[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 162 (Tuesday, October 11, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6585-S6610]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 6466. Mr. REED (for Ms. Cantwell (for herself and Mr. Wicker)) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 5499 
proposed by Mr. Reed (for himself and Mr. Inhofe) to the bill H.R. 
7900, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2023 for military 
activities of the Department of Defense and for military construction, 
and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe 
military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        At the end, add the following:

                   DIVISION E--OCEANS AND ATMOSPHERE

     SEC. 5001. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       The table of contents for this division is as follows:

Sec. 5001. Table of contents.

                   TITLE LI--CORAL REEF CONSERVATION

Sec. 5101. Short title.

   Subtitle A--Reauthorization of Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000

Sec. 5111. Reauthorization of Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000.

            Subtitle B--United States Coral Reef Task Force

Sec. 5121. Establishment.
Sec. 5122. Duties.
Sec. 5123. Membership.
Sec. 5124. Responsibilities of Federal agency members.
Sec. 5125. Working groups.
Sec. 5126. Definitions.

     Subtitle C--Department of the Interior Coral Reef Authorities

Sec. 5131. Coral reef conservation and restoration assistance.

Subtitle D--Susan L. Williams National Coral Reef Management Fellowship

Sec. 5141. Short title.
Sec. 5142. Definitions.
Sec. 5143. Establishment of fellowship program.
Sec. 5144. Fellowship awards.
Sec. 5145. Matching requirement.

 TITLE LII--BOLSTERING LONG-TERM UNDERSTANDING AND EXPLORATION OF THE 
                GREAT LAKES, OCEANS, BAYS, AND ESTUARIES

Sec. 5201. Short title.
Sec. 5202. Purpose.
Sec. 5203. Sense of Congress.
Sec. 5204. Definitions.
Sec. 5205. Workforce study.
Sec. 5206. Accelerating innovation at Cooperative Institutes.
Sec. 5207. Blue Economy valuation.
Sec. 5208. No additional funds authorized.
Sec. 5209. No additional funds authorized.

                TITLE LIII--REGIONAL OCEAN PARTNERSHIPS

Sec. 5301. Short title.
Sec. 5302. Findings; sense of Congress; purposes.
Sec. 5303. Regional Ocean Partnerships.

                 TITLE LIV--NATIONAL OCEAN EXPLORATION

Sec. 5401. Short title.

[[Page S6586]]

Sec. 5402. Findings.
Sec. 5403. Definitions.
Sec. 5404. Ocean Policy Committee.
Sec. 5405. National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization 
              Council.
Sec. 5406. Modifications to the ocean exploration program of the 
              National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Sec. 5407. Repeal.
Sec. 5408. Modifications to ocean and coastal mapping program of the 
              National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Sec. 5409. Modifications to Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 
              1998.

             TITLE LV--MARINE MAMMAL RESEARCH AND RESPONSE

Sec. 5501. Short title.
Sec. 5502. Data collection and dissemination.
Sec. 5503. Stranding or entanglement response agreements.
Sec. 5504. Unusual mortality event activity funding.
Sec. 5505. Liability.
Sec. 5506. National Marine Mammal Tissue Bank and tissue analysis.
Sec. 5507. Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program and Rapid 
              Response Fund.
Sec. 5508. Health MAP.
Sec. 5509. Reports to Congress.
Sec. 5510. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 5511. Definitions.
Sec. 5512. Study on marine mammal mortality.

                   TITLE LVI--VOLCANIC ASH AND FUMES

Sec. 5601. Short title.
Sec. 5602. Modifications to National Volcano Early Warning and 
              Monitoring System.

           TITLE LVII--WILDFIRE AND FIRE WEATHER PREPAREDNESS

Sec. 5701. Short title.
Sec. 5702. Definitions.
Sec. 5703. Establishment of fire weather services program.
Sec. 5704. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data 
              management.
Sec. 5705. Digital fire weather services and data management.
Sec. 5706. High-performance computing.
Sec. 5707. Government Accountability Office report on fire weather 
              services program.
Sec. 5708. Fire weather testbed.
Sec. 5709. Fire weather surveys and assessments.
Sec. 5710. Incident Meteorologist Service.
Sec. 5711. Automated surface observing system.
Sec. 5712. Emergency response activities.
Sec. 5713. Government Accountability Office report on interagency 
              wildfire forecasting, prevention, planning, and 
              management bodies.
Sec. 5714. Amendments to Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 
              relating to wildfire mitigation.
Sec. 5715. Wildfire technology modernization amendments.
Sec. 5716. Cooperation; coordination; support to non-Federal entities.
Sec. 5717. International coordination.
Sec. 5718. Submissions to Congress regarding the fire weather services 
              program, incident meteorologist workforce needs, and 
              National Weather Service workforce support.
Sec. 5719. Government Accountability Office report; Fire Science and 
              Technology Working Group; strategic plan.
Sec. 5720. Fire weather rating system.
Sec. 5721. Avoidance of duplication.
Sec. 5722. Authorization of appropriations.

 TITLE LVIII--LEARNING EXCELLENCE AND GOOD EXAMPLES FROM NEW DEVELOPERS

Sec. 5801. Short title.
Sec. 5802. Definitions.
Sec. 5803. Purposes.
Sec. 5804. Plan and implementation of plan to make certain models and 
              data available to the public.
Sec. 5805. Requirement to review models and leverage innovations.
Sec. 5806. Report on implementation.
Sec. 5807. Protection of national security interests.
Sec. 5808. Authorization of appropriations.

                   TITLE LI--CORAL REEF CONSERVATION

     SEC. 5101. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Restoring Resilient Reefs 
     Act of 2022''.

   Subtitle A--Reauthorization of Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000

     SEC. 5111. REAUTHORIZATION OF CORAL REEF CONSERVATION ACT OF 
                   2000.

       (a) In General.--The Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 
     (16 U.S.C. 6401 et seq.) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating sections 209 and 210 as sections 217 
     and 218, respectively;
       (2) by striking sections 202 through 208 and inserting the 
     following:

     ``SEC. 202. PURPOSES.

       ``The purposes of this title are--
       ``(1) to conserve and restore the condition of United 
     States coral reef ecosystems challenged by natural and human-
     accelerated changes, including increasing ocean temperatures, 
     ocean acidification, coral bleaching, coral diseases, water 
     quality degradation, invasive species, and illegal, 
     unreported, and unregulated fishing;
       ``(2) to promote the science-based management and 
     sustainable use of coral reef ecosystems to benefit local 
     communities and the Nation, including through improved 
     integration and cooperation among Federal and non-Federal 
     stakeholders with coral reef equities;
       ``(3) to develop sound scientific information on the 
     condition of coral reef ecosystems, continuing and emerging 
     threats to such ecosystems, and the efficacy of innovative 
     tools, technologies, and strategies to mitigate stressors and 
     restore such ecosystems, including evaluation criteria to 
     determine the effectiveness of management interventions, and 
     accurate mapping for coral reef restoration;
       ``(4) to assist in the preservation of coral reefs by 
     supporting science-based, consensus-driven, and community-
     based coral reef management by covered States and covered 
     Native entities, including monitoring, conservation, and 
     restoration projects that empower local communities, small 
     businesses, and nongovernmental organizations;
       ``(5) to provide financial resources, technical assistance, 
     and scientific expertise to supplement, complement, and 
     strengthen community-based management programs and 
     conservation and restoration projects of non-Federal reefs;
       ``(6) to establish a formal mechanism for collecting and 
     allocating monetary donations from the private sector to be 
     used for coral reef conservation and restoration projects;
       ``(7) to support the rapid and effective, science-based 
     assessment and response to exigent circumstances that pose 
     immediate and long-term threats to coral reefs, such as coral 
     disease, invasive or nuisance species, coral bleaching, 
     natural disasters, and industrial or mechanical disasters, 
     such as vessel groundings, hazardous spills, or coastal 
     construction accidents; and
       ``(8) to serve as a model for advancing similar 
     international efforts to monitor, conserve, and restore coral 
     reef ecosystems.

     ``SEC. 203. FEDERAL CORAL REEF MANAGEMENT AND RESTORATION 
                   ACTIVITIES.

       ``(a) In General.--The Administrator, the Secretary of the 
     Interior, or the Secretary of Commerce may conduct activities 
     described in subsection (b) to conserve and restore coral 
     reefs and coral reef ecosystems that are consistent with--
       ``(1) all applicable laws governing resource management in 
     Federal and State waters, including this Act;
       ``(2) the national coral reef resilience strategy in effect 
     under section 204; and
       ``(3) coral reef action plans in effect under section 205, 
     as applicable.
       ``(b) Activities Described.--Activities described in this 
     subsection are activities to conserve, research, monitor, 
     assess, and restore coral reefs and coral reef ecosystems in 
     waters managed under the jurisdiction of a Federal agency 
     specified in subsection (c) or in coordination with a State 
     in waters managed under the jurisdiction of such State, 
     including--
       ``(1) developing, including through the collection of 
     requisite in situ and remotely sensed data, high-quality and 
     digitized maps reflecting--
       ``(A) current and historical live coral cover data;
       ``(B) coral reef habitat quality data;
       ``(C) priority areas for coral reef conservation to 
     maintain biodiversity and ecosystem structure and function, 
     including the reef matrix, that benefit coastal communities 
     and living marine resources;
       ``(D) priority areas for coral reef restoration to enhance 
     biodiversity and ecosystem structure and function, including 
     the reef matrix, to benefit coastal communities and living 
     marine resources; and
       ``(E) areas of concern that may require enhanced monitoring 
     of coral health and cover;
       ``(2) enhancing compliance with Federal laws that prohibit 
     or regulate--
       ``(A) the taking of coral products or species associated 
     with coral reefs; or
       ``(B) the use and management of coral reef ecosystems;
       ``(3) long-term ecological monitoring of coral reef 
     ecosystems;
       ``(4) implementing species-specific recovery plans for 
     listed coral species consistent with the Endangered Species 
     Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.);
       ``(5) restoring degraded coral reef ecosystems;
       ``(6) promoting ecologically sound navigation and 
     anchorages, including through navigational aids and expansion 
     of reef-safe anchorages and mooring buoy systems, to enhance 
     recreational access while preventing or minimizing the 
     likelihood of vessel impacts or other physical damage to 
     coral reefs;
       ``(7) monitoring and responding to severe bleaching or 
     mortality events, disease outbreaks, invasive species 
     outbreaks, and significant maritime accidents, including 
     chemical spill cleanup and the removal of grounded vessels;
       ``(8) conducting scientific research that contributes to 
     the understanding, sustainable use, and long-term 
     conservation of coral reefs;
       ``(9) enhancing public awareness, understanding, and 
     appreciation of coral reefs and coral reef ecosystems; and
       ``(10) centrally archiving, managing, and distributing data 
     sets and coral reef ecosystem assessments and publishing such 
     information on publicly available internet websites, by means 
     such as leveraging and

[[Page S6587]]

     partnering with existing data repositories, of--
       ``(A) the Coral Reef Conservation Program of the National 
     Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and
       ``(B) the Task Force.
       ``(c) Federal Agencies Specified.--A Federal agency 
     specified in this subsection is one of the following:
       ``(1) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
       ``(2) The National Park Service.
       ``(3) The United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
       ``(4) The Office of Insular Affairs.

     ``SEC. 204. NATIONAL CORAL REEF RESILIENCE STRATEGY.

       ``(a) In General.--The Administrator shall--
       ``(1) not later than 2 years after the date of the 
     enactment of the Restoring Resilient Reefs Act of 2022, 
     develop a national coral reef resilience strategy; and
       ``(2) periodically thereafter, but not less frequently than 
     once every 15 years (and not less frequently than once every 
     5 years, in the case of guidance on best practices under 
     subsection (b)(4)), review and revise the strategy as 
     appropriate.
       ``(b) Elements.--The strategy required by subsection (a) 
     shall include the following:
       ``(1) A discussion addressing--
       ``(A) continuing and emerging threats to the resilience of 
     United States coral reef ecosystems;
       ``(B) remaining gaps in coral reef ecosystem research, 
     monitoring, and assessment;
       ``(C) the status of management cooperation and integration 
     among Federal reef managers and covered reef managers;
       ``(D) the status of efforts to manage and disseminate 
     critical information, and enhance interjurisdictional data 
     sharing, related to research, reports, datasets, and maps;
       ``(E) areas of special focus, which may include--
       ``(i) improving natural coral recruitment;
       ``(ii) preventing avoidable losses of corals and their 
     habitat;
       ``(iii) enhancing the resilience of coral populations;
       ``(iv) supporting a resilience-based management approach;
       ``(v) developing, coordinating, and implementing watershed 
     management plans;
       ``(vi) building and sustaining watershed management 
     capacity at the local level;
       ``(vii) providing data essential for coral reef fisheries 
     management;
       ``(viii) building capacity for coral reef fisheries 
     management;
       ``(ix) increasing understanding of coral reef ecosystem 
     services;
       ``(x) educating the public on the importance of coral 
     reefs, threats and solutions; and
       ``(xi) evaluating intervention efficacy;
       ``(F) the status of conservation efforts, including the use 
     of marine protected areas to serve as replenishment zones 
     developed consistent with local practices and traditions and 
     in cooperation with, and with respect for the scientific, 
     technical, and management expertise and responsibilities of, 
     covered reef managers;
       ``(G) science-based adaptive management and restoration 
     efforts; and
       ``(H) management of coral reef emergencies and disasters.
       ``(2) A statement of national goals and objectives designed 
     to guide--
       ``(A) future Federal coral reef management and restoration 
     activities authorized under section 203;
       ``(B) conservation and restoration priorities for grants 
     awarded under section 213 and cooperative agreements under 
     section 208; and
       ``(C) research priorities for the reef research 
     coordination institutes designated under section 214.
       ``(3) A designation of priority areas for conservation, and 
     priority areas for restoration, to support the review and 
     approval of grants under section 213(e).
       ``(4) General templates for use by covered reef managers 
     and Federal reef managers to guide the development of coral 
     reef action plans under section 205, including guidance on 
     the best science-based practices to respond to coral reef 
     emergencies that can be included in coral reef action plans.
       ``(c) Consultations.--In developing all elements of the 
     strategy required by subsection (a), the Administrator 
     shall--
       ``(1) consult with the Secretary of the Interior, the Task 
     Force, covered States, and covered Native entities;
       ``(2) consult with the Secretary of Defense, as 
     appropriate;
       ``(3) engage stakeholders, including covered States, coral 
     reef stewardship partnerships, reef research coordination 
     institutes and research centers designated under section 214, 
     and recipients of grants under section 213; and
       ``(4) solicit public review and comment regarding scoping 
     and the draft strategy.
       ``(d) Submission to Congress; Publication.--The 
     Administrator shall--
       ``(1) submit the strategy required by subsection (a) and 
     any revisions to the strategy to the appropriate 
     congressional committees; and
       ``(2) publish the strategy and any such revisions on 
     publicly available internet websites of--
       ``(A) the Coral Reef Conservation Program of the National 
     Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and
       ``(B) the Task Force.

     ``SEC. 205. CORAL REEF ACTION PLANS.

