[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 84 (Tuesday, June 10, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7621-S7625]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

             By Mr. HOLLINGS (for himself and Mr. Stevens):

  S. 1218. 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; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation to 
spur the advent of an exciting new field of research, one that explores 
the role of the oceans in human health. I am pleased to be joined in 
this effort by the distinguished Senator from Alaska, Ted Stevens, who 
is cosponsoring this bill. The Oceans and Human Health Act proposes to 
establish a national interagency program that will coordinate research 
efforts and ensure the availability of an adequate Federal investment 
in this critical area. It also would establish a program at the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to strengthen and 
coordinate its work in this very important arena.
  In recent years, we have gained a renewed appreciation for the 
importance of the ocean to our future and well-being. We now recognize 
that human health is one are in which the oceans exert major influences 
that are both positive and negative. However, studying this 
relationship is challenging. To be successful, a research program must 
integrate disciplines, bringing together oceanographers and biomedical 
researchers to better understand marine processes, reduce public health 
risks and enhance our biomedical capabilities. Pioneering scientists 
are needed to tackle marine environmental issues that affect human and 
marine life alike, such as ocean pollution, marine pathogens and 
potential drug discoveries. A number of Federal agencies would share 
responsibility and expertise for such a program, requiring that 
capabilities be harnessed across such diverse entities as the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation 
and the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences.
  The rich biodiversity of marine organisms represent an important 
biomedical resource, a promising source of novel compounds with 
therapeutic potential, and a potentially significant contribution to 
the national economy. A 1999 National Research Council report, From 
Monsoons to Microbes, noted that nature has been the traditional source 
of new pharmaceuticals and found that over 50 percent of the marketed 
drugs are extracted from natural sources or produced using natural 
products. Virtually every type of life that exists on this planet is 
found in the sea and many types of plants and animals are exclusively 
marine. While the oceans are a repository for much of our biodiversity, 
little of it has been catalogued or studied. One important aspect that 
we have yet to explore is the potential of marine life to produce 
chemicals for treating diseases. There are only three marine compounds 
now in clinical use--and these were developed in the 1950s. While there 
are some new compounds in the pipeline, we need to speed this effort up 
to ensure we get more approved sooner.
  But our relationship to the sea also has a darker side. The oceans 
drive climate and weather factors causing severe weather events and 
shifts in temperature and rainfall patterns. These changes in turn 
affect the density and distribution of disease-causing organisms and 
the ability of public health systems to address them. In addition, 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. We need to 
know more about how our health is affected by the

[[Page S7622]]

marine environment. We must ensure that the sea maintains its capacity 
to sustain itself without becoming a ``Dead Zone.'' We must find ways 
to monitor and reduce the occurrence of ocean toxins that kill marine 
mammals and taint seafood. As with cancer, our goal must be 
understanding and prevention, rather than relying exclusively on 
treatment.

