inserting ``Resources'' after 
        ``the Ocean'';
            (7) in paragraph (6), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (8) by amending paragraph (7) to read as follows:
            ``(7) estimate funding needed for research, surveillance, 
        education, and outreach activities to be conducted within or 
        supported by Federal agencies and departments under the 
        program.''; and
            (9) by at the end the following:
            ``(8) build on, and complement, the research, surveillance, 
        and outreach activities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration, the National Science Foundation, the National 
        Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention, the National Institute of Environmental Health 
        Sciences, and other departments and agencies.''.
    (c) Program Scope.--Subsection (c) of section 902 of the Oceans and 
Human Health Act (33 U.S.C. 3101) is amended--
            (1) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
            ``(1) Interdisciplinary research among the ocean, 
        atmospheric, and medical sciences, and coordinated research and 
        activities to improve understanding of processes within the 
        ocean that may affect human and marine animal health and to 
        explore the potential contribution of marine organisms to 
        medicine and research, including--
                    ``(A) vector-, water-, and food-borne diseases of 
                humans and marine organisms, including marine mammals, 
                corals, and fish;
                    ``(B) health effects for both humans and marine 
                animals associated with harmful algal blooms and 
                hypoxia (in collaboration with the Inter-Agency Task 
                Force on Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia);
                    ``(C) health effects for humans and marine 
                organisms associated with climate change impacts in 
                ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes waters;
                    ``(D) marine-derived pharmaceuticals and other 
                natural products;
                    ``(E) marine organisms and habitats as models for 
                biomedical research and as indicators of human health 
                and well being and marine environmental health;
                    ``(F) marine environmental microbiology;
                    ``(G) legacy and emerging chemicals of concern, 
                including bioaccumulative and endocrine-disrupting 
                chemical contaminants;
                    ``(H) predictive models based on indicators of 
                marine environmental health or public health threats; 
                and
                    ``(I) social, economic, and behavioral studies of 
                relationships between the condition of oceans, coasts, 
                and Great Lakes and human health and well-being.'';
            (2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
            ``(2) Coordination with any appropriate interagency working 
        group of the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and 
        Technology, or its successor body, through the National Science 
        and Technology Council, to ensure that any integrated ocean and 
        coastal observing system provides information necessary to 
        monitor and reduce marine public health problems, including 
        climate change information, health-related data on biological 
        populations, and detection of toxins and contaminants in marine 
        waters and seafood.''; and
            (3) in paragraph (3)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``genomics and 
                proteomics'' and inserting ``genomics, proteomics, 
                metabolomics, and other related sciences'';
                    (B) by amending subparagraph (C) to read as 
                follows:
                    ``(C) in situ, laboratory, and remote sensors--
                            ``(i) to detect, quantify, and predict the 
                        presence, distribution, concentration, 
                        toxicity, or virulence of infectious microbes, 
                        harmful algae, toxins, and chemical 
                        contaminants in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes 
                        waters, sediments, organisms, and seafood; and
                            ``(ii) to identify new genetic resources 
                        for biomedical purposes;''; and
                    (C) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``equipment 
                and technologies'' and inserting ``equipment, 
                technologies, and methodologies''.
    (d) Biennial Report.--Subsection (d) of section 902 of the Oceans 
and Human Health Act (33 U.S.C. 3101) is amended--
            (1) in the heading, by striking ``Annual'' and inserting 
        ``Biennial'';
            (2) in the material preceding paragraph (1)--
                    (A) by striking ``24 months after the date of 
                enactment of this Act'' and inserting ``12 months after 
                the date of the enactment of the Oceans and Human 
                Health Reauthorization Act of 2009'';
                    (B) by striking ``each year an annual'' and 
                inserting ``alternate years a biennial''; and
                    (C) by striking ``year,'' and inserting ``years,'';
            (3) in paragraph (1), by striking ``year;'' and inserting 
        ``years;'';
            (4) in paragraph (4), by striking ``that preceding fiscal 
        year;'' and inserting ``the preceding two fiscal years;'' and
            (5) in paragraph (5), by inserting ``, funding needs,'' 
        after ``action''.

SEC. 3. NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION OCEANS AND 
              HUMAN HEALTH INITIATIVE.