       ``(a) Plans Prepared by Federal Reef Managers.--
       ``(1) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
     the enactment of the Restoring Resilient Reefs Act of 2022, 
     each Federal reef manager shall--
       ``(A) prepare a coral reef action plan to guide management 
     and restoration activities to be undertaken within the 
     responsibilities and jurisdiction of the manager; or
       ``(B) in the case of a reef under the jurisdiction of a 
     Federal reef manager for which there is a management plan in 
     effect as of such date of enactment, update that plan to 
     comply with the requirements of this subsection.
       ``(2) Elements.--A plan prepared under paragraph (1) by a 
     Federal reef manager shall include a discussion of the 
     following:
       ``(A) Short- and mid-term coral reef conservation and 
     restoration objectives within the jurisdiction of the 
     manager.
       ``(B) A current adaptive management framework to inform 
     research, monitoring, and assessment needs.
       ``(C) Tools, strategies, and partnerships necessary to 
     identify, monitor, and address pollution and water quality 
     impacts to coral reef ecosystems within the jurisdiction of 
     the manager.
       ``(D) The status of efforts to improve coral reef ecosystem 
     management cooperation and integration between Federal reef 
     managers and covered reef managers, including the 
     identification of existing research and monitoring activities 
     that can be leveraged for coral reef status and trends 
     assessments within the jurisdiction of the manager.
       ``(E) Estimated budgetary and resource considerations 
     necessary to carry out the plan.
       ``(F) Contingencies for response to and recovery from 
     emergencies and disasters.
       ``(G) In the case of an updated plan, annual records of 
     significant management and restoration actions taken under 
     the previous plan, cash and non-cash resources used to 
     undertake the actions, and the source of such resources.
       ``(H) Documentation by the Federal reef manager that the 
     plan is consistent with the national coral reef resilience 
     strategy in effect under section 204.
       ``(I) A data management plan to ensure data, assessments, 
     and accompanying information are appropriately preserved, 
     curated, publicly accessible, and broadly reusable.
       ``(3) Submission to task force.--Each Federal reef manager 
     shall submit a plan prepared under paragraph (1) to the Task 
     Force.
       ``(4) Application of administrative procedure act.--Each 
     plan prepared under paragraph (1) shall be subject to the 
     requirements of subchapter II of chapter 5, and chapter 7, of 
     title 5, United States Code (commonly known as the 
     `Administrative Procedure Act').
       ``(b) Plans Prepared by Covered Reef Managers.--
       ``(1) In general.--A covered reef manager may elect to 
     prepare, submit to the Task Force, and maintain a coral reef 
     action plan to guide management and restoration activities to 
     be undertaken within the responsibilities and jurisdiction of 
     the manager.
       ``(2) Effective period.--A plan prepared under this 
     subsection shall remain in effect for 5 years, or until an 
     updated plan is submitted to the Task Force, whichever occurs 
     first.
       ``(3) Elements.--A plan prepared under paragraph (1) by a 
     covered reef manager--
       ``(A) shall contain a discussion of--
       ``(i) short- and mid-term coral reef conservation and 
     restoration objectives within the jurisdiction of the 
     manager;
       ``(ii) estimated budgetary and resource considerations 
     necessary to carry out the plan;
       ``(iii) in the case of an updated plan, annual records of 
     significant management and restoration actions taken under 
     the previous plan, cash and non-cash resources used to 
     undertake the actions, and the source of such resources; and
       ``(iv) contingencies for response to and recovery from 
     emergencies and disasters; and
       ``(B) may contain a discussion of--
       ``(i) the status of efforts to improve coral reef ecosystem 
     management cooperation and integration between Federal reef 
     managers and covered reef managers, including the 
     identification of existing research and monitoring activities 
     that can be leveraged for coral reef status and trends 
     assessments within the jurisdiction of the manager;
       ``(ii) a current adaptive management framework to inform 
     research, monitoring, and assessment needs;
       ``(iii) tools, strategies, and partnerships necessary to 
     identify, monitor, and address pollution and water quality 
     impacts to coral reef ecosystems within the jurisdiction of 
     the manager; and
       ``(iv) a data management plan to ensure data, assessments, 
     and accompanying information are appropriately preserved, 
     curated, publicly accessible, and broadly reusable..
       ``(c) Technical Assistance.--The Administrator and the Task 
     Force shall make all reasonable efforts to provide technical 
     assistance upon request by a Federal reef manager or covered 
     reef manager developing a coral reef action plan under this 
     section.
       ``(d) Publication.--The Administrator shall publish each 
     coral reef action plan prepared and submitted to the Task 
     Force under this section on publicly available internet 
     websites of--

[[Page S6588]]

       ``(1) the Coral Reef Conservation Program of the National 
     Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and
       ``(2) the Task Force.

     ``SEC. 206. CORAL REEF STEWARDSHIP PARTNERSHIPS.

       ``(a) In General.--To further the community-based 
     stewardship of coral reefs, coral reef stewardship 
     partnerships for Federal and non-Federal coral reefs may be 
     established in accordance with this section.
       ``(b) Standards and Procedures.--The Administrator shall 
     develop and adopt--
       ``(1) standards for identifying individual coral reefs and 
     ecologically significant units of coral reefs; and
       ``(2) processes for adjudicating multiple applicants for 
     stewardship of the same coral reef or ecologically 
     significant unit of a reef to ensure no geographic overlap in 
     representation among stewardship partnerships authorized by 
     this section.
       ``(c) Membership for Federal Coral Reefs.--A coral reef 
     stewardship partnership that has identified, as the subject 
     of its stewardship activities, a coral reef or ecologically 
     significant unit of a coral reef that is fully or partially 
     under the management jurisdiction of any Federal agency 
     specified in section 203(c) shall, at a minimum, include the 
     following:
       ``(1) That Federal agency, a representative of which shall 
     serve as chairperson of the coral reef stewardship 
     partnership.
       ``(2) A State or county's resource management agency.
       ``(3) A coral reef research center designated under section 
     214(b).
       ``(4) A nongovernmental organization.
       ``(5) Such other members as the partnership considers 
     appropriate, such as interested stakeholder groups and 
     covered Native entities.
       ``(d) Membership for Non-Federal Coral Reefs.--
       ``(1) In general.--A coral reef stewardship partnership 
     that has identified, as the subject of its stewardship 
     activities, a coral reef or ecologically significant 
     component of a coral reef that is not under the management 
     jurisdiction of any Federal agency specified in section 
     203(c) shall, at a minimum, include the following:
       ``(A) A State or county's resource management agency or a 
     covered Native entity, a representative of which shall serve 
     as the chairperson of the coral reef stewardship partnership.
       ``(B) A coral reef research center designated under section 
     214(b).
       ``(C) A nongovernmental organization.
       ``(D) Such other members as the partnership considers 
     appropriate, such as interested stakeholder groups.
       ``(2) Additional members.--
       ``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), a coral 
     reef stewardship partnership described in paragraph (1) may 
     also include representatives of one or more Federal agencies.
       ``(B) Requests; approval.--A representative of a Federal 
     agency described in subparagraph (A) may become a member of a 
     coral reef stewardship partnership described in paragraph (1) 
     if--
       ``(i) the representative submits a request to become a 
     member to the chairperson of the partnership referred to in 
     paragraph (1)(A); and
       ``(ii) the chairperson consents to the request.
       ``(e) Nonapplicability of Federal Advisory Committee Act.--
     The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not 
     apply to coral reef stewardship partnerships under this 
     section.

     ``SEC. 207. BLOCK GRANTS.

       ``(a) In General.--The Administrator shall provide block 
     grants of financial assistance to covered States to support 
     management and restoration activities and further the 
     implementation of coral reef action plans in effect under 
     section 205 by covered States and non-Federal coral reef 
     stewardship partnerships in accordance with this section. The 
     Administrator shall review each covered State's application 
     for block grant funding to ensure that applications are 
     consistent with applicable action plans and the national 
     coral reef resilience strategy in effect under section 204.
       ``(b) Eligibility for Additional Amounts.--
       ``(1) In general.--A covered State shall qualify for and 
     receive additional grant amounts beyond the base award 
     specified in subsection (c)(1) if there is at least one coral 
     reef action plan in effect within the jurisdiction of the 
     covered State developed by that covered State or a non-
     Federal coral reef stewardship partnership.
       ``(2) Waiver for certain fiscal years.--The Administrator 
     may waive the requirement under paragraph (1) during fiscal 
     years 2023 and 2024.
       ``(c) Funding Formula.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, the amount of each block grant awarded to a 
     covered State under this section shall be the sum of--
       ``(1) a base award of $100,000; and
       ``(2) if the State is eligible under subsection (b)--
       ``(A) an amount that is equal to non-Federal expenditures 
     of up to $3,000,000 on coral reef management and restoration 
     activities within the jurisdiction of the State, as reported 
     within the previous fiscal year; and
       ``(B) an additional amount, from any funds appropriated for 
     block grants under this section that remain after 
     distribution under subparagraph (A) and paragraph (1), based 
     on the proportion of the State's share of total non-Federal 
     expenditures on coral reef management and restoration 
     activities, as reported within the previous fiscal year, in 
     excess of $3,000,000, relative to other covered States.
       ``(d) Exclusions.--For the purposes of calculating block 
     grant amounts under subsection (c), Federal funds provided to 
     a covered State or non-Federal coral reef stewardship 
     partnership shall not be considered as qualifying non-Federal 
     expenditures, but non-Federal matching funds used to leverage 
     Federal awards may be considered as qualifying non-Federal 
     expenditures.
       ``(e) Responsibilities of the Administrator.--The 
     Administrator is responsible for--
       ``(1) providing guidance on qualifying non-Federal 
     expenditures and the proper documentation of such 
     expenditures;
       ``(2) issuing annual solicitations to covered States for 
     awards under this section; and
       ``(3) determining the appropriate allocation of additional 
     amounts among covered States in accordance with this section.
       ``(f) Responsibilities of Covered States.--Each covered 
     State is responsible for documenting non-Federal expenditures 
     within the jurisdiction of the State and formally reporting 
     those expenditures for review in response to annual 
     solicitations by the Administrator under subsection (e).

     ``SEC. 208. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.

       ``(a) In General.--The Administrator shall seek to enter 
     into cooperative agreements with covered States to fund coral 
     reef conservation and restoration activities in waters 
     managed under the jurisdiction of those covered States that 
     are consistent with the national coral reef resilience 
     strategy in effect under section 204 and any applicable 
     action plans under section 205.
       ``(b) All Islands Committee.--The Administrator may enter 
     into a cooperative agreement with the All Islands Committee 
     of the Task Force to provide support for its activities.
       ``(c) Funding.--Cooperative agreements under subsection (a) 
     shall provide not less than $500,000 to each covered State 
     and are not subject to any matching requirement.

     ``SEC. 209. CORAL REEF STEWARDSHIP FUND.

       ``(a) Agreement.--The Administrator shall seek to enter 
     into an agreement with the National Fish and Wildlife 
     Foundation (in this section referred to as the `Foundation'), 
     authorizing the Foundation to receive, hold, and administer 
     funds received under this section.
       ``(b) Fund.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Foundation shall establish an 
     account, which shall--
       ``(A) be known as the `Coral Reef Stewardship Fund' (in 
     this section referred to as the `Fund'); and
       ``(B) serve as the successor to the account known before 
     the date of the enactment of the Restoring Resilient Reefs 
     Act of 2022 as the Coral Reef Conservation Fund and 
     administered through a public-private partnership with the 
     Foundation.
       ``(2) Deposits.--The Foundation shall deposit funds 
     received under this section into the Fund.
       ``(3) Purposes.--The Fund shall be available solely to 
     support coral reef stewardship activities that--
       ``(A) further the purposes of this title; and
       ``(B) are consistent with--
       ``(i) the national coral reef resilience strategy in effect 
     under section 204; and
       ``(ii) coral reef action plans in effect, if any, under 
     section 205 covering a coral reef or ecologically significant 
     component of a coral reef to be impacted by such activities, 
     if applicable.
       ``(4) Investment of amounts.--
       ``(A) Investment of amounts.--The Foundation shall invest 
     such portion of the Fund as is not required to meet current 
     withdrawals in interest-bearing obligations of the United 
     States or in obligations guaranteed as to both principal and 
     interest by the United States.
       ``(B) Interest and proceeds.--The interest on, and the 
     proceeds from the sale or redemption of, any obligations held 
     in the Fund shall be credited to and form a part of the Fund.
       ``(5) Review of performance.--The Administrator shall 
     conduct a continuing review of all deposits into, and 
     disbursements from, the Fund. Each review shall include a 
     written assessment concerning the extent to which the 
     Foundation has implemented the goals and requirements of--
       ``(A) this section; and
       ``(B) the national coral reef resilience strategy in effect 
     under section 204.
       ``(c) Authorization to Solicit Donations.--
       ``(1) In general.--Pursuant to an agreement entered into 
     under subsection (a), the Foundation may accept, receive, 
     solicit, hold, administer, and use any gift (including, 
     notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31, United States Code, 
     donations of services) to further the purposes of this title.
       ``(2) Deposits in fund.--Notwithstanding section 3302 of 
     title 31, United States Code, any funds received as a gift 
     shall be deposited and maintained in the Fund.
       ``(d) Administration.--Under an agreement entered into 
     pursuant to subsection (a), and subject to the availability 
     of appropriations, the Administrator may transfer funds 
     appropriated to carry out this title to the Foundation. 
     Amounts received by the Foundation under this subsection may 
     be used for

[[Page S6589]]

     matching, in whole or in part, contributions (whether in 
     money, services, or property) made to the Foundation by 
     private persons, State or local government agencies, or 
     covered Native entities.

     ``SEC. 210. EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE.

       ``(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, from funds appropriated pursuant to the authorization of 
     appropriations under section 217, the Administrator may 
     provide emergency assistance to any covered State or coral 
     reef stewardship partnership to respond to immediate harm to 
     coral reefs or coral reef ecosystems arising from any of the 
     exigent circumstances described in subsection (b).
       ``(b) Coral Reef Exigent Circumstances.--The Administrator 
     shall develop a list of, and criteria for, circumstances that 
     pose an exigent threat to coral reefs, including--
       ``(1) new and ongoing outbreaks of disease;
       ``(2) new and ongoing outbreaks of invasive or nuisance 
     species;
       ``(3) new and ongoing coral bleaching events;
       ``(4) natural disasters;
       ``(5) industrial or mechanical incidents, such as vessel 
     groundings, hazardous spills, or coastal construction 
     accidents; and
       ``(6) other circumstances that pose an urgent threat to 
     coral reefs.
       ``(c) Annual Report on Exigent Circumstances.--On February 
     1 of each year, the Administrator shall submit to the 
     appropriate congressional committees, the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the Senate, and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report 
     that--
       ``(1) describes locations with exigent circumstances 
     described in subsection (b) that were considered but declined 
     for emergency assistance, and the rationale for the decision; 
     and
       ``(2) with respect to each instance in which emergency 
     assistance under this section was provided--
       ``(A) the location and a description of the exigent 
     circumstances that prompted the emergency assistance, the 
     entity that received the assistance, and the current and 
     expected outcomes from the assistance;
       ``(B) a description of activities of the National Oceanic 
     and Atmospheric Administration that were curtailed as a 
     result of providing the emergency assistance;
       ``(C) in the case of an incident described in subsection 
     (b)(5), a statement of whether legal action was commenced 
     under subsection (c), and the rationale for the decision; and
       ``(D) an assessment of whether further action is needed to 
     restore the affected coral reef, recommendations for such 
     restoration, and a cost estimate to implement such 
     recommendations.

     ``SEC. 211. CORAL REEF DISASTER FUND.

       ``(a) Agreements.--The Administrator shall seek to enter 
     into an agreement with the National Fish and Wildlife 
     Foundation (in this section referred to as the `Foundation'), 
     authorizing the Foundation to receive, hold, and administer 
     funds received under this section.
       ``(b) Fund.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Foundation shall establish an 
     account, to be known as the `Coral Reef Disaster Fund' (in 
     this section referred to as the `Fund').
       ``(2) Deposits.--The Foundation shall deposit funds 
     received under this section into the Fund.
       ``(3) Purposes.--The Fund shall be available solely to 
     support the long-term recovery of coral reefs from exigent 
     circumstances described in section 210--
       ``(A) in partnership with non-Federal stakeholders; and
       ``(B) in a manner that is consistent with--
       ``(i) the national coral reef resilience strategy in effect 
     under section 204; and
       ``(ii) coral reef action plans in effect, if any, under 
     section 205.
       ``(4) Investment of amounts.--
       ``(A) Investment of amounts.--The Foundation shall invest 
     such portion of the Fund as is not required to meet current 
     withdrawals in interest-bearing obligations of the United 
     States or in obligations guaranteed as to both principal and 
     interest by the United States.
       ``(B) Interest and proceeds.--The interest on, and the 
     proceeds from the sale or redemption of, any obligations held 
     in the Fund shall be credited to and form a part of the Fund.
       ``(5) Review of performance.--The Administrator shall 
     conduct continuing reviews of all deposits into, and 
     disbursements from, the Fund. Each such review shall include 
     a written assessment concerning the extent to which the 
     Foundation has implemented the goals and requirements of this 
     section.
       ``(c) Authorization to Solicit Donations.--
       ``(1) In general.--Pursuant to an agreement entered into 
     under subsection (a), the Foundation may accept, receive, 
     solicit, hold, administer, and use any gift (including, 
     notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31, United States Code, 
     donations of services) to further the purposes of this title.
       ``(2) Deposits in fund.--Notwithstanding section 3302 of 
     title 31, United States Code, any funds received as a gift 
     shall be deposited and maintained in the Fund.
       ``(d) Administration.--Under an agreement entered into 
     under subsection (a), and subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, the Administrator may transfer funds 
     appropriated to carry out this title to the Foundation. 
     Amounts received by the Foundation under this subsection may 
     be used for matching, in whole or in part, contributions 
     (whether in money, services, or property) made to the 
     Foundation by private persons, State or local government 
     agencies, or covered Native entities.

     ``SEC. 212. VESSEL GROUNDING INVENTORY.

       ``The Administrator, in coordination with the Commandant of 
     the Coast Guard, the Administrator of the Maritime 
     Administration, and the heads of other Federal and State 
     agencies as appropriate, shall establish and maintain an 
     inventory of all vessel grounding incidents involving United 
     States coral reefs, including a description of--
       ``(1) the location of each such incident;
       ``(2) vessel and ownership information relating to each 
     such incident, if available;
       ``(3) the impacts of each such incident to coral reefs, 
     coral reef ecosystems, and related natural resources;
       ``(4) the estimated cost of removal of the vessel, 
     remediation, or restoration arising from each such incident;
       ``(5) any response actions taken by the owner of the 
     vessel, the Administrator, the Commandant, or representatives 
     of other Federal or State agencies;
       ``(6) the status of such response actions, including--
       ``(A) when the grounded vessel was removed, the costs of 
     removal, and the how the removal was resourced;
       ``(B) a narrative and timeline of remediation or 
     restoration activities undertaken by a Federal agency or 
     agencies;
       ``(C) any emergency or disaster assistance provided under 
     section 210 or 211;
       ``(D) any actions taken to prevent future grounding 
     incidents; and
       ``(7) recommendations for additional navigational aids or 
     other mechanisms for preventing future grounding incidents.

     ``SEC. 213. RUTH D. GATES CORAL REEF CONSERVATION GRANT 
                   PROGRAM.