  Research on the health of marine organisms, including marine mammals 
and other sentinel species, can assist 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. Unfortunately such research often does not fall clearly 
within a single federal agency's mission. The dolphins of Florida's 
Indian River Lagoon provide an example of a marine population that is 
the victim of contaminated habitat and food. The result is unusually 
high mortality rates and harmful health effects. Not only is the 
population at risk, but it provides a clear indicator of environmental 
pollution concerns for its human neighbors. We must harness the 
sciences of genomics, forensics and ecology and put them to work in the 
marine world, creating an ocean Center for Disease Control--a ``CDC for 
the Oceans''.
  An exciting example of this new interdisciplinary and medically-
oriented approach to ocean research can be found at NOAA's two marine 
laboratories in Charleston, including a unique research partnership 
among NOAA, the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), 
the State of South Carolina, the Medical University of South Carolina, 
and the College of Charleston, formerly known as the Marine 
Environmental Health Research Laboratory, and now referred to as the 
Hollings Marine Laboratory (HML). HML works with a variety of Federal, 
State, and academic partners around the Nation and is on the front 
lines of discovery and prevention, particularly in the emerging field 
of marine genomics. They are hard at work on today's important public 
and marine environmental health issues. Their exciting dolphin health 
research will for the first time utilize a traditional medical approach 
to diagnosing and documenting dolphin health, which will help us learn 
more about dolphins in the wild than we have ever known. In addition, 
HML scientists, important partners in the Coral Disease and Health 
Consortium, are already analyzing samples from the two Florida coral 
reefs ``quarantined'' by NOAA today because of a fast-spreading coral 
disease.
  The HML epitomizes the variety of important disciplines that must 
work side-by-side if we are to make progress in this area. It is home 
to cutting-edge research involving algal toxins, natural products with 
potential pharmaceutical applications, and viral and bacterial 
pathogens that cause disease in marine animals, with potential links to 
human illness and disease processes and natural product chemistry. 
Scientists at HML and its partner NOAA facility use unique medical 
tools such as nuclear magnetic resonators to help ``map'' cellular and 
genetic structure of marine organisms and have developed methods for 
detecting pesticides in water, sediments, fish and marine mammals that 
may potentially affect both the health of the marine environment and 
human health. They also are developing exposure, toxicology and disease 
models to assess their effects on a variety of marine organisms. Their 
work will better define ocean health and bridge the gap with existing 
human health models.
  A number of Federal agencies are now recognizing the importance of 
understanding health-related ocean research and to make needed 
investments. Last year, initiatives began both through our ocean 
agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as well as 
two of our Federal research institutions, the National Institute for 
Environmental Health Sciences, NIEHS, and the National Science 
Foundation, NSF.

  This past year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
NOAA, received appropriations of $8 million to develop an oceans and 
human health initiative. Within NOAA, many programs and laboratories 
perform research and related activities that could contribute 
significantly to a national research effort, but such efforts have not 
realized their potential. Establishment of this coordinated, 
interdisciplinary program consisting of nationally-recognized research 
centers and an external interdisciplinary research grant program will 
enhance the NOAA program. In addition, last November, the National 
Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, NIEHS, National Science 
Foundation, NSF, invited applications for research programs to explore 
the relationship between marine processes and public health. The joint 
initiative commits $6 million annually to establish centers of 
excellence focusing on harmful algal blooms, water and vector-borne 
diseases, and marine pharmaceuticals and probes.
  Taken together, the NIEHS-NSF and NOAA research initiatives offer an 
excellent basis for building a comprehensive national program. In 
addition, a number of other Federal agencies are poised to make 
significant contributions.
  The Oceans and Human Health Act provides the legislative framework 
for a coordinated national investment to improve understanding of 
marine ecosystems, address marine public health problems and tap into 
the ocean's potential contribution to new biomedical treatments and 
advances. The legislation would amend the 1976 Science and Technology 
Act to clarify the role of the National Science and Technology Council 
in coordinating interagency research efforts. It would also establish 
an interagency committee on oceans and human health to develop a 
research plan and coordinate participation by NOAA, NSF, NIEHS and 
other agencies. Governing NOAA's contribution to the interagency 
effort, the bill would establish a new NOAA program on oceans and human 
health. At the heart of this legislation and key to its success is our 
commitment to building new partnerships--among Federal health, science 
and ocean agencies, among diverse scientific disciplines, and among 
academic researchers and government experts.
  A more detailed summary of the legislation follows:

        Section-by-Section Analysis Oceans and Human Health Act

       The Oceans and Human Health Act would authorize the 
     establishment of a coordinated federal research program to 
     aid in understanding and responding to the role of oceans in 
     human health. The bill would establish a Federal interagency 
     Oceans and Human Health initiative coordinated through the 
     National Science and Technology Council, NSTC, as well as 
     create an Oceans and Human Health program at the Department 
     of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
     (NOAA). The bill also directs the Secretary of Commerce to 
     establish a coordinated public information and outreach 
     program with the Food and Drug Administration, FDA, the 
     Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, the Centers for 
     Disease Control CDC, and the States to provide information 
     on potential ocean-related human health risks.


