119 S4822 ES: Saving the OOI Act of 2026 U.S. Senate text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

119th CONGRESS2d SessionS. 4822IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESAN ACTTo prohibit the National Science Foundation from using Federal funds to descope or decommission the Ocean Observatories Initiative instruments.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Saving the OOI Act of 2026.

2.

No NSF funding to descope or decommission the Ocean Observatories Initiative instruments; restoration

(a)

In general

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the National Science Foundation shall not use any Federal funds to decommission or descope the Ocean Observatories Initiative instruments anchored off the States of Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and North Carolina, and in the Irminger Sea, until the National Science Foundation conducts a thorough review of the initiative, and the national assets that it provides, with robust stakeholder engagement from the scientific and coastal communities. (b)

Maintenance of operations

The Director of the National Science Foundation shall maintain the Ocean Observatories Initiative with full and consistent operations, including monitoring in all States that had instruments decommissioned, until the full review described in subsection (a) has been completed.

Passed the Senate June 17, 2026.Secretary