[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2030 Reported in Senate (RS)]

                                                       Calendar No. 607
113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2030

                          [Report No. 113-279]

 To reauthorize and amend the National Sea Grant College Program Act, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 12, 2014

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

                            December 1, 2014

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To reauthorize and amend the National Sea Grant College Program Act, 
                        and for other purposes.

    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 ``National Sea Grant College 
Program Amendments Act of 2014''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. REFERENCES TO THE NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM 
              ACT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Except as otherwise expressly provided, wherever in this 
Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or 
repeal of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be 
considered to be made to a section or other provision of the National 
Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1121 et seq.).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 3. SEA GRANT COLLEGES AND SEA GRANT INSTITUTES; ANNUAL 
              REPORT ON PROGRESS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 207 (33 U.S.C. 1126) is amended by striking 
subsection (e).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 4. DEAN JOHN A. KNAUSS MARINE POLICY 
              FELLOWSHIP.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 208(b) (33 U.S.C. 1127(b)) is amended by striking 
``may'' and inserting ``shall''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 5. REPORT ON COORDINATION OF OCEANS AND COASTAL RESEARCH 
              ACTIVITIES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 9 of the National Sea Grant College Program Act 
Amendments of 2002 (33 U.S.C. 857-20) is repealed.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 6. NATIONAL SEA GRANT ADVISORY BOARD REPORT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 209(b) (33 U.S.C. 1128(b)) is amended by amending 
paragraph (2) to read as follows:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Report.--The Board shall report to the 
        Congress every 3 years on the state of the national sea grant 
        college program. The Board shall indicate in each such report 
        the progress made toward meeting the priorities identified in 
        the strategic plan in effect under section 204(c). The 
        Secretary shall make available to the Board such information, 
        personnel, and administrative services and assistance as it may 
        reasonably require to carry out its duties under this 
        title.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 7. TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 205(c) (33 U.S.C. 1124(c)) is amended by striking 
``Elegibility'' in the heading and inserting ``Eligibility''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Section 212(a) (33 U.S.C. 1131(a)) is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in paragraph (1)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of 
                subparagraph (E);</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by striking the period at the end of 
                subparagraph (F) and inserting a semicolon; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) by adding at the end the 
                following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(G) $72,000,000 for fiscal year 
                2015;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(H) $75,600,000 for fiscal year 
                2016;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(I) $79,380,000 for fiscal year 
                2017;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(J) $83,350,000 for fiscal year 
                2018;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(K) $87,520,000 for fiscal year 2019; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(L) $91,900,000 for fiscal year 
                2020.'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``activities'' 
        in the heading and inserting ``activities through fiscal year 
        2014''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Priority activities for fiscal years 2015 
        through 2020.--In addition to the amounts authorized under 
        paragraph (1), there is authorized to be appropriated for each 
        of fiscal years 2015 through 2020 $18,000,000 for competitive 
        grants for the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) University research on the biology, 
                prevention, and control of aquatic nonnative 
                species.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) University research on oyster 
                diseases, oyster restoration, and oyster-related human 
                health risks.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) University research on the biology, 
                prevention, and forecasting of harmful algal 
                blooms.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) University research, education, 
                training, and extension services and activities focused 
                on regional or national priority issues identified in 
                the strategic plan under section 204(c)(1).</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(E) Fishery extension activities 
                conducted by sea grant colleges or sea grant institutes 
                to enhance, and not supplant, existing core program 
                funding.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Limitations.--Section 212(b)(1) (33 U.S.C. 1131(b)(1)) 
is amended to read as follows:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Administration.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) In general.--There may not be used 
                for administration of programs under this title in a 
                fiscal year more than 5.5 percent of the lesser of--
                </DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) the amount authorized to be 
                        appropriated under this title for the fiscal 
                        year; or</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) the amount appropriated 
                        under this title for the fiscal year.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) Critical staffing requirements.--The 
                Director shall use the authority under subchapter VI of 
                chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code, to meet any 
                critical staffing requirement while implementing the 
                activities authorized in this title. The costs 
                associated with that exercise of authority shall not be 
                counted toward the cap under subparagraph 
                (A).''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Distribution of Funds.--Section 212(c) (33 U.S.C. 
1131(c)) is amended by inserting ``, the year in which base funding was 
set,'' after ``2003''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Conforming Amendment.--Section 212(b)(2) (33 U.S.C. 
1131(b)(2)) is amended by inserting ``or (a)(3)'' after 
``(a)(2)''.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Sea Grant College Program 
Amendments Act of 2014''.