                         Section 1. Short Title

       Section 1 provides the short title of the Act is the 
     ``Oceans and Human Health Act.''


                          Section 2. Findings

       Section 2 sets forth findings and purposes for the Act.


           Section 3. National Science and Technology Council

       Section 3 would amend the National Science and Technology 
     Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976, 42 U.S.C. 
     6616, to codify the responsibilities of the National Science 
     and Technology Council NSTC, which was established by 
     executive Order in 1993, and whose functions have superceded 
     the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, 
     and Technology, FCCSET, the functions of which were 
     transferred to the President under a 1977 executive order. 
     The Act is also amended to clarify the director of the Office 
     of Science and Technology Policy, OSTP, serves as chair of 
     the NSTC.
       Subsection b replaces existing section 401 of the Act (42 
     U.S.C. 6651) with new text specifying NSTC functions, which 
     focus on prompting domestic and international coordination 
     among government, industry and university scientists. 
     Subsection b sets forth the following as NSTC functions: 1. 
     promote interagency efforts and communication with respect to 
     the planning and administration of Federal scientific, 
     engineering, and technology program. 2. identify research 
     needs; achieve more effective use of Federal facilities and 
     resources; 3. further international cooperation in science, 
     engineering and technology; and 4. develop long-range and 
     coordinated research plans. The NSTC is directed to carry out 
     these and other related duties with the assistance of the 
     Federal agencies represented on the Council. This subsection 
     also authorizes the NSTC Chairman to establish standing 
     committees and working

[[Page S7623]]

     groups to assist in developing interagency plans, conduct 
     studies and make reports for the Chairman.


    Section 4. Interagency Oceans and Human Health Research Program

       Interagency Program. Section 4 provides for the 
     establishment of an Interagency Oceans and Human Health 
     Research Program, Interagency OHH Program, to be coordinated 
     and supported by the NSTC. Subsection (a) directs the NSTC to 
     establish a Committee on Oceans and Human Health comprised of 
     at least one representative from NOAA, the National Science 
     Foundation, NSF, the National Institutes of Health, NIH, CDC, 
     EPA, FDA, Department of Homeland Security, DHS, and other 
     agencies and department deemed appropriate by the NSTC. This 
     section also provides for the biennial selection of a 
     Chairman of the Committee, who shall represent an agency that 
     contributes substantially to the Interagency OHH Program.
       10-Year Implementation Plan. Subsection b directs the NSTC, 
     through the Committee on the Oceans and Human Health, to 
     submit to Congress within one year of enactment a 10-year 
     implementation plan for coordinated federal activities under 
     the Interagency OHH Program. In developing the plan, the 
     Committee is required to consult with the Inter-Agency Task 
     Force on Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia. The implementation 
     plan will complement the ongoing activities of NOAA, NSF, the 
     NIH National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 
     NIEHS, and other departments and agencies, and: 1. establish 
     the goals and priorities for Federal research related to 
     oceans and human health; 2. describe specific activities 
     required to achieve such goals; 3. identify relevant Federal 
     programs and activities that would contribute to the 
     Interagency OHH Program; 4. consider and use reports and 
     studies conducted by Federal agencies and departments, the 
     National Research Council, the Ocean Research Advisory Panel, 
     the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and other entities; 5. 
     make recommendations for the coordination of national and 
     international programs; and 6. estimate Federal funding for 
     research activities to be conducted under the Interagency OHH 
     Program.
       Scope of Interagency Program. Subsection c outlines the 
     scope of the Interagency OHH Program, as follows:
       1. Interdisciplinary and coordinated research and 
     activities to improve our understanding of how ocean 
     processes and marine organisms can relate to human health and 
     contribute to medicine and research;
       2. Coordination with the National Ocean Leadership Council 
     (established under 10 U.S.C. 7902(a)) to ensure any ocean and 
     coastal observing system provides information necessary to 
     monitor, predict and reduce marine public health problems;
       3. Development 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; and
       4. Support for scholars, trainees and education 
     opportunities that encourage a multidisciplinary approach to 
     exploring the diversity of life in the oceans.