    (a) Establishment.--Subsection (a) of section 903 of the Oceans and 
Human Health Act (33 U.S.C. 3102) is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking the 
        second sentence, and inserting ``In carrying out this section, 
        the Secretary shall consult with other Federal agencies and 
        departments conducting integrated oceans and human health 
        research and disease surveillance activities and research in 
        related areas, including the National Science Foundation, the 
        National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control 
        and Prevention, the National Institute of Environmental Health 
        Sciences, and other agencies and departments.''; and
            (2) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``external'' after 
        ``an''.
    (b) Advisory Panel.--Subsection (b) of section 903 of the Oceans 
and Human Health Act (33 U.S.C. 3102) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``is authorized to'' and inserting 
        ``shall''; and
            (2) by striking ``sciences.'' and inserting ``sciences, 
        including public health practitioners.''.
    (c) National Centers.--Subsection (c) of section 903 of the Oceans 
and Human Health Act (33 U.S.C. 3102) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``for''; and
            (2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
            ``(2) The centers shall focus on--
                    ``(A) areas related to agency missions, including 
                use of marine organisms and habitats as indicators for 
                marine environmental health, impacts of climate change 
                on ocean health threats, ocean pollutants, marine 
                toxins and pathogens, harmful algal blooms, hypoxia, 
                seafood safety and quality, identification of potential 
                marine products, and biology and pathobiology of marine 
                mammals, corals, and other marine organisms; and
                    ``(B) supporting disciplines including marine 
                genomics, marine environmental microbiology, ecological 
                chemistry, and conservation medicine.''.
    (d) Extramural Research Grants.--Subsection (d) of section 903 of 
the Oceans and Human Health Act (33 U.S.C. 3102) is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
            ``(3) Grants under this subsection shall support research 
        to improve understanding of processes within the ocean that may 
        affect human and marine animal health and to explore the 
        potential contribution of marine organisms to medicine and 
        research, including--
                    ``(A) vector-, water-, and food-borne diseases of 
                humans and marine organisms, including marine mammals, 
                corals, and fish;
                    ``(B) health effects for humans and marine 
                organisms associated with climate change impacts in 
                ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes waters;
                    ``(C) marine-derived pharmaceuticals and other 
                natural products;
                    ``(D) marine organisms and habitats as models for 
                biomedical research and as indicators of human health 
                and well being and marine environmental health;
                    ``(E) marine environmental microbiology;
                    ``(F) legacy and emerging chemicals of concern, 
                including bioaccumulative and endocrine-disrupting 
                chemical contaminants;
                    ``(G) predictive models based on indicators of 
                marine environmental health or public health threats;
                    ``(H) cataloging and interpreting microbes and 
                understanding microbial functions in ecosystems and 
                impacts on human and marine health; and
                    ``(I) social, economic, and behavioral studies of 
                relationships between the condition of oceans, coasts, 
                and Great Lakes, and human health and well-being.''.
    (e) Distinguished Scholars; Cooperative Agreements.--Section 903 of 
the Oceans and Human Health Act (33 U.S.C. 3102) is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(f) Distinguished Scholars.--The Secretary of Commerce is 
authorized to establish a competitive program to recognize highly 
distinguished external scientists in any area of oceans and human 
health research and to involve those scientists in collaborative work 
with the Oceans and Human Health Initiative of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration.
    ``(g) Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary of Commerce may 
execute and perform such contracts, leases, grants, or cooperative 
agreements as may be necessary to carry out this section.''.

SEC. 4. PUBLIC INFORMATION AND OUTREACH.

    (a) In General.--Subsection (a) of section 904 of the Oceans and 
Human Health Act (33 U.S.C. 3103) is amended by striking ``program,'' 
and inserting ``and institutions of higher education,''.
    (b) Report.--Subsection (b) of section 904 of the Oceans and Human 
Health Act (33 U.S.C. 3103) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(b) Report.--
            ``(1) Requirement.--The Secretary of Commerce shall submit 
        to Congress a biennial report reviewing the results of the 
        research, assessments, and findings developed under the Oceans 
        and Human Health Initiative of the National Oceanic and 
        Atmospheric Administration. Each such report shall--
                    ``(A) describe the projects, products, and programs 
                funded under the Initiative;
                    ``(B) describe the work of the Advisory Committee 
                and the manner in which the program is meeting 
                development and implementation recommendations for the 
                program; and
                    ``(C) include recommendations for improving or 
                expanding the program.
            ``(2) Combined reports.--Each report required by paragraph 
        (1) may be combined with the National Ocean and Atmospheric 
        Administration's input to the biennial interagency report 
        required by section 902(d).''.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Subsection (a) of section 905 of the Oceans and Human Health Act 
(33 U.S.C. 3104) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``2005 through 2008'' and inserting ``2010 
        through 2014''; and
            (2) by inserting ``, distinguished scholar,'' after 
        ``grant''.
                                 <all>