       ``(a) In General.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, the Administrator shall establish a program 
     (to be known as the `Ruth D. Gates Coral Reef Conservation 
     Grant Program') to provide grants for projects for the 
     conservation and restoration of coral reef ecosystems (in 
     this section referred to as `coral reef projects') pursuant 
     to proposals approved by the Administrator in accordance with 
     this section.
       ``(b) Matching Requirements for Grants.--
       ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (3), 
     Federal funds for any coral reef project for which a grant is 
     provided under subsection (a) may not exceed 50 percent of 
     the total cost of the project.
       ``(2) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of the cost 
     of a coral reef project may be provided by in-kind 
     contributions and other noncash support.
       ``(3) Waiver.--The Administrator may waive all or part of 
     the matching requirement under paragraph (1) if the 
     Administrator determines that no reasonable means are 
     available through which an applicant can meet the matching 
     requirement with respect to a coral reef project and the 
     probable benefit of the project outweighs the public interest 
     in the matching requirement.
       ``(c) Eligibility.--
       ``(1) In general.--An entity described in paragraph (2) may 
     submit to the Administrator a proposal for a coral reef 
     project.
       ``(2) Entities described.--An entity described in this 
     paragraph is--
       ``(A) a covered reef manager or a covered Native entity--
       ``(i) with responsibility for coral reef management; or
       ``(ii) the activities of which directly or indirectly 
     affect coral reefs or coral reef ecosystems;
       ``(B) a regional fishery management council established 
     under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
     Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.);
       ``(C) a coral reef stewardship partnership seeking to 
     implement a coral reef action plan in effect under section 
     205;
       ``(D) a coral reef research center designated under section 
     214(b); or
       ``(E) another nongovernmental organization or research 
     institution with demonstrated expertise in the conservation 
     or restoration of coral reefs in practice or through 
     significant contributions to the body of existing scientific 
     research on coral reefs.
       ``(d) Project Proposals.--Each proposal for a grant under 
     this section for a coral reef project shall include the 
     following:
       ``(1) The name of the individual or entity responsible for 
     conducting the project.
       ``(2) A description of the qualifications of the individual 
     or entity.
       ``(3) A succinct statement of the purposes of the project.
       ``(4) An estimate of the funds and time required to 
     complete the project.
       ``(5) Evidence of support for the project by appropriate 
     representatives of States or other government jurisdictions 
     in which the project will be conducted.
       ``(6) Information regarding the source and amount of 
     matching funding available to the applicant.
       ``(7) A description of how the project meets one or more of 
     the criteria under subsection (f)(2).
       ``(8) In the case of a proposal submitted by a coral reef 
     stewardship partnership, a description of how the project 
     aligns with the applicable coral reef action plan in effect 
     under section 205.

[[Page S6590]]

       ``(9) Any other information the Administrator considers to 
     be necessary for evaluating the eligibility of the project 
     for a grant under this subsection.
       ``(e) Project Review and Approval.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall review each 
     coral reef project proposal submitted under this section to 
     determine if the project meets the criteria set forth in 
     subsection (f).
       ``(2) Prioritization of conservation projects.--The 
     Administrator shall prioritize the awarding of funding for 
     projects that meet the criteria for approval under 
     subparagraphs (A) through (G) of subsection (f)(2) that are 
     proposed to be conducted within priority areas identified for 
     coral reef conservation by the Administrator under the 
     national coral reef resilience strategy in effect under 
     section 204.
       ``(3) Prioritization of restoration projects.--The 
     Administrator shall prioritize the awarding of funding for 
     projects that meet the criteria for approval under 
     subparagraphs (E) through (L) of subsection (f)(2) that are 
     proposed to be conducted within priority areas identified for 
     coral reef restoration by the Administrator under the 
     national coral reef resilience strategy in effect under 
     section 204.
       ``(4) Review; approval or disapproval.--Not later than 180 
     days after receiving a proposal for a coral reef project 
     under this section, the Administrator shall--
       ``(A) request and consider written comments on the proposal 
     from each Federal agency, State government, covered Native 
     entity, or other government jurisdiction, including the 
     relevant regional fishery management councils established 
     under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
     Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), or any National 
     Marine Sanctuary or Marine National Monument, with 
     jurisdiction or management authority over coral reef 
     ecosystems in the area where the project is to be conducted, 
     including the extent to which the project is consistent with 
     locally established priorities, unless such entities were 
     directly involved in the development of the project proposal;
       ``(B) provide for the merit-based peer review of the 
     proposal and require standardized documentation of that peer 
     review;
       ``(C) after considering any written comments and 
     recommendations based on the reviews under subparagraphs (A) 
     and (B), approve or disapprove the proposal; and
       ``(D) provide written notification of that approval or 
     disapproval, with summaries of all written comments, 
     recommendations, and peer reviews, to the entity that 
     submitted the proposal, and each of those States, covered 
     Native entity, and other government jurisdictions that 
     provided comments under subparagraph (A).
       ``(f) Criteria for Approval.--The Administrator may not 
     approve a proposal for a coral reef project under this 
     section unless the project--
       ``(1) is consistent with--
       ``(A) the national coral reef resilience strategy in effect 
     under section 204; and
       ``(B) any Federal or non-Federal coral reef action plans in 
     effect under section 205 covering a coral reef or 
     ecologically significant unit of a coral reef to be affected 
     by the project; and
       ``(2) will enhance the conservation and restoration of 
     coral reefs by--
       ``(A) addressing conflicts arising from the use of 
     environments near coral reefs or from the use of corals, 
     species associated with coral reefs, and coral products, 
     including supporting consensus-driven, community-based 
     planning and management initiatives for the protection of 
     coral reef ecosystems;
       ``(B) improving compliance with laws that prohibit or 
     regulate the taking of coral products or species associated 
     with coral reefs or regulate the use and management of coral 
     reef ecosystems;
       ``(C) designing and implementing networks of real-time 
     water quality monitoring along coral reefs, including data 
     collection related to turbidity, nutrient availability, 
     harmful algal blooms, and plankton assemblages, with an 
     emphasis on coral reefs impacted by agriculture and urban 
     development;
       ``(D) promoting ecologically sound navigation and 
     anchorages, including mooring buoy systems to promote 
     enhanced recreational access, near coral reefs;
       ``(E) furthering the goals and objectives of coral reef 
     action plans in effect under section 205;
       ``(F) mapping the location and distribution of coral reefs 
     and potential coral reef habitat;
       ``(G) stimulating innovation to advance the ability of the 
     United States to understand, research, or monitor coral reef 
     ecosystems, or to develop management or adaptation options to 
     conserve and restore coral reef ecosystems;
       ``(H) implementing research to ensure the population 
     viability of listed coral species in United States waters as 
     detailed in the population-based recovery criteria included 
     in species-specific recovery plans consistent with the 
     Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.);
       ``(I) developing and implementing cost-effective methods to 
     restore degraded coral reef ecosystems or to create 
     geographically appropriate coral reef ecosystems in suitable 
     waters, including by improving habitat or promoting success 
     of keystone species, with an emphasis on novel restoration 
     strategies and techniques to advance coral reef recovery and 
     growth near population centers threatened by rising sea 
     levels and storm surge;
       ``(J) translating and applying coral genetics research to 
     coral reef ecosystem restoration, including research related 
     to traits that promote resilience to increasing ocean 
     temperatures, ocean acidification, coral bleaching, coral 
     diseases, and invasive species;
       ``(K) developing and maintaining in situ native coral 
     propagation sites; or
       ``(L) developing and maintaining ex situ coral propagation 
     nurseries and land-based coral gene banks to--
       ``(i) conserve or augment genetic diversity of native coral 
     populations;
       ``(ii) support captive breeding of rare coral species; or
       ``(iii) enhance resilience of native coral populations to 
     increasing ocean temperatures, ocean acidification, coral 
     bleaching, and coral diseases through selective breeding, 
     conditioning, or other approaches that target genes, gene 
     expression, phenotypic traits, or phenotypic plasticity.
       ``(g) Funding Requirements.--To the extent practicable 
     based upon proposals for coral reef projects submitted to the 
     Administrator, the Administrator shall ensure that funding 
     for grants awarded under this section during a fiscal year is 
     distributed as follows:
       ``(1) Not less than 40 percent of funds available shall be 
     awarded for projects in the Pacific Ocean within the maritime 
     areas and zones subject to the jurisdiction or control of the 
     United States.
       ``(2) Not less than 40 percent of the funds available shall 
     be awarded for projects in the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of 
     Mexico, or the Caribbean Sea within the maritime areas and 
     zones subject to the jurisdiction or control of the United 
     States.
       ``(3) Not more than 67 percent of funds distributed in each 
     region in accordance with paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be 
     made exclusively available to projects that are--
       ``(A) submitted by a coral reef stewardship partnership; 
     and
       ``(B) consistent with the coral reef action plan in effect 
     under section 205 by such a partnership.
       ``(4) Of the funds distributed to support projects in 
     accordance with paragraph (3), not less than 20 percent and 
     not more than 33 percent shall be awarded for projects 
     submitted by a Federal coral reef stewardship partnership.
       ``(h) Task Force.--The Administrator may consult with the 
     Secretary of the Interior and the Task Force to obtain 
     guidance in establishing priorities and evaluating proposals 
     for coral reef projects under this section.

     ``SEC. 214. NON-FEDERAL CORAL REEF RESEARCH.

       ``(a) Reef Research Coordination Institutes.--
       ``(1) Establishment.--The Administrator shall designate 2 
     reef research coordination institutes for the purpose of 
     advancing and sustaining essential capabilities in coral reef 
     research, one each in the Atlantic and Pacific basins, to be 
     known as the `Atlantic Reef Research Coordination Institute' 
     and the `Pacific Reef Research Coordination Institute', 
     respectively.
       ``(2) Membership.--Each institute designated under 
     paragraph (1) shall be housed within a single coral reef 
     research center designated by the Administrator under 
     subsection (b) and may enter into contracts with other coral 
     reef research centers designated under subsection (b) within 
     the same basin to support the institute's capacity and reach.
       ``(3) Functions.--The institutes designated under paragraph 
     (1) shall--
       ``(A) conduct federally directed research to fill national 
     and regional coral reef ecosystem research gaps and improve 
     understanding of, and responses to, continuing and emerging 
     threats to the resilience of United States coral reef 
     ecosystems consistent with the national coral reef resilience 
     strategy in effect under section 204;
       ``(B) support ecological research and monitoring to study 
     the effects of conservation and restoration activities funded 
     by this title on promoting more effective coral reef 
     management and restoration; and
       ``(C) through agreements--
       ``(i) collaborate directly with governmental resource 
     management agencies, coral reef stewardship partnerships, 
     nonprofit organizations, and other coral reef research 
     centers designated under subsection (b);
       ``(ii) assist in the development and implementation of--

       ``(I) the national coral reef resilience strategy under 
     section 204; and
       ``(II) coral reef action plans under section 205;

       ``(iii) build capacity within non-Federal governmental 
     resource management agencies to establish research priorities 
     and translate and apply research findings to management and 
     restoration practices; and
       ``(iv) conduct public education and awareness programs for 
     policymakers, resource managers, and the general public on--

       ``(I) coral reefs and coral reef ecosystems;
       ``(II) best practices for coral reef ecosystem management 
     and restoration;
       ``(III) the value of coral reefs; and
       ``(IV) the threats to the sustainability of coral reef 
     ecosystems.

       ``(b) Coral Reef Research Centers.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall--

[[Page S6591]]

       ``(A) periodically solicit applications for designation of 
     qualifying institutions in covered States as coral reef 
     research centers; and
       ``(B) designate all qualifying institutions in covered 
     States as coral reef research centers.
       ``(2) Qualifying institutions.--For purposes of paragraph 
     (1), an institution is a qualifying institution if the 
     Administrator determines that the institution--
       ``(A) is operated by an institution of higher education or 
     nonprofit marine research organization;
       ``(B) has established management-driven national or 
     regional coral reef research or restoration programs;
       ``(C) has demonstrated abilities to coordinate closely with 
     appropriate Federal and State agencies, as well as other 
     academic and nonprofit organizations; and
       ``(D) maintains significant local community engagement and 
     outreach programs related to coral reef ecosystems.

     ``SEC. 215. REPORTS ON ADMINISTRATION.

       ``Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of 
     the Restoring Resilient Reefs Act of 2022, and every 2 years 
     thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate 
     congressional committees, the Committee on Appropriations of 
     the Senate, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House 
     of Representatives a report on the administration of this 
     title during the 2-year period preceding submission of the 
     report, including--
       ``(1) a description of all activities undertaken to 
     implement the most recent national coral reef resilience 
     strategy under section 204;
       ``(2) a statement of all funds obligated under the 
     authorities of this title; and
       ``(3) a summary, disaggregated by State, of Federal and 
     non-Federal contributions toward the costs of each project or 
     activity funded, in full or in part, under the authorities of 
     this title.

     ``SEC. 216. CORAL REEF PRIZE COMPETITIONS.

       ``(a) In General.--The head of any Federal agency with a 
     representative serving on the United States Coral Reef Task 
     Force established by Executive Order 13089 (16 U.S.C. 6401 
     note; relating to coral reef protection), may, individually 
     or in cooperation with one or more agencies, carry out a 
     program to award prizes competitively under section 24 of the 
     Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 
     3719).
       ``(b) Purposes.--Any program carried out under this section 
     shall be for the purpose of stimulating innovation to advance 
     the ability of the United States to understand, research, or 
     monitor coral reef ecosystems, or to develop management or 
     adaptation options to preserve, sustain, and restore coral 
     reef ecosystems.
       ``(c) Priority Programs.--Priority shall be given to 
     establishing programs under this section that address 
     communities, environments, or industries that are in distress 
     as a result of the decline or degradation of coral reef 
     ecosystems, including--
       ``(1) scientific research and monitoring that furthers the 
     understanding of causes behind coral reef decline and 
     degradation and the generally slow recovery following 
     disturbances, including ocean acidification, temperature-
     related bleaching, disease, and their associated impacts on 
     coral physiology;
       ``(2) the development of monitoring or management options 
     for communities or industries that are experiencing 
     significant financial hardship;
       ``(3) the development of adaptation options to alleviate 
     economic harm and job loss caused by damage to coral reef 
     ecosystems;
       ``(4) the development of measures to help vulnerable 
     communities or industries, with an emphasis on rural 
     communities and businesses; and
       ``(5) the development of adaptation and management options 
     for impacted tourism industries.'';
       (3) in section 217, as redesignated by paragraph (1)--
       (A) in subsection (c), by striking ``section 204'' and 
     inserting ``section 213'';
       (B) in subsection (d), by striking ``under section 207'' 
     and inserting ``authorized under this title''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(e) Block Grants.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
     to the Administrator $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
     2023 through 2027 to carry out section 207.
       ``(f) Cooperative Agreements.--There is authorized to be 
     appropriated to the Administrator $10,000,000 for each of 
     fiscal years 2023 through 2027 to carry out section 208.
       ``(g) Non-Federal Coral Reef Research.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Administrator $4,500,000 for each 
     of fiscal years 2023 through 2027 for agreements with the 
     reef research coordination institutes designated under 
     section 214.''; and
       (4) by amending section 218, as redesignated by paragraph 
     (1), to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 218. DEFINITIONS.

