[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 114 (Thursday, July 14, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5182-S5183]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2016
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 3282, introduced earlier
today.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 3282) to reauthorize and amend the National Sea
Grant College Program Act, and for other purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill
be read a third time.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading and was read
the third time.
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I know of no further debate on the
measure.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate?
Hearing none, the bill having been read the third time, the question
is, Shall it pass?
The bill (S. 3282) was passed, as follows:
S. 3282
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 ``National Sea Grant College
Program Amendments Act of 2016''.
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. MODIFICATION OF 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.--Such 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 maximum 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 Concerning Federal Hiring of Former
Fellows.--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. 4. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF COMMERCE TO
ACCEPT DONATIONS FOR NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE
PROGRAM.
(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
[[Page S5183]]
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 the
enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Sea Grant
College Program, in consultation with the National Sea Grant
Advisory Board and the Sea Grant Association, shall--
(1) develop recommendations for 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) submit to Congress a report on the recommendations
developed under paragraph (1).
(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--
(1) accepted under section 204(c)(4)(F) of that Act (33
U.S.C. 1123(c)(4)(F)); or
(2) appropriated under section 212 of that Act (33 U.S.C.
1131).
SEC. 5. REPEAL OF REQUIREMENT FOR 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. 6. REDUCTION IN FREQUENCY REQUIRED FOR NATIONAL SEA
GRANT ADVISORY BOARD REPORT.
Section 209(b)(2) (33 U.S.C. 1128(b)(2)) is amended--
(1) in the heading, by striking ``Biennial'' and inserting
``Periodic''; and
(2) in the first sentence, by striking ``The Board shall
report to the Congress every two years'' and inserting ``Not
less frequently than once every 3 years, the Board shall
submit to Congress a report''.
SEC. 7. MODIFICATION OF ELEMENTS OF NATIONAL SEA GRANT
COLLEGE PROGRAM.
Section 204(b) (33 U.S.C. 1123(b)) is amended, in the
matter before paragraph (1), by inserting ``for research,
education, extension, training, technology transfer, and
public service'' after ``financial assistance''.
SEC. 8. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY; DEAN JOHN A. KNAUSS MARINE
POLICY FELLOWSHIP.
(a) In General.--During fiscal year 2016 and thereafter,
the head of any Federal agency may appoint, without regard to
the provisions of subchapter I of chapter 33 of title 5,
United States Code, other than sections 3303 and 3328 of that
title, a qualified candidate described in subsection (b)
directly to a position with the Federal agency for which the
candidate meets Office of Personnel Management qualification
standards.
(b) Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship.--
Subsection (a) applies with respect to a former recipient of
a Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship under section
208(b) of the National Sea Grant College Program Act (33
U.S.C. 1127(b)) who--
(1) earned a graduate or post-graduate degree in a field
related to ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources or policy
from an accredited institution of higher education; and
(2) successfully fulfilled the requirements of the
fellowship within the executive or legislative branch of the
United States Government.
(c) Limitation.--The direct hire authority under this
section shall be exercised with respect to a specific
qualified candidate not later than 2 years after the date
that the candidate completed the fellowship.
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR NATIONAL SEA
GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Section 212(a) (33 U.S.C. 1131(a)) is
amended--
(1) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated
to the Secretary to carry out this title--
``(A) $75,600,000 for fiscal year 2016;
``(B) $79,380,000 for fiscal year 2017;
``(C) $83,350,000 for fiscal year 2018;
``(D) $87,520,000 for fiscal year 2019;
``(E) $91,900,000 for fiscal year 2020; and
``(F) $96,500,000 for fiscal year 2021.''; and
(2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
``(2) Priority activities for fiscal years 2016 through
2021.--In addition to the amounts authorized under paragraph
(1), there is authorized to be appropriated $6,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2016 through 2021 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) Modification of Limitations on Amounts for
Administration.--Paragraph (1) of section 212(b) (33 U.S.C.
1131(b)) 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.--
``(i) In general.--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
carrying out the activities authorized in this title.
``(ii) Exception from cap.--For purposes of subparagraph
(A), any costs incurred as a result of an exercise of
authority as described in clause (i) shall not be considered
an amount used for administration of programs under this
title in a fiscal year.''.
(c) Allocation of Funding.--
(1) In general.--Section 204(d)(3) (33 U.S.C. 1123(d)(3))
is amended--
(A) in the matter before subparagraph (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), in the matter before clause (i),
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) Repeal of requirements concerning distribution of
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.
SEC. 10. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.
The National Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1121
et seq.) is amended--
(1) in section 204(d)(3)(B) (33 U.S.C. 1123(d)(3)(B)), by
moving clause (vi) two ems to the right; and
(2) in section 209(b)(2) (33 U.S.C. 1128(b)(2)), as amended
by section 6, in the third sentence, by striking ``The
Secretary shall'' and inserting the following:
``(3) Availability of resources of department of
commerce.--The Secretary shall''.
Ms. MURKOWSKI. I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider
be considered made and laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
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