[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 149 (Thursday, September 14, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5769-S5770]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 1091. Mr. McCONNELL (for Mr. Wicker) proposed an amendment to the
bill S. 129, to reauthorize and amend the National Sea Grant College
Program Act, and for other purposes; as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National Sea Grant College
Program Amendments Act of 2017''.
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 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 the 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 fellowships 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 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 pursuant to the authorization of
appropriations under section 212 of that Act (33 U.S.C.
1131).
SEC. 5. 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'';
(2) by striking the first sentence and inserting the
following: ``The Board shall report to Congress at least once
every four years on the state of the national sea grant
college program and shall notify Congress of any significant
changes to the state of the program not later than two years
after the submission of such a report.''; and
(3) in the second sentence, by adding before the end period
the following: ``and provide a summary of research conducted
under the program''.
SEC. 6. MODIFICATION OF ELEMENTS OF NATIONAL SEA GRANT
COLLEGE PROGRAM.
Section 204(b) (33 U.S.C. 1123(b)) is amended, in the
matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting ``for research,
education, extension, training, technology transfer, and
public service'' after ``financial assistance''.
SEC. 7. DESIGNATION OF NEW NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGES AND
SEA GRANT INSTITUTES.
Section 207(b) (33 U.S.C. 1126(b)) is amended--
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Existing
Designees'' and inserting ``Additional Designations''; and
(2) by striking ``Any institution'' and inserting the
following:
``(1) Notification to congress of designations.--
``(A) In general.--Not less than 30 days before designating
an institution, or an association or alliance of two or more
such institutions, as a sea grant college or sea grant
institute under subsection (a), the Secretary shall notify
Congress in writing of the proposed designation. The
notification shall include an evaluation and justification
for the designation.
``(B) Effect of joint resolution of disapproval.--The
Secretary may not designate an institution, or an association
or alliance of two or more such institutions, as a sea grant
college or sea grant institute under subsection (a) if,
before the end of the 30-day period described in subparagraph
(A), a joint resolution disapproving the designation is
enacted.
``(2) Existing designees.--Any institution''.
SEC. 8. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY; DEAN JOHN A. KNAUSS MARINE
POLICY FELLOWSHIP.
(a) In General.--During fiscal year 2017 and any fiscal
year 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
[[Page S5770]]
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 described in
subsection (b).
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 2017;
``(B) $79,380,000 for fiscal year 2018;
``(C) $83,350,000 for fiscal year 2019;
``(D) $87,520,000 for fiscal year 2020;
``(E) $91,900,000 for fiscal year 2021; and
``(F) $96,500,000 for fiscal year 2022.''; and
(2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
``(2) Priority activities for fiscal years 2017 through
2022.--In addition to the amounts authorized to be
appropriated under paragraph (1), there are authorized to be
appropriated $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 through
2022 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 United States working waterfronts and other
regional or national priority issues identified in the
strategic plan under section 204(c)(1).
``(E) University research and extension on sustainable
aquaculture techniques and technologies.
``(F) Fishery research and 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, and under section 210 of this title, to meet any
critical staffing requirement while carrying out the
activities authorized under 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 preceding 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 preceding 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) 2 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''.
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