       ``In this title:
       ``(1) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' means the 
     Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration.
       ``(2) Alaska native corporation.--The term `Alaska Native 
     Corporation' has the meaning given the term `Native 
     Corporation' in section 3 of the Alaska Native Claims 
     Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602).
       ``(3) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     `appropriate congressional committees' means the Committee on 
     Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the 
     Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
     Representatives.
       ``(4) Conservation.--The term `conservation' means the use 
     of methods and procedures necessary to preserve or sustain 
     native corals and associated species as diverse, viable, and 
     self-perpetuating coral reef ecosystems with minimal impacts 
     from invasive species, including--
       ``(A) all activities associated with resource management, 
     such as monitoring, assessment, protection, restoration, 
     sustainable use, management of habitat, and maintenance or 
     augmentation of genetic diversity;
       ``(B) mapping;
       ``(C) scientific expertise and technical assistance in the 
     development and implementation of management strategies for 
     marine protected areas and marine resources consistent with 
     the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.) 
     and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
     Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.);
       ``(D) law enforcement;
       ``(E) conflict resolution initiatives;
       ``(F) community outreach and education; and
       ``(G) promotion of safe and ecologically sound navigation 
     and anchoring.
       ``(5) Coral.--The term `coral' means species of the phylum 
     Cnidaria, including--
       ``(A) all species of the orders Antipatharia (black 
     corals), Scleractinia (stony corals), Alcyonacea (soft 
     corals, organ pipe corals, gorgonians), and Helioporacea 
     (blue coral), of the class Anthozoa; and
       ``(B) all species of the order Anthoathecata (fire corals 
     and other hydrocorals) of the class Hydrozoa.
       ``(6) Coral products.--The term `coral products' means any 
     living or dead specimens, parts, or derivatives, or any 
     product containing specimens, parts, or derivatives, of any 
     species referred to in paragraph (5).
       ``(7) Coral reef.--The term `coral reef' means calcium 
     carbonate structures in the form of a reef or shoal, composed 
     in whole or in part by living coral, skeletal remains of 
     coral, crustose coralline algae, and other associated sessile 
     marine plants and animals.
       ``(8) Coral reef ecosystem.--The term `coral reef 
     ecosystem' means--
       ``(A) corals and other geographically and ecologically 
     associated marine communities of other reef organisms 
     (including reef plants and animals) associated with coral 
     reef habitat; and
       ``(B) the biotic and abiotic factors and processes that 
     control or affect coral calcification rates, tissue growth, 
     reproduction, recruitment, abundance, coral-algal symbiosis, 
     and biodiversity in such habitat.
       ``(9) Covered native entity.--The term `covered Native 
     entity' means a Native entity of a covered State with 
     interests in a coral reef ecosystem.
       ``(10) Covered reef manager.--The term `covered reef 
     manager' means--
       ``(A) a management unit of a covered State with 
     jurisdiction over a coral reef ecosystem;
       ``(B) a covered State; or
       ``(C) a coral reef stewardship partnership under section 
     206(d).
       ``(11) Covered state.--The term `covered State' means 
     Florida, Hawaii, and the territories of American Samoa, the 
     Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto 
     Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands.
       ``(12) Federal reef manager.--
       ``(A) In general.--The term `Federal reef manager' means--
       ``(i) a management unit of a Federal agency specified in 
     subparagraph (B) with lead management jurisdiction over a 
     coral reef ecosystem; or
       ``(ii) a coral reef stewardship partnership under section 
     206(c).
       ``(B) Federal agencies specified.--A Federal agency 
     specified in this subparagraph is one of the following:
       ``(i) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
       ``(ii) The National Park Service.
       ``(iii) The United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
       ``(iv) The Office of Insular Affairs.
       ``(C) Agency jurisdiction.--Nothing in this Act shall be 
     construed to expand the management authority of a Federal 
     agency specified in subparagraph (B) or a coral reef 
     stewardship partnership under section 206(c) to coral reefs 
     or coral reef ecosystems outside the boundaries of the 
     jurisdiction of the agency or partnership.
       ``(13) Institution of higher education.--The term 
     `institution of higher education' has the meaning given that 
     term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
     U.S.C. 1001).
       ``(14) Interested stakeholder groups.--The term `interested 
     stakeholder groups' includes community members such as 
     businesses, commercial and recreational fishermen, other 
     recreationalists, covered Native entities, Federal, State, 
     and local government units with related jurisdiction, 
     institutions of higher education, and nongovernmental 
     organizations.
       ``(15) Native entity.--The term `Native entity' means any 
     of the following:
       ``(A) An Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the 
     Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 
     U.S.C. 5304)).
       ``(B) An Alaska Native Corporation.
       ``(C) The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.
       ``(D) The Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
       ``(E) A Native Hawaiian organization (as defined in section 
     6207 of the Elementary and

[[Page S6592]]

     Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7517)).
       ``(16) Nonprofit organization.--The term `nonprofit 
     organization' means any corporation, trust, association, 
     cooperative, or other organization, not including an 
     institutions of higher education, that--
       ``(A) is operated primarily for scientific, educational, 
     service, charitable, or similar purposes in the public 
     interest;
       ``(B) is not organized primarily for profit; and
       ``(C) uses net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand the 
     operations of the organization.
       ``(17) Restoration.--The term `restoration' means the use 
     of methods and procedures necessary to enhance, rehabilitate, 
     recreate, or create a functioning coral reef or coral reef 
     ecosystem, in whole or in part, within suitable waters of the 
     historical geographic range of such ecosystems, to provide 
     ecological, economic, cultural, or coastal resiliency 
     services associated with healthy coral reefs and benefit 
     native populations of coral reef organisms.
       ``(18) Resilience.--The term `resilience' means the 
     capacity for corals within their native range, coral reefs, 
     or coral reef ecosystems to resist and recover from natural 
     and human disturbances, and maintain structure and function 
     to provide ecosystem services, as determined by clearly 
     identifiable, measurable, and science-based standards.
       ``(19) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary 
     of Commerce.
       ``(20) State.--The term `State' means--
       ``(A) any State of the United States that contains a coral 
     reef ecosystem within its seaward boundaries;
       ``(B) American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern 
     Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the United States 
     Virgin Islands; or
       ``(C) any other territory or possession of the United 
     States or separate sovereign in free association with the 
     United States that contains a coral reef ecosystem within its 
     seaward boundaries.
       ``(21) Stewardship.--The term `stewardship', with respect 
     to a coral reef, includes conservation, restoration, and 
     public outreach and education.
       ``(22) Task force.--The term `Task Force' means the United 
     States Coral Reef Task Force established under section 201 of 
     the Restoring Resilient Reefs Act of 2022.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment to National Oceans and Coastal 
     Security Act.--Section 905(a) of the National Oceans and 
     Coastal Security Act (16 U.S.C. 7504(a)) is amended by 
     striking ``and coastal infrastructure'' and inserting ``, 
     coastal infrastructure, and ecosystem services provided by 
     natural systems such as coral reefs''.

            Subtitle B--United States Coral Reef Task Force

     SEC. 5121. ESTABLISHMENT.

       There is established a task force to lead, coordinate, and 
     strengthen Federal Government actions to better preserve, 
     conserve, and restore coral reef ecosystems, to be known as 
     the ``United States Coral Reef Task Force'' (in this subtitle 
     referred to as the ``Task Force'').

     SEC. 5122. DUTIES.

       The duties of the Task Force shall be--
       (1) to coordinate, in cooperation with covered States, 
     covered Native entities, Federal reef managers, covered reef 
     managers, coral reef research centers designated under 
     section 214(b) of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (as 
     amended by section 5111), and other nongovernmental and 
     academic partners as appropriate, activities regarding the 
     mapping, monitoring, research, conservation, mitigation, and 
     restoration of coral reefs and coral reef ecosystems;
       (2) to monitor and advise regarding implementation of the 
     policy and Federal agency responsibilities set forth in--
       (A) Executive Order 13089 (63 Fed. Reg. 32701; relating to 
     coral reef protection); and
       (B) the national coral reef resilience strategy developed 
     under section 204 of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, 
     as amended by section 5111;
       (3) to work, in coordination with the other members of the 
     Task Force--
       (A) to assess the United States role in international trade 
     and protection of coral species;
       (B) to encourage implementation of appropriate strategies 
     and actions to promote conservation and sustainable use of 
     coral reef resources worldwide; and
       (C) to collaborate with international communities 
     successful in managing coral reefs;
       (4) to provide technical assistance for the development and 
     implementation, as appropriate, of--
       (A) the national coral reef resilience strategy under 
     section 204 of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, as 
     amended by section 5111; and
       (B) coral reef action plans under section 205 of that Act; 
     and
       (5) to produce a report each year, for submission to the 
     appropriate congressional committees and publication on a 
     publicly available internet website of the Task Force, 
     highlighting the status of the coral reef equities of a 
     covered State on a rotating basis, including--
       (A) a summary of recent coral reef management and 
     restoration activities undertaken in that State; and
       (B) updated estimates of the direct and indirect economic 
     activity supported by, and other benefits associated with, 
     those coral reef equities.

     SEC. 5123. MEMBERSHIP.

       (a) Voting Membership.--The voting members of the Task 
     Force shall be--
       (1) the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
     Atmosphere and the Secretary of Interior, who shall be co-
     chairpersons of the Task Force;
       (2) such representatives from other Federal agencies as the 
     President, in consultation with the Under Secretary, 
     determines appropriate; and
       (3) the Governor, or a representative of the Governor, of 
     each covered State.
       (b) Nonvoting Members.--The Task Force shall have the 
     following nonvoting members:
       (1) A member of the South Atlantic Fishery Management 
     Council who is designated by the Governor of Florida under 
     section 302(b)(1) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
     Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1852(b)(1)).
       (2) A member of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 
     Council who is designated by the Governor of Florida under 
     such section.
       (3) A member of the Western Pacific Fishery Management 
     Council who is designated under such section and selected as 
     follows:
       (A) For the period beginning on the date of the enactment 
     of this Act and ending on December 31 of the calendar year 
     during which such date of enactment occurs, the member shall 
     be selected jointly by the governors of Hawaii, American 
     Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
     Islands.
       (B) For each calendar year thereafter, the governors of 
     Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the 
     Northern Mariana Islands shall, on a rotating basis, take 
     turns selecting the member.
       (4) A member of the Caribbean Fishery Management Council 
     who is designated under such section and selected as follows:
       (A) For the period beginning on the date of the enactment 
     of this Act and ending on December 31 of the calendar year 
     during which such date of enactment occurs, the member shall 
     be selected jointly by the governors of Puerto Rico and the 
     United States Virgin Islands.
       (B) For each calendar year thereafter, the governors of 
     Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands shall, on an 
     alternating basis, take turns selecting the member.
       (5) A member appointed by the President of the Federated 
     States of Micronesia.
       (6) A member appointed by the President of the Republic of 
     the Marshall Islands.
       (7) A member appointed by the President of the Republic of 
     Palau.

     SEC. 5124. RESPONSIBILITIES OF FEDERAL AGENCY MEMBERS.

       (a) In General.--A member of the Task Force described in 
     section 5123(a) shall--
       (1) identify the actions of the agency that member 
     represents that may affect coral reef ecosystems;
       (2) utilize the programs and authorities of that agency to 
     protect and enhance the conditions of such ecosystems, 
     including through the promotion of basic and applied 
     scientific research;
       (3) collaborate with the Task Force to appropriately 
     reflect budgetary needs for coral reef conservation and 
     restoration activities in all agency budget planning and 
     justification documents and processes; and
       (4) engage in any other coordinated efforts approved by the 
     Task Force.
       (b) Co-chairpersons.--In addition to their responsibilities 
     under subsection (a), the co-chairpersons of the Task Force 
     shall administer performance of the functions of the Task 
     Force and facilitate the coordination of the members of the 
     Task Force described in section 5123(a).

     SEC. 5125. WORKING GROUPS.

       (a) In General.--The co-chairpersons of the Task Force may 
     establish working groups as necessary to meet the goals and 
     carry out the duties of the Task Force.
       (b) Requests From Members.--The members of the Task Force 
     may request that the co-chairpersons establish a working 
     group under subsection (a).
       (c) Participation by Nongovernmental Organizations.--The 
     co-chairpersons may allow nongovernmental organizations as 
     appropriate, including academic institutions, conservation 
     groups, and commercial and recreational fishing associations, 
     to participate in a working group established under 
     subsection (a).
       (d) Nonapplicability of Federal Advisory Committee Act.--
     The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not 
     apply to working groups established under this section.

     SEC. 5126. DEFINITIONS.

       In this subtitle:
       (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
     of the Senate; and
       (B) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (2) Conservation, coral, coral reef, etc.--The terms 
     ``conservation'', ``coral'', ``coral reef'', ``coral reef 
     ecosystem'', ``covered Native entity'', ``covered reef 
     manager'', ``covered State'', ``Federal reef manager'', 
     ``Native entity'', ``restoration'', ``resilience'', and 
     ``State'' have the meanings given those terms in section 218 
     of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, as amended by 
     section 5111.

[[Page S6593]]

  


     Subtitle C--Department of the Interior Coral Reef Authorities

     SEC. 5131. CORAL REEF CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION 
                   ASSISTANCE.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior may provide 
     scientific expertise and technical assistance, and subject to 
     the availability of appropriations, financial assistance for 
     the conservation and restoration of coral reefs consistent 
     with all applicable laws governing resource management in 
     Federal, State, and Tribal waters, including--
       (1) the national coral reef resilience strategy in effect 
     under section 204 of the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, 
     as amended by section 5111; and
       (2) coral reef action plans in effect under section 205 of 
     that Act, as applicable.
       (b) Coral Reef Initiative.--The Secretary may establish a 
     Coral Reef Initiative Program--
       (1) to provide grant funding to support local management, 
     conservation, and protection of coral reef ecosystems in--
       (A) coastal areas of covered States; and
       (B) Freely Associated States;
       (2) to enhance resource availability of National Park 
     Service and National Wildlife Refuge System management units 
     to implement coral reef conservation and restoration 
     activities;
       (3) to complement the other conservation and assistance 
     activities conducted under this Act or the Coral Reef 
     Conservation Act of 2000, as amended by section 5111; and
       (4) to provide other technical, scientific, and financial 
     assistance and conduct conservation and restoration 
     activities that advance the purposes of this title and the 
     Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, as amended by section 
     5111.
       (c) Consultation With the Department of Commerce.--
       (1) Coral reef conservation and restoration activities.--
     The Secretary of the Interior may consult with the Secretary 
     of Commerce regarding the conduct of any activities to 
     conserve and restore coral reefs and coral reef ecosystems in 
     waters managed under the jurisdiction of the Federal agencies 
     specified in paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 203(c) of the 
     Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, as amended by section 
     5111.
       (2) Award of coral reef management fellowship.--The 
     Secretary of the Interior shall consult with the Secretary of 
     Commerce to award the Susan L. Williams Coral Reef Management 
     Fellowship under subtitle D.
       (d) Cooperative Agreements.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations, the Secretary of the Interior may enter into 
     cooperative agreements with covered reef managers to fund 
     coral reef conservation and restoration activities in waters 
     managed under the jurisdiction of such managers that--
       (1) are consistent with the national coral reef resilience 
     strategy in effect under section 204 of the Coral Reef 
     Conservation Act of 2000, as amended by section 5111; and
       (2) support and enhance the success of coral reef action 
     plans in effect under section 205 of that Act.
       (e) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Conservation, coral, coral reef, etc.--The terms 
     ``conservation'', ``coral reef'', ``covered reef manager'', 
     ``covered State'', ``restoration'', and ``State'' have the 
     meanings given those terms in section 218 of the Coral Reef 
     Conservation Act of 2000, as amended by section 5111.
       (2) Tribe; tribal.--The terms ``Tribe'' and ``Tribal'' 
     refer to Indian Tribes (as defined in section 102 of the 
     Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 
     5130)).

Subtitle D--Susan L. Williams National Coral Reef Management Fellowship

     SEC. 5141. SHORT TITLE.

       This subtitle may be cited as the ``Susan L. Williams 
     National Coral Reef Management Fellowship Act of 2022''.

     SEC. 5142. DEFINITIONS.

       In this subtitle:
       (1) Alaska native corporation.--The term ``Alaska Native 
     Corporation'' has the meaning given the term ``Native 
     Corporation'' in section 3 of the Alaska Native Claims 
     Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602).
       (2) Fellow.--The term ``fellow'' means a National Coral 
     Reef Management Fellow.
       (3) Fellowship.--The term ``fellowship'' means the National 
     Coral Reef Management Fellowship established in section 5143.
       (4) Covered native entity.--The term ``covered Native 
     entity'' means a Native entity of a covered State with 
     interests in a coral reef ecosystem.
       (5) Covered state.--The term ``covered State'' means 
     Florida, Hawaii, and the territories of American Samoa, the 
     Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto 
     Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands.
       (6) Native entity.--The term ``Native entity'' means any of 
     the following:
       (A) An Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian 
     Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
     5304)).
       (B) An Alaska Native Corporation.
       (C) The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.
       (D) The Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
       (E) A Native Hawaiian organization (as defined in section 
     6207 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
     (20 U.S.C. 7517)).
       (7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Commerce.

     SEC. 5143. ESTABLISHMENT OF FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--There is established a National Coral Reef 
     Management Fellowship Program.
       (b) Purposes.--The purposes of the fellowship are--
       (1) to encourage future leaders of the United States to 
     develop additional coral reef management capacity in States 
     and local communities with coral reefs;
       (2) to provide management agencies of covered States or 
     covered Native entities with highly qualified candidates 
     whose education and work experience meet the specific needs 
     of each covered State or covered Native entity; and
       (3) to provide fellows with professional experience in 
     management of coastal and coral reef resources.

     SEC. 5144. FELLOWSHIP AWARDS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary, in partnership with the 
     Secretary of the Interior, shall award the fellowship in 
     accordance with this section.
       (b) Term of Fellowship.--A fellowship awarded under this 
     section shall be for a term of not more than 24 months.
       (c) Qualifications.--The Secretary shall award the 
     fellowship to individuals who have demonstrated--
       (1) an intent to pursue a career in marine services and 
     outstanding potential for such a career;
       (2) leadership potential, actual leadership experience, or 
     both;
       (3) a college or graduate degree in biological science, a 
     resource management college or graduate degree with 
     experience that correlates with aptitude and interest for 
     marine management, or both;
       (4) proficient writing and speaking skills; and
       (5) such other attributes as the Secretary considers 
     appropriate.

     SEC. 5145. MATCHING REQUIREMENT.

       (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), the 
     non-Federal share of the costs of a fellowship under this 
     section shall be 25 percent of such costs.
       (b) Waiver of Requirements.--The Secretary may waive the 
     application of subsection (a) if the Secretary finds that 
     such waiver is necessary to support a project that the 
     Secretary has identified as a high priority.

 TITLE LII--BOLSTERING LONG-TERM UNDERSTANDING AND EXPLORATION OF THE 
                GREAT LAKES, OCEANS, BAYS, AND ESTUARIES

     SEC. 5201. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Bolstering Long-term 
     Understanding and Exploration of the Great Lakes, Oceans, 
     Bays, and Estuaries Act'' or the ``BLUE GLOBE Act''.