SEC. 2. REFERENCES TO THE NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM ACT.

    Except as otherwise expressly provided, wherever in this Act an 
amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal 
of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to 
be made to a section or other provision of the National Sea Grant 
College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1121 et seq.).

SEC. 3. SEA GRANT COLLEGES AND SEA GRANT INSTITUTES; ANNUAL REPORT ON 
              PROGRESS.

    Section 207 (33 U.S.C. 1126) is amended by striking subsection (e).

SEC. 4. DEAN JOHN A. KNAUSS MARINE POLICY FELLOWSHIP.

    (a) In General.--Section 208(b) (33 U.S.C. 1127(b)) is amended by 
striking ``may'' and inserting ``shall''.
    (b) Placements in Congress.--Section 208(b) (33 U.S.C. 1127(b)), as 
amended by subsection (a) of this section, is further amended--
            (1) in the first sentence, by striking ``The Secretary'' 
        and inserting the following:
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary''; and
            (2) in paragraph (1), as designated by paragraph (1), in 
        the second sentence, by striking ``A fellowship'' and inserting 
        the following:
            ``(2) Placement priorities.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In each year in which the 
                Secretary awards a legislative fellowship under this 
                subsection, when considering the placement of fellows, 
                the Secretary shall prioritize placement of fellows in 
                the following:
                            ``(i) Positions in offices of, or with 
                        members on, committees of Congress that have 
                        jurisdiction over the National Oceanic and 
                        Atmospheric Administration.
                            ``(ii) Positions in offices of members of 
                        Congress that have a demonstrated interest in 
                        ocean, coastal, or Great Lakes resources.
                    ``(B) Equitable distribution.--In placing fellows 
                in offices described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary 
                shall ensure, to the degree practicable, that 
                placements are equitably distributed among the 
                political parties.
            ``(3) Duration.--A fellowship''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (b) shall 
apply with respect to the first calendar year beginning after the date 
of enactment of this Act.
    (d) Sense of Congress; Encouragement of Career Development.--It is 
the sense of Congress that in recognition of the competitive nature of 
the fellowship under section 208(b) of the National Sea Grant College 
Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1127(b)), and of the exceptional qualifications 
of fellowship awardees, the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the 
Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, should encourage 
participating Federal agencies to consider opportunities for fellowship 
awardees at the conclusion of their fellowship for workforce positions 
appropriate for their education and experience.

SEC. 5. DONATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Section 204(c)(4)(E) (33 U.S.C. 1123(c)(4)(E)) is 
amended to read as follows:
                    ``(E) accept donations of money and, 
                notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31, United States 
                Code, of voluntary and uncompensated services;''.
    (b) Priorities.--The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the 
Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, shall establish 
priorities for the use of donations accepted under section 204(c)(4)(E) 
of the National Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 
1123(c)(4)(E)), and shall consider among those priorities the 
possibility of expanding the Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy 
Fellowship's placement of additional fellows in relevant legislative 
offices under section 208(b) of that Act (33 U.S.C. 1127(b)), in 
accordance with the recommendations under subsection (c) of this 
section.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the National Sea Grant Office, in consultation with the 
National Sea Grant Advisory Board and the Sea Grant Association, 
shall--
            (1) recommend the optimal use of any donations accepted 
        under section 204(c)(4)(E) of the National Sea Grant College 
        Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1123(c)(4)(E)); and
            (2) report the recommendations under paragraph (1) to 
        Congress.
    (d) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
limit or otherwise affect any other amounts available for marine policy 
fellowships under section 208(b) of the National Sea Grant College 
Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1127(b)), including amounts accepted under 
section 204(c)(4)(F) of that Act (33 U.S.C. 1123(c)(4)(F) or 
appropriated under section 212 of that Act (33 U.S.C. 1131).

SEC. 6. REPORT ON COORDINATION OF OCEANS AND COASTAL RESEARCH 
              ACTIVITIES.