            section 5. NOAA Oceans and human health program

       Establishment of NOAA Program. Section 5 would establish a 
     NOAA program on Oceans and Human Health that would coordinate 
     NOAA activities with the Interagency OHH Program. Subsection 
     (a) directs the Secretary of Commerce to develop an Oceans 
     and Human Health Program, consistent with the interagency 
     program developed under Section 4, that will coordinate and 
     implement research and activities within NOAA related to the 
     role of the oceans in human health. In establishing the 
     program, the Secretary is required to consult with other 
     Federal agencies conducting integrated ocean health research 
     or research in related areas, including the CDC, NSF, and 
     HIEHS. The NOAA Oceans and Human Health Program will provide 
     support for the following components: 1. a Program and 
     Research Coordination Office; 2. an Advisory Panel; 3. 
     National Center(s) of Excellence; 4. Research grants and 
     5. Distinguished scholars and traineeships.
       Program Office. Subsection (b) directs the Secretary to 
     establish a program to coordinate oceans and human health-
     related research and activities within NOAA and to carry out 
     the elements of the program. In cooperation with the Oceans 
     and Human Health Advisory Panel established under subsection 
     (c), the program office will serve as liaison with academic 
     institutions and other agencies participating in the 
     Interagency OHH Program established under Section 3.
       Advisory Panel. Under subsection (c), the Secretary will 
     establish an Oceans and Human Health Advisory Panel to assist 
     in the development and implementation of the NOAA Oceans and 
     Human Health Program. Membership of the Advisory Group will 
     include a balanced representation of individuals with multi-
     disciplinary expertise in the marine and biomedical sciences. 
     The subsection provides that Federal Advisory Committee Act, 
     5 U.S.C. App. 1, shall not apply to the Panel.
       Centers of Excellence. Subsection (d) provides that the 
     Secretary shall, through a competitive process, establish and 
     support Centers of Excellence that strengthen NOAA's 
     capabilities to carry out programs and activities related to 
     the ocean's role in human health. These NOAA Centers of 
     Excellence shall complement and be in addition to any centers 
     of excellence for oceans and human health established through 
     NSF or NIEHS. Centers selected for funding and support under 
     Section 4 would focus on areas related to NOAA missions, 
     including: 1. use of marine organisms as indicators for 
     marine environmental health; 2. ocean pollutants; 3. marine 
     toxins and pathogens, harmful algal blooms, seafood testing, 
     drug discovery, biology and pathobiology of marine mammals; 
     and 4. such disciplines as marine genomics, marine 
     environmental microbiology, ecological chemistry and 
     conservation medicine. The Secretary will consider the need 
     for geographic representation and will encourage proposals 
     that have strong scientific and interdisciplinary merit.
       Research Grants. Subsection (e) authorizes the Secretary of 
     Commerce to provide grants for research and projects that 
     explore the relationship between the oceans and human health, 
     and that complement or strengthen NOAA-related programs and 
     activities. In implementing this subsection, the Secretary is 
     directed to consult with the Oceans and Human Health Advisory 
     Panel and the National Sea Grant College Program, and may 
     work cooperatively with other agencies in the Intergency OHH 
     Program to establish joint criteria for such research 
     projects. This subsection specifies that the grants shall be 
     awarded through a peer-review or other competitive process 
     and that such a process may be conducted jointly with other 
     agencies participating in the Interagency OHH Program or 
     under the National Oceanographic Partnership Program, 10 
     U.S.C. 7901.
       Distinguished Scholars. Subsection (f) directs the 
     Secretary to provide financial assistance to support 
     distinguished scholars working in collaboration with NOAA 
     scientists and facilities. The Secretary is also authorized 
     to establish a training program, in consultation with NIEHS 
     and NSF, for scientists early in their careers who are 
     interested in oceans and human health.