     SEC. 5202. PURPOSE.

       The purpose of this title is to promote and support--
       (1) the monitoring, understanding, and exploration of the 
     Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts; and
       (2) the collection, analysis, synthesis, and sharing of 
     data related to the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and 
     coasts to facilitate science and operational decision making.

     SEC. 5203. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of Congress that Federal agencies should 
     optimize data collection, management, and dissemination, to 
     the extent practicable, to maximize their impact for 
     research, conservation, commercial, regulatory, national 
     security, and educational benefits and to foster innovation, 
     scientific discoveries, the development of commercial 
     products, and the development of sound policy with respect to 
     the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts.

     SEC. 5204. DEFINITIONS.

       In this title:
       (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
     Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere in the 
     Under Secretary's capacity as Administrator of the National 
     Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
       (2) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
     meaning given that term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
     Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).

     SEC. 5205. WORKFORCE STUDY.

       (a) In General.--Section 303(a) of the America COMPETES 
     Reauthorization Act of 2010 (33 U.S.C. 893c(a)) is amended--
       (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
     ``Secretary of Commerce'' and inserting ``Under Secretary of 
     Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere'';
       (2) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``, skillsets, or 
     credentials'' after ``degrees'';
       (3) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``or highly qualified 
     technical professionals and tradespeople'' after 
     ``atmospheric scientists'';
       (4) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``, skillsets, or 
     credentials'' after ``degrees'';
       (5) in paragraph (5)--
       (A) by striking ``scientist''; and
       (B) by striking ``; and'' and inserting ``, observations, 
     and monitoring;''
       (6) in paragraph (6), by striking ``into Federal'' and all 
     that follows and inserting ``, technical professionals, and 
     tradespeople into Federal career positions;''
       (7) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (6) as 
     paragraphs (3) through (7), respectively;
       (8) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
       ``(2) whether there is a shortage in the number of 
     individuals with technical or

[[Page S6594]]

     trade-based skillsets or credentials suited to a career in 
     oceanic and atmospheric data collection, processing, 
     satellite production, or satellite operations;''; and
       (9) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(8) workforce diversity and actions the Federal 
     Government can take to increase diversity in the scientific 
     workforce; and
       ``(9) actions the Federal Government can take to shorten 
     the hiring backlog for such workforce.''.
       (b) Coordination.--Section 303(b) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 
     893c(b)) is amended by striking ``Secretary of Commerce'' and 
     inserting ``Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
     Atmosphere''.
       (c) Report.--Section 303(c) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 893c(c)) 
     is amended--
       (1) by striking ``the date of enactment of this Act'' and 
     inserting ``the date of the enactment of the Bolstering Long-
     term Understanding and Exploration of the Great Lakes, 
     Oceans, Bays, and Estuaries Act'';
       (2) by striking ``Secretary of Commerce'' and inserting 
     ``Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere''; 
     and
       (3) by striking ``to each committee'' and all that follows 
     through ``section 302 of this Act'' and inserting ``to the 
     Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
     Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources and the 
     Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
     Representatives''.
       (d) Program and Plan.--Section 303(d) of such Act (33 
     U.S.C. 893c(d)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration'' and inserting ``Under Secretary 
     of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere''; and
       (2) by striking ``academic partners'' and all that follows 
     and inserting ``academic partners.''.

     SEC. 5206. ACCELERATING INNOVATION AT COOPERATIVE INSTITUTES.

       (a) Focus on Emerging Technologies.--The Administrator 
     shall consider evaluating the goals of one or more 
     Cooperative Institutes of the National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration to include focusing on advancing 
     or applying emerging technologies, which may include--
       (1) applied uses and development of real-time and other 
     advanced genetic technologies and applications, including 
     such technologies and applications that derive genetic 
     material directly from environmental samples without any 
     obvious signs of biological source material;
       (2) deployment of, and improvements to, the durability, 
     maintenance, and other lifecycle concerns of advanced 
     unmanned vehicles, regional small research vessels, and other 
     research vessels that support and launch unmanned vehicles 
     and sensors; and
       (3) supercomputing and big data management, including data 
     collected through model outputs, electronic monitoring, and 
     remote sensing.
       (b) Coordination With Other Programs.--If appropriate, the 
     Cooperative Institutes shall work with the Interagency Ocean 
     Observation Committee, the regional associations of the 
     Integrated Ocean Observing System, and other ocean observing 
     programs to coordinate technology needs and the transition of 
     new technologies from research to operations.

     SEC. 5207. BLUE ECONOMY VALUATION.

       (a) Measurement of Blue Economy Industries.--The 
     Administrator, in consultation with the heads of other 
     relevant Federal agencies, shall establish a program to 
     improve the collection, aggregation, and analysis of data to 
     measure the value and impact of industries related to the 
     Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts on the 
     economy of the United States, including military uses, living 
     resources, marine construction, marine transportation, 
     offshore energy development and siting including for 
     renewable energy, offshore mineral production, ship and boat 
     building, tourism, recreation, subsistence, commercial, 
     recreational, and charter fishing, seafood processing, and 
     other fishery-related businesses, aquaculture such as kelp 
     and shellfish, and other industries the Administrator 
     considers appropriate (known as ``Blue Economy'' industries).
       (b) Collaboration.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
     Administrator shall--
       (1) work with the Director of the Bureau of Economic 
     Analysis and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies to 
     develop a Coastal and Ocean Economy Satellite Account that 
     includes national, Tribal, and State-level statistics to 
     measure the contribution of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, 
     estuaries, and coasts to the overall economy of the United 
     States; and
       (2) collaborate with national and international 
     organizations and governments to promote consistency of 
     methods, measurements, and definitions to ensure 
     comparability of results between countries.
       (c) Report.--Not less frequently than once every 2 years 
     until the date that is 20 years after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation 
     with the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall 
     publish a report that--
       (1) defines the Blue Economy, in coordination with Indian 
     Tribes, academia, the private sector, nongovernmental 
     organizations, and other relevant experts;
       (2) makes recommendations for updating North American 
     Industry Classification System (NAICS) reporting codes to 
     reflect the Blue Economy; and
       (3) provides a comprehensive estimate of the value and 
     impact of the Blue Economy with respect to each State and 
     territory of the United States, including--
       (A) the value and impact of--
       (i) economic activities that are dependent upon the 
     resources of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and 
     coasts;
       (ii) the population and demographic characteristics of the 
     population along the coasts;
       (iii) port and shoreline infrastructure;
       (iv) the volume and value of cargo shipped by sea or across 
     the Great Lakes;
       (v) data collected from the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, 
     estuaries, and coasts, including such data collected by 
     businesses that purchase and commodify the data, including 
     weather prediction and seasonal agricultural forecasting; and
       (vi) military uses; and
       (B) to the extent possible, the qualified value and impact 
     of the natural capital of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, 
     estuaries, and coasts with respect to tourism, recreation, 
     natural resources, and cultural heritage, including other 
     indirect values.

     SEC. 5208. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.

       No additional funds are to be authorized to carry out this 
     title.

     SEC. 5209. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.

       No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to 
     carry out this title.

                TITLE LIII--REGIONAL OCEAN PARTNERSHIPS

     SEC. 5301. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Regional Ocean Partnership 
     Act''.

     SEC. 5302. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS; PURPOSES.

       (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) The ocean and coastal waters and the Great Lakes of the 
     United States are foundational to the economy, security, 
     global competitiveness, and well-being of the United States 
     and continuously serve the people of the United States and 
     other countries as an important source of food, energy, 
     economic productivity, recreation, beauty, and enjoyment.
       (2) Over many years, the resource productivity and water 
     quality of the ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas of the 
     United States have been diminished by pollution, increasing 
     population demands, economic development, and natural and 
     man-made hazard events, both acute and chronic.
       (3) The ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas of the United 
     States are managed by State and Federal resource agencies and 
     Indian Tribes and regulated on an interstate and regional 
     scale by various overlapping Federal authorities, thereby 
     creating a significant need for interstate coordination to 
     enhance regional priorities, including the ecological and 
     economic health of those areas.
       (4) Indian Tribes have unique expertise and knowledge 
     important for the stewardship of the ocean and coastal waters 
     and the Great Lakes of the United States.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the United States should seek to support interstate 
     coordination of shared regional priorities relating to the 
     management, conservation, resilience, and restoration of 
     ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas to maximize 
     efficiencies through collaborative regional efforts by 
     Regional Ocean Partnerships, in coordination with Federal and 
     State agencies, Indian Tribes, and local authorities;
       (2) such efforts would enhance existing and effective 
     ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes management efforts of States 
     and Indian Tribes based on shared regional priorities; and
       (3) Regional Ocean Partnerships should coordinate with 
     Indian Tribes.
       (c) Purposes.--The purposes of this title are as follows:
       (1) To complement and expand cooperative voluntary efforts 
     intended to manage, conserve, and restore ocean, coastal, and 
     Great Lakes areas spanning across multiple State and Indian 
     Tribe jurisdictions.
       (2) To expand Federal support for monitoring, data 
     management, restoration, research, and conservation 
     activities in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas.
       (3) To commit the United States to a comprehensive 
     cooperative program to achieve improved water quality in, and 
     improvements in the productivity of living resources of, 
     oceans, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems.
       (4) To authorize Regional Ocean Partnerships as 
     intergovernmental coordinators for shared regional priorities 
     among States and Indian Tribes relating to the collaborative 
     management of the large marine ecosystems, thereby reducing 
     duplication of efforts and maximizing opportunities to 
     leverage support in the ocean and coastal regions.
       (5) To empower States to take a lead role in managing 
     oceans, coastal, and Great Lakes areas.
       (6) To incorporate rights of Indian Tribes in the 
     management of oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes resources and 
     provide resources to support Indian Tribe participation in 
     and engagement with Regional Ocean Partnerships.
       (7) To enable Regional Ocean Partnerships, or designated 
     fiscal management entities of such partnerships, to receive 
     Federal funding to conduct the scientific research, 
     conservation and restoration activities, and priority 
     coordination on shared regional priorities necessary to 
     achieve the purposes described in paragraphs (1) through (6).

[[Page S6595]]

  


     SEC. 5303. REGIONAL OCEAN PARTNERSHIPS.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
     Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration.
       (2) Coastal state.--The term ``coastal state'' has the 
     meaning given that term in section 304 of the Coastal Zone 
     Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1453).
       (3) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
     meaning given that term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
     Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
       (4) Regional ocean partnership.--The term ``Regional Ocean 
     Partnership'' means a Regional Ocean Partnership, a Regional 
     Coastal Partnership, or a Regional Great Lakes Partnership.
       (b) Regional Ocean Partnerships.--
       (1) In general.--A coastal state may participate in a 
     Regional Ocean Partnership with one or more--
       (A) coastal states that share a common ocean or coastal 
     area with the coastal state, without regard to whether the 
     coastal states are contiguous; and
       (B) States--
       (i) with which the coastal state shares a common watershed; 
     or
       (ii) that would contribute to the priorities of the 
     partnership.
       (2) Great lakes.--A partnership consisting of one or more 
     coastal states bordering one or more of the Great Lakes may 
     be known as a ``Regional Coastal Partnership'' or a 
     ``Regional Great Lakes Partnership''.
       (3) Application.--The Governor of a coastal state or the 
     Governors of a group of coastal states may apply to the 
     Secretary of Commerce, on behalf of a partnership, for the 
     partnership to receive designation as a Regional Ocean 
     Partnership if the partnership--
       (A) meets the requirements under paragraph (4); and
       (B) submits an application for such designation in such 
     manner, in such form, and containing such information as the 
     Secretary may require.
       (4) Requirements.--A partnership is eligible for 
     designation as a Regional Ocean Partnership by the Secretary 
     under paragraph (3) if the partnership--
       (A) is established to coordinate the management of ocean, 
     coastal, and Great Lakes resources among State governments 
     and Indian Tribes;
       (B) focuses on the environmental issues affecting the 
     ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas of the members 
     participating in the partnership;
       (C) complements existing coastal and ocean management 
     efforts of States and Indian Tribes on an interstate scale, 
     focusing on shared regional priorities;
       (D) does not have a regulatory function; and
       (E) is not duplicative of an existing Regional Ocean 
     Partnership designated under paragraph (5), as determined by 
     the Secretary.
       (5) Designation of certain entities as regional ocean 
     partnerships.--Notwithstanding paragraph (3) or (4), the 
     following entities are designated as Regional Ocean 
     Partnerships:
       (A) The Gulf of Mexico Alliance, comprised of the States of 
     Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.
       (B) The Northeast Regional Ocean Council, comprised of the 
     States of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, 
     Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
       (C) The Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean, 
     comprised of the States of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, 
     Maryland, and Virginia.
       (D) The West Coast Ocean Alliance, comprised of the States 
     of California, Oregon, and Washington and the coastal Indian 
     Tribes therein.
       (c) Governing Bodies of Regional Ocean Partnerships.--
       (1) In general.--A Regional Ocean Partnership designated 
     under subsection (b) shall have a governing body.
       (2) Membership.--A governing body described in paragraph 
     (1)--
       (A) shall be comprised, at a minimum, of voting members 
     from each coastal state participating in the Regional Ocean 
     Partnership, designated by the Governor of the coastal state; 
     and
       (B) may include such other members as the partnership 
     considers appropriate.
       (d) Functions.--A Regional Ocean Partnership designated 
     under subsection (b) may perform the following functions:
       (1) Promote coordination of the actions of the agencies of 
     coastal states participating in the partnership with the 
     actions of the appropriate officials of Federal agencies, 
     State governments, and Indian Tribes in developing 
     strategies--
       (A) to conserve living resources, increase valuable 
     habitats, enhance coastal resilience and ocean management, 
     promote ecological and economic health, and address such 
     other issues related to the shared ocean, coastal, or Great 
     Lakes areas as are determined to be a shared, regional 
     priority by those states; and
       (B) to manage regional data portals and develop associated 
     data products for purposes that support the priorities of the 
     partnership.
       (2) In cooperation with appropriate Federal and State 
     agencies, Indian Tribes, and local authorities, develop and 
     implement specific action plans to carry out coordination 
     goals.
       (3) Coordinate and implement priority plans and projects, 
     and facilitate science, research, modeling, monitoring, data 
     collection, and other activities that support the goals of 
     the partnership through the provision of grants and contracts 
     under subsection (f).
       (4) Engage, coordinate, and collaborate with relevant 
     governmental entities and stakeholders to address ocean and 
     coastal related matters that require interagency or 
     intergovernmental solutions.
       (5) Implement outreach programs for public information, 
     education, and participation to foster stewardship of the 
     resources of the ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas, as 
     relevant.
       (6) Develop and make available, through publications, 
     technical assistance, and other appropriate means, 
     information pertaining to cross-jurisdictional issues being 
     addressed through the coordinated activities of the 
     partnership.
       (7) Serve as a liaison with, and provide information to, 
     international counterparts, as appropriate on priority issues 
     for the partnership.
       (e) Coordination, Consultation, and Engagement.--
       (1) In general.--A Regional Ocean Partnership designated 
     under subsection (b) shall maintain mechanisms for 
     coordination, consultation, and engagement with the 
     following:
       (A) The Federal Government.
       (B) Indian Tribes.
       (C) Nongovernmental entities, including academic 
     organizations, nonprofit organizations, and private sector 
     entities.
       (D) Other federally mandated regional entities, including 
     the Regional Fishery Management Councils, the regional 
     associations of the National Integrated Coastal and Ocean 
     Observation System, and relevant Marine Fisheries 
     Commissions.
       (2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in paragraph (1)(B) may 
     be construed as affecting any requirement to consult with 
     Indian Tribes under Executive Order 13175 (25 U.S.C. 5301 
     note; relating to consultation and coordination with Indian 
     tribal governments) or any other applicable law or policy.
       (f) Grants and Contracts.--
       (1) In general.--A Regional Ocean Partnership designated 
     under subsection (b) may, in coordination with existing 
     Federal and State management programs, from amounts made 
     available to the partnership by the Administrator or the head 
     of another Federal agency, provide grants and enter into 
     contracts for the purposes described in paragraph (2).
       (2) Purposes.--The purposes described in this paragraph 
     include any of the following:
       (A) Monitoring the water quality and living resources of 
     multi-State ocean and coastal ecosystems and coastal 
     communities.
       (B) Researching and addressing the effects of natural and 
     human-induced environmental changes on--
       (i) ocean and coastal ecosystems; and
       (ii) coastal communities.
       (C) Developing and executing cooperative strategies that--
       (i) address regional data issues identified by the 
     partnership; and
       (ii) will result in more effective management of common 
     ocean and coastal areas.
       (g) Report Required.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 5 years after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in coordination 
     with the Regional Ocean Partnerships designated under 
     subsection (b), shall submit to Congress a report on the 
     partnerships.
       (2) Report requirements.--The report required by paragraph 
     (1) shall include the following:
       (A) An assessment of the overall status of the work of the 
     Regional Ocean Partnerships designated under subsection (b).
       (B) An assessment of the effectiveness of the partnerships 
     in supporting regional priorities relating to the management 
     of common ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas.
       (C) An assessment of the effectiveness of the strategies 
     that the partnerships are supporting or implementing and the 
     extent to which the priority needs of the regions covered by 
     the partnerships are being met through such strategies.
       (D) An assessment of how the efforts of the partnerships 
     support or enhance Federal and State efforts consistent with 
     the purposes of this title.
       (E) Such recommendations as the Administrator may have for 
     improving--
       (i) efforts of the partnerships to support the purposes of 
     this title; and
       (ii) collective strategies that support the purposes of 
     this title in coordination with all relevant Federal and 
     State entities and Indian Tribes.
       (F) The distribution of funds from each partnership for 
     each fiscal year covered by the report.
       (h) Availability of Federal Funds.--In addition to amounts 
     made available to the Regional Ocean Partnerships designated 
     under subsection (b) by the Administrator under this section, 
     the head of any other Federal agency may provide grants to, 
     enter into contracts with, or otherwise provide funding to 
     such partnerships.
       (i) Authorities.--Nothing in this section establishes any 
     new legal or regulatory authority of the National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration or of the Regional Ocean 
     Partnerships designated under subsection (b), other than--
       (1) the authority of the Administrator to provide amounts 
     to the partnerships; and

[[Page S6596]]

       (2) the authority of the partnerships to provide grants and 
     enter into contracts under subsection (f).