    Section 9 of the National Sea Grant College Program Act Amendments 
of 2002 (33 U.S.C. 857-20) is repealed.

SEC. 7. NATIONAL SEA GRANT ADVISORY BOARD REPORT.

    Section 209(b) (33 U.S.C. 1128(b)) is amended by amending paragraph 
(2) to read as follows:
            ``(2) Report.--The Board shall report to the Congress every 
        3 years on the state of the national sea grant college program. 
        The Board shall indicate in each such report the progress made 
        toward meeting the priorities identified in the strategic plan 
        in effect under section 204(c). The Secretary shall make 
        available to the Board such information, personnel, and 
        administrative services and assistance as it may reasonably 
        require to carry out its duties under this title.''.

SEC. 8. PROGRAM ELEMENTS.

    Section 204(b) (33 U.S.C. 1123(b)) is amended by inserting ``for 
research, education, extension, training, technology transfer, and 
public service'' after ``financial assistance''.

SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Section 212(a) (33 U.S.C. 1131(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking subparagraphs (A) through 
        (F) and inserting the following:
                    ``(A) $72,000,000 for fiscal year 2015;
                    ``(B) $75,600,000 for fiscal year 2016;
                    ``(C) $79,380,000 for fiscal year 2017;
                    ``(D) $83,350,000 for fiscal year 2018;
                    ``(E) $87,520,000 for fiscal year 2019; and
                    ``(F) $91,900,000 for fiscal year 2020.''; and
            (2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
            ``(2) Priority activities.--In addition to the amounts 
        authorized under paragraph (1), there is authorized to be 
        appropriated for each of fiscal years 2015 through 2020 
        $6,000,000 for competitive grants for the following:
                    ``(A) University research on the biology, 
                prevention, and control of aquatic nonnative species.
                    ``(B) University research on oyster diseases, 
                oyster restoration, and oyster-related human health 
                risks.
                    ``(C) University research on the biology, 
                prevention, and forecasting of harmful algal blooms.
                    ``(D) University research, education, training, and 
                extension services and activities focused on coastal 
                resilience and U.S. working waterfronts and other 
                regional or national priority issues identified in the 
                strategic plan under section 204(c)(1).
                    ``(E) University research on sustainable 
                aquaculture techniques and technologies.
                    ``(F) Fishery extension activities conducted by sea 
                grant colleges or sea grant institutes to enhance, and 
                not supplant, existing core program funding.''.
    (b) Limitations.--Section 212(b)(1) (33 U.S.C. 1131(b)(1)) is 
amended to read as follows:
            ``(1) Administration.--
                    ``(A) In general.--There may not be used for 
                administration of programs under this title in a fiscal 
                year more than 5.5 percent of the lesser of--
                            ``(i) the amount authorized to be 
                        appropriated under this title for the fiscal 
                        year; or
                            ``(ii) the amount appropriated under this 
                        title for the fiscal year.
                    ``(B) Critical staffing requirements.--The Director 
                shall use the authority under subchapter VI of chapter 
                33 of title 5, United States Code, to meet any critical 
                staffing requirement while implementing the activities 
                authorized in this title. The costs associated with 
                that exercise of authority shall not be counted toward 
                the cap under subparagraph (A).''.
    (c) Allocation of Funding.--
            (1) In general.--Section 204(d)(3) (33 U.S.C. 1123(d)(3) is 
        amended--
                    (A) by striking ``With respect to sea grant 
                colleges and sea grant institutes'' and inserting 
                ``With respect to sea grant colleges, sea grant 
                institutes, sea grant programs, and sea grant 
                projects''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``funding 
                among sea grant colleges and sea grant institutes'' and 
                inserting ``funding among sea grant colleges, sea grant 
                institutes, sea grant programs, and sea grant 
                projects''.
            (2) Excess amounts.--Section 212 (33 U.S.C. 1131) is 
        amended--
                    (A) by striking subsection (c); and
                    (B) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as 
                subsections (c) and (d), respectively.
                                                       Calendar No. 607

113th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 2030

                          [Report No. 113-279]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 To reauthorize and amend the National Sea Grant College Program Act, 
                        and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                            December 1, 2014

                       Reported with an amendment