           Section 6. Public Information and Risk Assessment

       This section directs the Secretary of Commerce, in 
     consultation with the CDC, FDA, EPA, and the States, to 
     design and implement a national public information and 
     outreach program on potential ocean-related human health 
     risks. The outreach program will collect and analyze 
     information, disseminate the results, to relevant Federal, 
     State, public, industry or other interested parties, provide 
     advice regarding precautions against illness or hazards, and 
     make recommendations on observing systems that would support 
     the program.
       Subsection (b) requires the Secretary, in consultation with 
     the same agencies, to assess health hazards associated with 
     the human consumption of seafood. Under this subsection, the 
     Secretary, in consultation with CDC, FDA, EPA, and the 
     states, would assess risks associated with domestically 
     harvested and processed seafood as compared with imported 
     seafood harvested and processed outside the United States; 
     commercially harvested seafood as compared with recreational 
     and subsistence harvest; and contamination due to handling 
     and preparation of seafood.


               Section 7. Authorization of appropriations

       Section 7 provides the authorization of appropriations for 
     the NOAA Oceans and Human Health Program established under 
     Section 5, and the public information and risk assessment 
     program established under Section 6.
       Subsection (a) provides that there are authorized to be 
     appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce to carry out the 
     program under Section 5, $8,000,000 for FY 2003, $15,000,000 
     for FY 2004, and $20,000,000 for FY2005-2007.
       Subsection (b) provides authorizations of appropriations of 
     $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2007 for the 
     public information and risk assessment program established 
     under Section 6.
       I am extremely proud to sponsor this legislation, and hope 
     that this will mark the beginning of a new century of ocean 
     research that will reveal how integral and important the 
     oceans are to our daily lives and our health, whether we live 
     by the edge of the sea or in the heartland.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1218

       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 
     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

[[Page S7624]]

     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 has increased 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 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. NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL.

       (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--
       (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
       (2) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
       ``(1) serve as Chair of the National Science and Technology 
     Council; and''.
       (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:

     ``SEC. 401. FUNCTIONS OF COUNCIL.

       ``(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--
       ``(1) provide more effective planning and administration of 
     Federal scientific, engineering, and technology programs;
       ``(2) identify research needs, including areas requiring 
     additional emphasis;
       ``(3) achieve more effective use of the scientific, 
     engineering, and technological resources and facilities of 
     Federal agencies, including elimination of unwarranted 
     duplication; and
       ``(4) further international cooperation in science, 
     engineering and technology.
       ``(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--
       ``(1) identify research approaches and priorities which 
     most effectively advance scientific understanding and provide 
     a basis for policy decisions;
       ``(2) provide for effective cooperation and coordination of 
     research among Federal agencies; and
       ``(3) encourage domestic and, as appropriate, international 
     cooperation among government, industry and university 
     scientists.
       ``(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.
       ``(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--
       ``(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
       ``(2) undertaking upon the request of the Chair, such 
     special studies for the Council as come within the scope of 
     authority of the Council.
       ``(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.''.

     SEC. 4. INTERAGENCY OCEANS AND HUMAN HEALTH RESEARCH PROGRAM.

       (a) Establishment of Committee.--
       (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--
       (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 Homeland Security; and
       (H) 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 substantially, 
     in terms of scientific research capability and budget, to the 
     interagency program.
       (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--
       (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;
       (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 entities;
       (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;
       (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.
       (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
       (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

[[Page S7625]]

     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. 5. NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION 
                   OCEANS AND HUMAN HEALTH PROGRAM.

       (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--
       (1) a program and research coordination office;
       (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) 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.
       (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.
       (d) 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, 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.
       (e) 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 (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.
       (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.
       (f) 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. 6. 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 assess risks related to--
       (1) seafood that is domestically harvested and processed as 
     compared with imported seafood that is harvested and 
     processed outside the United States;
       (2) seafood that is commercially harvested and processed as 
     compared with that harvested for recreational or subsistence 
     purposes and not prepared commercially; and
       (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.

     SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (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.
       (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.
                                 ______