                 TITLE LIV--NATIONAL OCEAN EXPLORATION

     SEC. 5401. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``National Ocean Exploration 
     Act''.

     SEC. 5402. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) The health and resilience of the ocean are vital to the 
     security and economy of the United States and to the lives of 
     the people of the United States.
       (2) The United States depends on the ocean to regulate 
     weather and climate, to sustain and protect the diversity of 
     life, for maritime shipping, for national defense, and for 
     food, energy, medicine, recreation, and other services 
     essential to the people of the United States and all 
     humankind.
       (3) The prosperity, security, and well-being of the United 
     States depend on successful understanding and stewardship of 
     the ocean.
       (4) Interdisciplinary cooperation and engagement among 
     government agencies, research institutions, nongovernmental 
     organizations, States, Indian Tribes, and the private sector 
     are essential for successful stewardship of ocean and coastal 
     environments, national economic growth, national security, 
     and development of agile strategies that develop, promote, 
     and use new technologies.
       (5) Ocean exploration can help the people of the United 
     States understand how to be effective stewards of the ocean 
     and serve as catalysts and enablers for other sectors of the 
     economy.
       (6) Mapping, exploration, and characterization of the ocean 
     provides basic, essential information to protect and restore 
     the marine environment, stimulate economic activity, and 
     provide security for the United States.
       (7) A robust national ocean exploration program engaging 
     multiple Federal agencies, Indian Tribes, the private sector, 
     nongovernmental organizations, and academia is--
       (A) essential to the interests of the United States and 
     vital to its security and economy and the health and well-
     being of all people of the United States; and
       (B) critical to reestablish the United States at the 
     forefront of global ocean exploration and stewardship.

     SEC. 5403. DEFINITIONS.

       In this title:
       (1) Characterization.--The term ``characterization'' refers 
     to activities that provide comprehensive data and 
     interpretations for a specific area of interest of the 
     seafloor, sub-bottom, water column, or hydrologic features, 
     such as water masses and currents, in direct support of 
     specific research, environmental protection, resource 
     management, policymaking, or applied mission objectives.
       (2) Exploration.--The term ``exploration'' refers to 
     activities that provide--
       (A) a multidisciplinary view of an unknown or poorly 
     understood area of the seafloor, sub-bottom, or water column; 
     and
       (B) an initial assessment of the physical, chemical, 
     geological, biological, archeological, or other 
     characteristics of such an area.
       (3) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
     meaning given that term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
     Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
       (4) Mapping.--The term ``mapping'' refers to activities 
     that provide comprehensive data and information needed to 
     understand seafloor characteristics, such as depth, 
     topography, bottom type, sediment composition and 
     distribution, underlying geologic structure, and benthic 
     flora and fauna.

     SEC. 5404. OCEAN POLICY COMMITTEE.

       (a) Subcommittees.--Section 8932(c) of title 10, United 
     States Code, is amended to read as follows:
       ``(c) Subcommittees.--(1) The Committee shall include--
       ``(A) a subcommittee to be known as the `Ocean Science and 
     Technology Subcommittee'; and
       ``(B) a subcommittee to be known as the `Ocean Resource 
     Management Subcommittee'.
       ``(2) In discharging its responsibilities in support of 
     agreed-upon scientific needs, and to assist in the execution 
     of the responsibilities described in subsection (b), the 
     Committee may delegate responsibilities to the Ocean Science 
     and Technology Subcommittee, the Ocean Resource Management 
     Subcommittee, or another subcommittee of the Committee, as 
     the Committee determines appropriate.''.
       (b) Increased Access to Geospatial Data for More Efficient 
     and Informed Decision Making.--
       (1) Establishment of document system.--Section 8932(b) of 
     title 10, United States Code, is amended--
       (A) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (B) in paragraph (4)(F), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting ``; and''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(5) for projects under the purview of the Committee, 
     establish or designate one or more systems for ocean-related 
     and ocean-mapping related documents prepared under the 
     National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
     seq.), in accordance with subsection (h).''.
       (2) Elements.--Section 8932 of such title is amended--
       (A) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (i); and
       (B) by inserting after subsection (g) the following new 
     subsection (h):
       ``(h) Elements of Document System.--The systems established 
     or designated under subsection (b)(5) may include the 
     following:
       ``(1) A publicly accessible, centralized digital archive of 
     documents described in subsection (b)(5) that are finalized 
     after the date of the enactment of the National Ocean 
     Exploration Act, including--
       ``(A) environmental impact statements;
       ``(B) environmental assessments;
       ``(C) records of decision; and
       ``(D) other relevant documents as determined by the lead 
     agency on a project.
       ``(2) Geospatially referenced data, if any, contained in 
     the documents under paragraph (1).
       ``(3) A mechanism to retrieve information through geo-
     information tools that can map and integrate relevant 
     geospatial information, such as--
       ``(A) Ocean Report Tools;
       ``(B) the Environmental Studies Program Information System;
       ``(C) Regional Ocean Partnerships; and
       ``(D) the Integrated Ocean Observing System.''.

     SEC. 5405. NATIONAL OCEAN MAPPING, EXPLORATION, AND 
                   CHARACTERIZATION COUNCIL.

       (a) Establishment.--The President shall establish a 
     council, to be known as the ``National Ocean Mapping, 
     Exploration, and Characterization Council'' (in this section 
     referred to as the ``Council'').
       (b) Purpose.--The Council shall--
       (1) update national priorities for ocean mapping, 
     exploration, and characterization; and
       (2) coordinate and facilitate activities to advance those 
     priorities.
       (c) Reporting.--The Council shall report to the Ocean 
     Science and Technology Subcommittee of the Ocean Policy 
     Committee established under section 8932(c) of title 10, 
     United States Code.
       (d) Membership.--The Council shall be composed of senior-
     level representatives from the appropriate Federal agencies.
       (e) Co-Chairs.--The Council shall be co-chaired by--
       (1) two senior-level representatives from the National 
     Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and
       (2) one senior-level representative from the Department of 
     the Interior.
       (f) Duties.--The Council shall--
       (1) set national ocean mapping, exploration, and 
     characterization priorities and strategies;
       (2) cultivate and facilitate transparent and sustained 
     partnerships among Federal and State agencies, Indian Tribes, 
     private industry, academia, and nongovernmental organizations 
     to conduct ocean mapping, exploration, and characterization 
     activities and related technology development;
       (3) coordinate improved processes for data compilation, 
     management, access, synthesis, and visualization with respect 
     to ocean mapping, exploration, and characterization, with a 
     focus on building on existing ocean data management systems 
     and with appropriate safeguards on the public accessibility 
     of data to protect national security equities, as 
     appropriate;
       (4) encourage education, workforce training, and public 
     engagement activities that--
       (A) advance interdisciplinary principles that contribute to 
     ocean mapping, exploration, research, and characterization;
       (B) improve public engagement with and understanding of 
     ocean science; and
       (C) provide opportunities for underserved populations;
       (5) coordinate activities as appropriate with domestic and 
     international ocean mapping, exploration, and 
     characterization initiatives or programs; and
       (6) establish and monitor metrics to track progress in 
     achieving the priorities set under paragraph (1).
       (g) Interagency Working Group on Ocean Exploration and 
     Characterization.--
       (1) Establishment.--The President shall establish a new 
     interagency working group to be known as the ``Interagency 
     Working Group on Ocean Exploration and Characterization''.
       (2) Membership.--The Interagency Working Group on Ocean 
     Exploration and Characterization shall be comprised of senior 
     representatives from Federal agencies with ocean exploration 
     and characterization responsibilities.
       (3) Functions.--The Interagency Working Group on Ocean 
     Exploration and Characterization shall support the Council 
     and the Ocean Science and Technology Subcommittee of the 
     Ocean Policy Committee established under section 8932(c) of 
     title 10, United States Code, on ocean exploration and 
     characterization activities and associated technology 
     development across the Federal Government, State governments, 
     Indian Tribes, private industry, nongovernmental 
     organizations, and academia.
       (h) Oversight.--The Council shall oversee--
       (1) the Interagency Working Group on Ocean Exploration and 
     Characterization established under subsection (g)(1); and
       (2) the Interagency Working Group on Ocean and Coastal 
     Mapping under section 12203 of the Ocean and Coastal Mapping 
     Integration Act (33 U.S.C. 3502).
       (i) Plan.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Council shall develop or 
     update and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a

[[Page S6597]]

     plan for an integrated cross-sectoral ocean mapping, 
     exploration, and characterization initiative.
       (2) Elements.--The plan required by paragraph (1) shall--
       (A) discuss the utility and benefits of ocean exploration 
     and characterization;
       (B) identify and describe national ocean mapping, 
     exploration, and characterization priorities;
       (C) identify and describe Federal and federally funded 
     ocean mapping, exploration, and characterization programs;
       (D) facilitate and incorporate non-Federal input into 
     national ocean mapping, exploration, and characterization 
     priorities;
       (E) ensure effective coordination of ocean mapping, 
     exploration, and characterization activities among programs 
     described in subparagraph (C);
       (F) identify opportunities for combining overlapping or 
     complementary needs, activities, and resources of Federal 
     agencies and non-Federal organizations relating to ocean 
     mapping, exploration, and characterization while not reducing 
     benefits from existing mapping, explorations, and 
     characterization activities;
       (G) promote new and existing partnerships among Federal and 
     State agencies, Indian Tribes, private industry, academia, 
     and nongovernmental organizations to conduct or support ocean 
     mapping, exploration, and characterization activities and 
     technology development needs, including through coordination 
     under section 3 of the Commercial Engagement Through Ocean 
     Technology Act of 2018 (33 U.S.C. 4102) and the National 
     Oceanographic Partnership Program under section 8931 of title 
     10, United States Code;
       (H) develop a transparent and sustained mechanism for non-
     Federal partnerships and stakeholder engagement in strategic 
     planning and mission execution to be implemented not later 
     than December 31, 2023;
       (I) establish standardized collection and data management 
     protocols, such as with respect to metadata, for ocean 
     mapping, exploration, and characterization with appropriate 
     safeguards on the public accessibility of data to protect 
     national security equities;
       (J) encourage the development, testing, demonstration, and 
     adoption of innovative ocean mapping, exploration, and 
     characterization technologies and applications;
       (K) promote protocols for accepting data, equipment, 
     approaches, or other resources that support national ocean 
     mapping, exploration, and characterization priorities;
       (L) identify best practices for the protection of marine 
     life during mapping, exploration, and characterization 
     activities;
       (M) identify training, technology, and other resource 
     requirements for enabling the National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration and other appropriate Federal 
     agencies to support a coordinated national ocean mapping, 
     exploration, and characterization effort;
       (N) identify and facilitate a centralized mechanism or 
     office for coordinating data collection, compilation, 
     processing, archiving, and dissemination activities relating 
     to ocean mapping, exploration, and characterization that 
     meets Federal mandates for data accuracy and accessibility;
       (O) designate repositories responsible for archiving and 
     managing ocean mapping, exploration, and characterization 
     data;
       (P) set forth a timetable and estimated costs for 
     implementation and completion of the plan;
       (Q) to the extent practicable, align ocean exploration and 
     characterization efforts with existing programs and identify 
     key gaps; and
       (R) identify criteria for determining the optimal frequency 
     of observations.
       (j) Briefings.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than once 
     every 2 years thereafter, the Council shall brief the 
     appropriate committees of Congress on--
       (1) progress made toward meeting the national priorities 
     described in subsection (i)(2)(B); and
       (2) recommendations for meeting such priorities, such as 
     additional authorities that may be needed to develop a 
     mechanism for non-Federal partnerships and stakeholder 
     engagement described in subsection (i)(2)(H).
       (k) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 
     means--
       (1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
     and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; and
       (2) the Committee on Natural Resources, the Committee on 
     Science, Space, and Technology, and the Committee on Armed 
     Services of the House of Representatives.

     SEC. 5406. MODIFICATIONS TO THE OCEAN EXPLORATION PROGRAM OF 
                   THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC 
                   ADMINISTRATION.

       (a) Purpose.--Section 12001 of the Omnibus Public Land 
     Management Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3401) is amended by 
     striking ``and the national undersea research program''.
       (b) Program Established.--Section 12002 of such Act (33 
     U.S.C. 3402) is amended--
       (1) in the first sentence, by striking ``and undersea''; 
     and
       (2) in the second sentence, by striking ``and undersea 
     research and exploration'' and inserting ``research and ocean 
     exploration and characterization efforts''.
       (c) Powers and Duties of the Administrator.--
       (1) In general.--Section 12003(a) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 
     3403(a)) is amended--
       (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting ``, 
     in coordination with the Ocean Policy Committee established 
     under section 8932 of title 10, United States Code,'' after 
     ``Administration'';
       (B) in paragraph (1)--
       (i) by striking ``voyages'' and inserting ``expeditions'';
       (ii) by striking ``Federal agencies'' and all that follows 
     through ``and survey'' and inserting ``Federal and State 
     agencies, Tribal governments, private industry, academia, and 
     nongovernmental organizations, to map, explore, and 
     characterize''; and
       (iii) by inserting ``characterize,'' after ``observe,'';
       (C) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``of the exclusive 
     economic zone'' after ``deep ocean regions'';
       (D) in paragraph (3), by striking ``voyages'' and inserting 
     ``expeditions'';
       (E) in paragraph (4), by striking ``, in consultation with 
     the National Science Foundation,'';
       (F) by amending paragraph (5) to read as follows:
       ``(5) support technological innovation of the United States 
     marine science community by promoting the development and use 
     of new and emerging technologies for research, communication, 
     navigation, and data collection, such as sensors and 
     autonomous vehicles;'';
       (G) in paragraph (6)--
       (i) by inserting ``, in collaboration with the National 
     Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization Council 
     established under section 5405 of the National Ocean 
     Exploration Act,'' after ``forum''; and
       (ii) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; 
     and''; and
       (H) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(7) provide guidance, in coordination with the National 
     Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization Council, to 
     Federal and State agencies, Tribal governments, private 
     industry, academia (including secondary schools, community 
     colleges, and universities), and nongovernmental 
     organizations on data standards, protocols for accepting 
     data, and coordination of data collection, compilation, 
     processing, archiving, and dissemination for data relating to 
     ocean exploration and characterization.''.
       (2) Donations.--Section 12003(b) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 
     3403(b)) is amended to read as follows:
       ``(b) Donations.--For the purpose of mapping, exploring, 
     and characterizing the oceans or increasing the knowledge of 
     the oceans, the Administrator may--
       ``(1) accept monetary donations and donations of property, 
     data, and equipment; and
       ``(2) pay all necessary expenses in connection with the 
     conveyance or transfer of a gift, devise, or bequest.''.
       (3) Definition of exclusive economic zone.--Section 12003 
     of such Act (33 U.S.C. 3403) is amended by adding at the end 
     the following:
       ``(c) Definition of Exclusive Economic Zone.--In this 
     section, the term `exclusive economic zone' means the zone 
     established by Presidential Proclamation Number 5030, dated 
     March 10, 1983 (16 U.S.C. 1453 note; relating to the 
     exclusive economic zone of the United States of America).''.
       (d) Repeal of Ocean Exploration and Undersea Research 
     Technology and Infrastructure Task Force.--Section 12004 of 
     such Act (33 U.S.C. 3404) is repealed.
       (e) Education, Workforce Training, and Outreach.--
       (1) In general.--Such Act is further amended by inserting 
     after section 12003 the following new section 12004:

     ``SEC. 12004. EDUCATION, WORKFORCE TRAINING, AND OUTREACH.

       ``(a) In General.--The Administrator of the National 
     Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall--
       ``(1) conduct education and outreach efforts in order to 
     broadly disseminate information to the public on the 
     discoveries made by the program under section 12002; and
       ``(2) to the extent possible, coordinate the efforts 
     described in paragraph (1) with the outreach strategies of 
     other domestic or international ocean mapping, exploration, 
     and characterization initiatives.
       ``(b) Education and Outreach Efforts.--Efforts described in 
     subsection (a)(1) may include--
       ``(1) education of the general public, teachers, students, 
     and ocean and coastal resource managers; and
       ``(2) workforce training, reskilling, and opportunities to 
     encourage development of ocean related science, technology, 
     engineering, and mathematics (STEM) technical training 
     programs involving secondary schools, community colleges, and 
     universities, including Historically Black Colleges or 
     Universities (within the meaning of the term ``part B 
     institution'' under section 322 of the Higher Education Act 
     of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061)), Tribal Colleges or Universities 
     (as defined in section 316(b) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 
     1059c(b))), and other minority-serving institutions (as 
     described in section 371(a) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 
     1067q(a))).
       ``(c) Outreach Strategy.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     date of the enactment of the National Ocean Exploration Act, 
     the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration shall develop an outreach strategy to broadly 
     disseminate information on the discoveries made by the 
     program under section 12002.''.
       (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents in section 
     1(b) of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 
     (Public Law 111-11; 123 Stat. 991) is amended by

[[Page S6598]]

     striking the item relating to section 12004 and inserting the 
     following:

``Sec. 12004. Education, workforce training, and outreach.
       (f) Ocean Exploration Advisory Board.--
       (1) Establishment.--Section 12005(a)(1) of such Act (33 
     U.S.C. 3505(1)) is amended by inserting ``and the National 
     Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization Council 
     established under section 5405 of the National Ocean 
     Exploration Act'' after ``advise the Administrator''.
       (2) Technical amendment.--Section 12005(c) of such Act (33 
     U.S.C. 3505(c)) is amended by inserting ``this'' before 
     ``part''.
       (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 12006 of such 
     Act (33 U.S.C. 3406) is amended by striking ``this part'' and 
     all that follows and inserting ``this part $60,000,000 for 
     each of fiscal years 2023 through 2028''.
       (h) Definitions.--Such Act is further amended by inserting 
     after section 12006 the following:

     ``SEC. 12007. DEFINITIONS.

       ``In this part:
       ``(1) Characterization.--The terms `characterization', 
     `characterize', and `characterizing' refer to activities that 
     provide comprehensive data and interpretations for a specific 
     area of interest of the seafloor, sub-bottom, water column, 
     or hydrologic features, such as water masses and currents, in 
     direct support of specific research, environmental 
     protection, resource management, policymaking, or applied 
     mission objectives.
       ``(2) Exploration.--The term `exploration', `explore', and 
     `exploring' refer to activities that provide--
       ``(A) a multidisciplinary view of an unknown or poorly 
     understood area of the seafloor, sub-bottom, or water column; 
     and
       ``(B) an initial assessment of the physical, chemical, 
     geological, biological, archaeological, or other 
     characteristics of such an area.
       ``(3) Mapping.--The terms `map' and `mapping' refer to 
     activities that provide comprehensive data and information 
     needed to understand seafloor characteristics, such as depth, 
     topography, bottom type, sediment composition and 
     distribution, underlying geologic structure, and benthic 
     flora and fauna.''.
       (i) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 
     1(b) of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 
     (Public Law 111-11; 123 Stat. 991) is amended by inserting 
     after the item relating to section 12006 the following:

``Sec. 12007. Definitions.

     SEC. 5407. REPEAL.

       (a) In General.--The NOAA Undersea Research Program Act of 
     2009 (part II of subtitle A of title XII of Public Law 111-
     11; 33 U.S.C. 3421 et seq.) is repealed.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 
     1(b) of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 
     (Public Law 111-11; 123 Stat. 991) is amended by striking the 
     items relating to part II of subtitle A of title XII of such 
     Act.

     SEC. 5408. MODIFICATIONS TO OCEAN AND COASTAL MAPPING PROGRAM 
                   OF THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC 
                   ADMINISTRATION.

       (a) Establishment of Program.--
       (1) In general.--Section 12202(a) of the Ocean and Coastal 
     Mapping Integration Act (33 U.S.C. 3501(a)) is amended--
       (A) by striking ``establish a program to develop a 
     coordinated and'' and inserting ``establish and maintain a 
     program to coordinate'';
       (B) by striking ``plan'' and inserting ``efforts''; and
       (C) by striking ``that enhances'' and all that follows and 
     inserting ``that--
       ``(1) enhances ecosystem approaches in decision-making for 
     natural resource and habitat management restoration and 
     conservation, emergency response, and coastal resilience and 
     adaptation;
       ``(2) establishes research and mapping priorities;
       ``(3) supports the siting of research and other platforms; 
     and
       ``(4) advances ocean and coastal science.''.
       (2) Membership.--Section 12202 of such Act (33 U.S.C. 3501) 
     is amended by striking subsection (b) and redesignating 
     subsection (c) as subsection (b).
       (3) Program parameters.--Subsection (b) of section 12202 of 
     such Act (33 U.S.C. 3501), as redesignated by paragraph (2), 
     is amended--
       (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
     ``developing'' and inserting ``maintaining'';
       (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``and for leveraging 
     existing Federal geospatial services capacities and contract 
     vehicles for efficiencies'' after ``coastal mapping'';
       (C) in paragraph (7), by striking ``with coastal state and 
     local government programs'' and inserting ``with mapping 
     programs, in conjunction with Federal and State agencies, 
     Tribal governments, private industry, academia, and 
     nongovernmental organizations'';
       (D) in paragraph (8), by striking ``of real-time tide data 
     and the development'' and inserting ``of tide data and water-
     level data and the development and dissemination'';
       (E) in paragraph (9), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a 
     semicolon;
       (F) in paragraph (10), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting ``; and''; and
       (G) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(11) support--
       ``(A) the Ocean Science and Technology Subcommittee of the 
     Ocean Policy Committee established under section 8932(c) of 
     title 10, United States Code; and
       ``(B) the National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and 
     Characterization Council established under section 5405 of 
     the National Ocean Exploration Act.''.
       (b) Interagency Working Group on Ocean and Coastal 
     Mapping.--
       (1) Name change.--The Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration 
     Act (33 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) is amended--
       (A) in section 12202 (33 U.S.C. 3501)--
       (i) in subsection (a), by striking ``Interagency Committee 
     on Ocean and Coastal Mapping'' and inserting ``Interagency 
     Working Group on Ocean and Coastal Mapping under section 
     12203''; and
       (ii) in subsection (b), as redesignated by subsection 
     (a)(2), by striking ``Committee'' and inserting ``Working 
     Group'';
       (B) in section 12203 (33 U.S.C. 3502)--
       (i) in the section heading, by striking ``committee'' and 
     inserting ``working group'';
       (ii) in subsection (b), in the first sentence, by striking 
     ``committee'' and inserting ``Working Group'';
       (iii) in subsection (e), by striking ``committee'' and 
     inserting ``Working Group''; and
       (iv) in subsection (f), by striking ``committee'' and 
     inserting ``Working Group''; and
       (C) in section 12208 (33 U.S.C. 3507), by amending 
     paragraph (3) to read as follows:
       ``(3) Working group.--The term `Working Group' means the 
     Interagency Working Group on Ocean and Coastal Mapping under 
     section 12203.''.
       (2) In general.--Section 12203(a) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 
     3502(a)) is amended by striking ``within 30 days'' and all 
     that follows and inserting ``not later than 30 days after the 
     date of the enactment of the National Ocean Exploration Act, 
     shall use the Interagency Working Group on Ocean and Coastal 
     Mapping in existence as of the date of the enactment of such 
     Act to implement section 12202.''.
       (3) Membership.--Section 12203(b) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 
     3502(b)) is amended--
       (A) in the first sentence, by striking ``senior'' both 
     places it appears and inserting ``senior-level'';
       (B) in the third sentence, by striking ``the Minerals 
     Management Service'' and inserting ``the Bureau of Ocean 
     Energy Management of the Department of the Interior, the 
     Office of the Assistant Secretary, Fish and Wildlife and 
     Parks of the Department of the Interior''; and
       (C) by striking the second sentence.
       (4) Co-chairs.--Section 12203(c) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 
     3502(c)) is amended to read as follows:
       ``(c) Co-Chairs.--The Working Group shall be co-chaired by 
     one representative from each of the following:
       ``(1) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
       ``(2) The Department of the Interior.''.
       (5) Subordinate groups.--Section 12203(d) of such Act (33 
     U.S.C. 3502(d)) is amended to read as follows:
       ``(d) Subordinate Groups.--The co-chairs may establish such 
     permanent or temporary subordinate groups as determined 
     appropriate by the Working Group.''.
       (6) Meetings.--Section 12203(e) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 
     3502(e)) is amended by striking ``each subcommittee and each 
     working group'' and inserting ``each subordinate group''.
       (7) Coordination.--Section 12203(f) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 
     3502(f)) is amended by striking paragraphs (1) through (5) 
     and inserting the following:
       ``(1) other Federal efforts;
       ``(2) international mapping activities;
       ``(3) coastal states;
       ``(4) coastal Indian Tribes;
       ``(5) data acquisition and user groups through workshops, 
     partnerships, and other appropriate mechanisms; and
       ``(6) representatives of nongovernmental entities.''.
       (8) Advisory panel.--Section 12203 of such Act (33 U.S.C. 
     3502) is amended by striking subsection (g).
       (9) Functions.--Section 12203 of such Act (33 U.S.C. 3502), 
     as amended by paragraph (8), is further amended by adding at 
     the end the following:
       ``(g) Support Functions.--The Working Group shall support 
     the National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization 
     Council established under section 5405 of the National Ocean 
     Exploration Act and the Ocean Science and Technology 
     Subcommittee of the Ocean Policy Committee established under 
     section 8932(c) of title 10, United States Code, on ocean 
     mapping activities and associated technology development 
     across the Federal Government, State governments, coastal 
     Indian Tribes, private industry, nongovernmental 
     organizations, and academia.''.
       (10) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents in section 
     1(b) of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 
     (Public Law 111-11; 123 Stat. 991) is amended by striking the 
     item relating to section 12203 and inserting the following:

``Sec. 12203. Interagency working group on ocean and coastal mapping.
       (c) Biennial Reports.--Section 12204 of the Ocean and 
     Coastal Mapping Integration Act (33 U.S.C. 3503) is amended--
       (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ``No 
     later'' and all that follows through ``House of 
     Representatives'' and inserting ``Not later than 18 months 
     after the date of the enactment of the National Ocean

[[Page S6599]]

     Exploration Act, and biennially thereafter until 2040, the 
     co-chairs of the Working Group, in coordination with the 
     National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization 
     Council established under section 5405 of such Act, shall 
     submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
     Resources of the Senate, and the Committee on Natural 
     Resources and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
     of the House of Representatives,'';
       (2) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``, including the data 
     maintained by the National Centers for Environmental 
     Information of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration,'' after ``mapping data'';
       (3) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``, including a plan to 
     map the coasts of the United States on a requirements-based 
     cycle, with mapping agencies and partners coordinating on a 
     unified approach that factors in recent related studies, 
     meets multiple user requirements, and identifies gaps'' after 
     ``accomplished'';
       (4) by striking paragraph (10) and redesignating paragraphs 
     (11), (12), and (13) as paragraphs (10), (11), and (12), 
     respectively;
       (5) in paragraph (10), as so redesignated, by striking 
     ``with coastal state and local government programs'' and 
     inserting ``with international, coastal state, and local 
     government and nongovernmental mapping programs'';
       (6) in paragraph (11), as redesignated by paragraph (4)--
       (A) by striking ``increase'' and inserting ``streamline and 
     expand'';
       (B) by inserting ``for the purpose of fulfilling Federal 
     mapping and charting responsibilities, plans, and 
     strategies'' after ``entities''; and
       (C) by striking ``; and'' and inserting a semicolon;
       (7) in paragraph (12), as redesignated by paragraph (4), by 
     striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and
       (8) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(13) a progress report on the development of new and 
     innovative technologies and applications through research and 
     development, including cooperative or other agreements with 
     joint or cooperative research institutes and centers and 
     other nongovernmental entities;
       ``(14) a description of best practices in data processing 
     and distribution and leveraging opportunities among agencies 
     represented on the Working Group and with coastal states, 
     coastal Indian Tribes, and nongovernmental entities;
       ``(15) an identification of any training, technology, or 
     other requirements for enabling Federal mapping programs, 
     vessels, and aircraft to support a coordinated ocean and 
     coastal mapping program; and
       ``(16) a timetable for implementation and completion of the 
     plan described in paragraph (3), including recommendations 
     for integrating new approaches into the program.''.
       (d) NOAA Joint Ocean and Coastal Mapping Centers.--
       (1) Centers.--Section 12205(c) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 
     3504(c)) is amended--
       (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
     ``3'' and inserting ``three''; and
       (B) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``and uncrewed'' after 
     ``sensing''.
       (2) Plan.--Section 12205 of such Act (33 U.S.C. 3504) is 
     amended--
       (A) in the section heading, by striking ``plan'' and 
     inserting ``noaa joint ocean and coastal mapping centers'';
       (B) by striking subsections (a), (b), and (d); and
       (C) in subsection (c), by striking ``(c) NOAA Joint Ocean 
     and Coastal Mapping Centers.--''.
       (3) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents in section 
     1(b) of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 
     (Public Law 111-11; 123 Stat. 991) is amended by striking the 
     item relating to section 12205 and inserting the following:

``Sec. 12205. NOAA joint ocean and coastal mapping centers.
       (e) Ocean and Coastal Mapping Federal Funding 
     Opportunity.--The Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act 
     (33 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating sections 12206, 12207, and 12208 as 
     sections 12208, 12209, and 12210, respectively; and
       (2) by inserting after section 12205 the following:

     ``SEC. 12206. OCEAN AND COASTAL MAPPING FEDERAL FUNDING 
                   OPPORTUNITY.

       ``(a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date 
     of the enactment of the National Ocean Exploration Act, the 
     Administrator shall develop an integrated ocean and coastal 
     mapping Federal funding match opportunity, to be known as the 
     `Brennan Ocean Mapping Fund' in memory of Rear Admiral 
     Richard T. Brennan, within the National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration with Federal, State, Tribal, 
     local, nonprofit, private industry, or academic partners in 
     order to increase the coordinated acquisition, processing, 
     stewardship, and archival of new ocean and coastal mapping 
     data in United States waters.
       ``(b) Rules.--The Administrator shall develop 
     administrative and procedural rules for the ocean and coastal 
     mapping Federal funding match opportunity developed under 
     subsection (a), to include--
       ``(1) specific and detailed criteria that must be addressed 
     by an applicant, such as geographic overlap with pre-
     established priorities, number and type of project partners, 
     benefit to the applicant, coordination with other funding 
     opportunities, and benefit to the public;
       ``(2) determination of the appropriate funding match 
     amounts and mechanisms to use, such as grants, agreements, or 
     contracts; and
       ``(3) other funding award criteria as are necessary or 
     appropriate to ensure that evaluations of proposals and 
     decisions to award funding under this section are based on 
     objective standards applied fairly and equitably to those 
     proposals.
       ``(c) Geospatial Services and Contract Vehicles.--The ocean 
     and coastal mapping Federal funding match opportunity 
     developed under subsection (a) shall leverage Federal 
     expertise and capacities for geospatial services and Federal 
     geospatial contract vehicles using the private sector for 
     acquisition efficiencies.

     ``SEC. 12207. AGREEMENTS AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.

       ``(a) Agreements.--The head of a Federal agency that is 
     represented on the Interagency Committee on Ocean and Coastal 
     Mapping may enter into agreements with any other agency that 
     is so represented to provide, on a reimbursable or 
     nonreimbursable basis, facilities, equipment, services, 
     personnel, and other support services to carry our the 
     purposes of this subtitle.
       ``(b) Financial Assistance.--The Administrator may make 
     financial assistance awards (grants of cooperative 
     agreements) to any State or subdivision thereof or any public 
     or private organization or individual to carry out the 
     purposes of this subtitle.''.
       (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 12209 of such 
     Act, as redesignated by subsection (e)(1), is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``this subtitle'' and 
     all that follows and inserting ``this subtitle $45,000,000 
     for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2028.'';
       (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``this subtitle'' and 
     all that follows and inserting ``this subtitle $15,000,000 
     for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2028.'';
       (3) by striking subsection (c); and
       (4) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
       ``(c) Ocean and Coastal Mapping Federal Funding 
     Opportunity.--Of amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection 
     (a), $20,000,000 is authorized to carry out section 12206.''.
       (g) Definitions.--
       (1) Ocean and coastal mapping.--Paragraph (5) of section 
     12210 of such Act, as redesignated by subsection (e)(1), is 
     amended by striking ``processing, and management'' and 
     inserting ``processing, management, maintenance, 
     interpretation, certification, and dissemination''.
       (2) Coastal indian tribe.--Section 12210 of such Act, as 
     redesignated by subsection (e)(1), is amended by adding at 
     the end the following:
       ``(9) Coastal indian tribe.--The term `coastal Indian 
     Tribe' means an `Indian tribe', as defined in section 4 of 
     the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act 
     (25 U.S.C. 5304), the land of which is located in a coastal 
     state.''.
       (h) Clerical Amendments.--The table of contents in section 
     1(b) of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 
     (Public Law 111-11; 123 Stat. 991) is amended by striking the 
     items relating to sections 12206 through 12208 and inserting 
     the following:

``Sec. 12206. Ocean and coastal mapping Federal funding opportunity.
``Sec. 12207. Cooperative agreements, contracts, and grants.
``Sec. 12208. Effect on other laws.
``Sec. 12209. Authorization of appropriations.
``Sec. 12210. Definitions.

     SEC. 5409. MODIFICATIONS TO HYDROGRAPHIC SERVICES IMPROVEMENT 
                   ACT OF 1998.

       (a) Definitions.--Section 302(4)(A) of the Hydrographic 
     Services Improvement Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892(4)(A)) is 
     amended by inserting ``hydrodynamic forecast and datum 
     transformation models,'' after ``nautical information 
     databases,''.
       (b) Functions of the Administrator.--Section 303(b) of such 
     Act (33 U.S.C. 892a(b)) is amended--
       (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting 
     ``precision navigation,'' after ``promote''; and
       (2) in paragraph (2)--
       (A) by inserting ``and hydrodynamic forecast models'' after 
     ``monitoring systems'';
       (B) by inserting ``and provide foundational information and 
     services required to support coastal resilience planning for 
     coastal transportation and other infrastructure, coastal 
     protection and restoration projects, and related activities'' 
     after ``efficiency''; and
       (C) by striking ``; and'' and inserting a semicolon.
       (c) Quality Assurance Program.--Section 304(a) of such Act 
     (33 U.S.C. 892b(a)) is amended by striking ``product 
     produced'' and inserting ``product or service produced or 
     disseminated''.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 306(a) of 
     such Act (33 U.S.C. 892d(a)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``$70,814,000 for each of 
     fiscal years 2019 through 2023'' and inserting ``$71,000,000 
     for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2028'';
       (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``$25,000,000 for each of 
     fiscal years 2019 through 2023'' and inserting ``$34,000,000 
     for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2028'';
       (3) in paragraph (3), by striking ``$29,932,000 for each of 
     fiscal years 2019 through 2023''

[[Page S6600]]

     and inserting ``$38,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 
     through 2028'';
       (4) in paragraph (4), by striking ``$26,800,000 for each of 
     fiscal years 2019 through 2023'' and inserting ``$45,000,000 
     for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2028''; and
       (5) in paragraph (5), by striking ``$30,564,000 for each of 
     fiscal years 2019 through 2023'' and inserting ``$35,000,000 
     for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2028''.

             TITLE LV--MARINE MAMMAL RESEARCH AND RESPONSE

     SEC. 5501. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Marine Mammal Research and 
     Response Act of 2022''.

     SEC. 5502. DATA COLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION.

       Section 402 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16 
     U.S.C. 1421a) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ``or entangled'' 
     after ``stranded'';
       (B) in paragraph (3)--
       (i) by striking ``strandings,'' and inserting ``strandings 
     and entanglements, including unusual mortality events,'';
       (ii) by inserting ``stranding'' before ``region''; and
       (iii) by striking ``marine mammals; and'' and inserting 
     ``marine mammals and entangled marine mammals to allow 
     comparison of the causes of illness and deaths in stranded 
     marine mammals and entangled marine mammals with physical, 
     chemical, and biological environmental parameters; and''; and
       (C) in paragraph (4), by striking ``analyses, that would 
     allow comparison of the causes of illness and deaths in 
     stranded marine mammals with physical, chemical, and 
     biological environmental parameters.'' and inserting 
     ``analyses.''; and
       (2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
       ``(c) Information Required To Be Submitted and Collected.--
       ``(1) In general.--After each response to a stranding or 
     entanglement event, the Secretary shall collect (including 
     from any staff of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration that respond directly to such an event), and 
     shall require each stranding network participant who responds 
     to that stranding or entanglement to submit to the 
     Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration or the Director of the United States Fish and 
     Wildlife Service--
       ``(A) data on the stranding event, including NOAA Form 89-
     864 (OMB #0648-0178), NOAA Form 89-878 (OMB #0648-0178), 
     similar successor forms, or similar information in an 
     appropriate format required by the United States Fish and 
     Wildlife Service for species under its management authority;
       ``(B) supplemental data to the data described in 
     subparagraph (A), which may include, as available, relevant 
     information about--
       ``(i) weather and tide conditions;
       ``(ii) offshore human, predator, or prey activity;
       ``(iii) morphometrics;
       ``(iv) behavior;
       ``(v) health assessments;
       ``(vi) life history samples; or
       ``(vii) stomach and intestinal contents; and
       ``(C) data and results from laboratory analysis of tissues, 
     which may include, as appropriate and available--
       ``(i) histopathology;
       ``(ii) toxicology;
       ``(iii) microbiology
       ``(iv) virology; or
       ``(v) parasitology.
       ``(2) Timeline.--A stranding network participant shall 
     submit--
       ``(A) the data described in paragraph (1)(A) not later than 
     30 days after the date of a response to a stranding or 
     entanglement event;
       ``(B) the compiled data described in paragraph (1)(B) not 
     later than 30 days after the date on which the data is 
     available to the stranding network participant; and
       ``(C) the compiled data described in paragraph (1)(C) not 
     later than 30 days after the date on which the laboratory 
     analysis has been reported to the stranding network 
     participant.
       ``(3) Online data input system.--The Secretary, acting 
     through the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
     Atmosphere, in consultation with the stranding network and 
     the Office of Evaluation Sciences of the General Services 
     Administration, shall establish an online system for the 
     purposes of efficient and timely submission of data described 
     in paragraph (1).
       ``(d) Availability of Data.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall develop a program to 
     make information, including any data and metadata collected 
     under paragraphs (3) or (4) of subsection (b) or subsection 
     (c), available to researchers, stranding network 
     participants, and the public--
       ``(A) to improve real-time coordination of response to 
     stranding and entanglement events across geographic areas and 
     between stranding coordinators;
       ``(B) to identify and quickly disseminate information on 
     potential public health risks;
       ``(C) to facilitate integrated interdisciplinary research;
       ``(D) to facilitate peer-reviewed publications;
       ``(E) to archive regional data into 1 national database for 
     future analyses; and
       ``(F) for education and outreach activities.
       ``(2) Access to data.--The Secretary shall ensure that any 
     data or metadata collected under subsection (c)--
       ``(A) by staff of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration or the United States Fish and Wildlife Service 
     that responded directly to a stranding or entanglement event 
     is available to the public through the Health MAP and the 
     Observation System not later than 30 days after that data or 
     metadata is collected by, available to, or reported to the 
     Secretary; and
       ``(B) by a stranding network participant that responded 
     directly to a stranding or entanglement event is made 
     available to the public through the Health MAP and the 
     Observation System 2 years after the date on which that data 
     is submitted to the Secretary under subsection (c).
       ``(3) Exceptions.--
       ``(A) Written release.--Notwithstanding paragraph (2)(B), 
     the Secretary may make data described in paragraph (2)(B) 
     publicly available earlier than 2 years after the date on 
     which that data is submitted to the Secretary under 
     subsection (c), if the stranding network participant has 
     completed a written release stating that such data may be 
     made publicly available.
       ``(B) Law enforcement.--Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the 
     Secretary may withhold data for a longer period than the 
     period of time described in paragraph (2) in the event of a 
     law enforcement action or legal action that may be related to 
     that data.
       ``(e) Standards.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
     marine mammal stranding community, shall--
       ``(1) make publicly available guidance about uniform data 
     and metadata standards to ensure that data collected in 
     accordance with this section can be archived in a form that 
     is readily accessible and understandable to the public 
     through the Health MAP and the Observation System; and
       ``(2) periodically update such guidance.
       ``(f) Management Policy.--In collaboration with the 
     regional stranding networks, the Secretary shall develop, and 
     periodically update, a data management and public outreach 
     collaboration policy for stranding or entanglement events.
       ``(g) Authorship Agreements and Acknowledgment Policy.--The 
     Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary of Commerce for 
     Oceans and Atmosphere, shall include authorship agreements or 
     other acknowledgment considerations for use of data by the 
     public, as determined by the Secretary.
       ``(h) Savings Clause.--The Secretary shall not require 
     submission of research data that is not described in 
     subsection (c).''.

     SEC. 5503. STRANDING OR ENTANGLEMENT RESPONSE AGREEMENTS.

       (a) In General.--Section 403 of the Marine Mammal 
     Protection Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1421b) is amended--
       (1) in the section heading by inserting ``or entanglement'' 
     before ``response'';
       (2) in subsection (a), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting ``or entanglement.''; and
       (3) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' after the 
     semicolon;
       (B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(3) include a description of the data management and 
     public outreach policy established under section 402(f).''.
       (b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The table of contents in 
     the first section of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 
     (Public Law 92-522; 86 Stat. 1027) is amended by striking the 
     item related to section 403 and inserting the following:

``Sec. 403. Stranding or entanglement response agreements.

     SEC. 5504. UNUSUAL MORTALITY EVENT ACTIVITY FUNDING.

       Section 405 the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16 
     U.S.C. 1421d) is amended--
       (1) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
       ``(b) Uses.--Amounts in the Fund--
       ``(1) shall be available only for use by the Secretary, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, and 
     dispersed among claimants based on budgets approved by the 
     Secretary prior to expenditure--
       ``(A) to make advance, partial, or progress payments under 
     contracts or other funding mechanisms for property, supplies, 
     salaries, services, and travel costs incurred in acting in 
     accordance with the contingency plan issued under section 
     404(b) or under the direction of an Onsite Coordinator for an 
     unusual mortality event designated under section 
     404(a)(2)(B)(iii);
       ``(B) for reimbursing any stranding network participant for 
     costs incurred in the collection, preparation, analysis, and 
     transportation of marine mammal tissues and samples collected 
     with respect to an unusual mortality event for the Tissue 
     Bank; and
       ``(C) for the care and maintenance of a marine mammal 
     seized under section 104(c)(2)(D); and
       ``(2) shall remain available until expended.''; and
       (2) in subsection (c)--
       (A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (B) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting a semicolon; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(4) not more than $250,000 per year, as determined by the 
     Secretary of Commerce, from sums collected as fines, 
     penalties, or forfeitures of property by the Secretary of 
     Commerce for violations of any provision of this Act; and

[[Page S6601]]

       ``(5) sums received from emergency declaration grants for 
     marine mammal conservation.''.

     SEC. 5505. LIABILITY.

       Section 406(a) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 
     (16 U.S.C. 1421e(a)) is amended, in the matter preceding 
     paragraph (1)--
       (1) by inserting ``or entanglement'' after ``to a 
     stranding''; and
       (2) by striking ``government'' and inserting 
     ``Government''.

     SEC. 5506. NATIONAL MARINE MAMMAL TISSUE BANK AND TISSUE 
                   ANALYSIS.

       Section 407 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16 
     U.S.C. 1421f) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (c)(2)(A), by striking ``the health of 
     marine mammals and'' and inserting ``marine mammal health and 
     mortality and the health of''; and
       (2) in subsection (d), in the matter preceding paragraph 
     (1), by inserting ``public'' before ``access''.

     SEC. 5507. MARINE MAMMAL RESCUE AND RESPONSE GRANT PROGRAM 
                   AND RAPID RESPONSE FUND.

       (a) In General.--Section 408 of the Marine Mammal 
     Protection Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1421f-1) is amended--
       (1) by striking the section heading and inserting ``marine 
     mammal rescue and response grant program and rapid response 
     fund'';
       (2) by striking subsections (a) through (d) and subsections 
     (f) through (h);
       (3) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and
       (4) by inserting before subsection (f), as redesignated by 
     paragraph (3), the following:
       ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Emergency assistance.--
       ``(A) In general.--The term `emergency assistance' means--
       ``(i) financial assistance provided to respond to, or that 
     results from, a stranding event or entanglement event that--

       ``(I) causes an immediate increase in the cost of a 
     response, recovery, or rehabilitation that is greater than 
     the usual cost of a response, recovery, or rehabilitation;
       ``(II) is cyclical or endemic; or
       ``(III) involves a marine mammal that is out of the normal 
     range for that marine mammal; or

       ``(ii) financial assistance provided to respond to, or that 
     results from, a stranding event or an entanglement event 
     that--

       ``(I) the applicable Secretary considers to be an 
     emergency; or
       ``(II) with the concurrence of the applicable Secretary, a 
     State, territorial, or Tribal government considers to be an 
     emergency.

       ``(B) Exclusions.--The term `emergency assistance' does not 
     include financial assistance to respond to an unusual 
     mortality event.
       ``(2) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' has the meaning 
     given that term in section 3(12)(A).
       ``(3) Stranding region.--The term `stranding region' means 
     a geographic region designated by the applicable Secretary 
     for purposes of administration of this title.
       ``(b) John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response 
     Grant Program.--
       ``(1) In general.--Subject to the availability of 
     appropriations or other funding, the applicable Secretary 
     shall carry out a grant program, to be known as the `John H. 
     Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program' 
     (referred to in this section as the `grant program'), to 
     award grants to eligible stranding network participants or 
     stranding network collaborators, as described in this 
     subsection.
       ``(2) Purposes.--The purposes of the grant program are to 
     provide for--
       ``(A) the recovery, care, or treatment of sick, injured, or 
     entangled marine mammals;
       ``(B) responses to marine mammal stranding events that 
     require emergency assistance;
       ``(C) the collection of data and samples from living or 
     dead stranded marine mammals for scientific research or 
     assessments regarding marine mammal health;
       ``(D) facility operating costs that are directly related to 
     activities described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C); and
       ``(E) development of stranding network capacity, including 
     training for emergency response, where facilities do not 
     exist or are sparse.
       ``(3) Contract, grant, and cooperative agreement 
     authority.--
       ``(A) In general.--The applicable Secretary may enter into 
     a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement with any eligible 
     stranding network participant or stranding network 
     collaborator, as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, 
     for the purposes described in paragraph (2).
       ``(B) Emergency award flexibility.--Following a request for 
     emergency award flexibility and analysis of the merits of and 
     necessity for such a request, the applicable Secretary may--
       ``(i) amend any contract, grant, or cooperative agreement 
     entered into under this paragraph, including provisions 
     concerning the period of performance; or
       ``(ii) waive the requirements under subsection (f) for 
     grant applications submitted during the provision of 
     emergency assistance.
       ``(4) Equitable distribution of funds.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall ensure, to the 
     extent practicable, that funds awarded under the grant 
     program are distributed equitably among the stranding 
     regions.
       ``(B) Considerations.--In determining priorities among the 
     stranding regions under this paragraph, the Secretary may 
     consider--
       ``(i) equitable distribution within the stranding regions, 
     including the sub regions (including, but not limited to, the 
     Gulf of Mexico);
       ``(ii) any episodic stranding, entanglement, or mortality 
     events, except for unusual mortality events, that occurred in 
     any stranding region in the preceding year;
       ``(iii) any data with respect to average annual stranding, 
     entanglements, and mortality events per stranding region;
       ``(iv) the size of the marine mammal populations inhabiting 
     a stranding region;
       ``(v) the importance of the region's marine mammal 
     populations to the well-being of indigenous communities; and
       ``(vi) the conservation of protected, depleted, threatened, 
     or endangered marine mammal species.
       ``(C) Strandings.--For the purposes of this program, 
     priority is to be given to applications focusing on marine 
     mammal strandings.
       ``(5) Application.--To be eligible for a grant under the 
     grant program, a stranding network participant shall--
       ``(A) submit an application in such form and manner as the 
     applicable Secretary prescribes; and
       ``(B) be in compliance with the data reporting requirements 
     under section 402(d) and any applicable reporting 
     requirements of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service 
     for species under its management jurisdiction.
       ``(6) Grant criteria.--The Secretary shall, in consultation 
     with the Marine Mammal Commission, a representative from each 
     of the stranding regions, and other individuals who represent 
     public and private organizations that are actively involved 
     in rescue, rehabilitation, release, scientific research, 
     marine conservation, and forensic science with respect to 
     stranded marine mammals under that Department's jurisdiction, 
     develop criteria for awarding grants under their respective 
     grant programs.
       ``(7) Limitations.--
       ``(A) Maximum grant amount.--No grant made under the grant 
     program for a single award may exceed $150,000 in any 12-
     month period.
       ``(B) Unexpended funds.--Any funds that have been awarded 
     under the grant program but that are unexpended at the end of 
     the 12-month period described in subparagraph (A) shall 
     remain available until expended.
       ``(8) Administrative costs and expenses.--The Secretary's 
     administrative costs and expenses related to reviewing and 
     awarding grants under the grant program, in any fiscal year 
     may not exceed the greater of--
       ``(A) 6 percent of the amounts made available each fiscal 
     year to carry out the grant program; or
       ``(B) $80,000.
       ``(9) Transparency.--The Secretary shall make publicly 
     available a list of grant proposals for the upcoming fiscal 
     year, funded grants, and requests for grant flexibility under 
     this subsection.
       ``(c) Joseph R. Geraci Marine Mammal Rescue and Rapid 
     Response Fund.--
       ``(1) In general.--There is established in the Treasury of 
     the United States an interest-bearing fund, to be known as 
     the `Joseph R. Geraci Marine Mammal Rescue and Rapid Response 
     Fund' (referred to in this section as the `Rapid Response 
     Fund').
       ``(2) Use of funds.--Amounts in the Rapid Response Fund 
     shall be available only for use by the Secretary to provide 
     emergency assistance.
       ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       ``(1) In general.--
       ``(A) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out the grant program $7,000,000 
     for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2028, to remain 
     available until expended, of which for each fiscal year--
       ``(i) $6,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary 
     of Commerce; and
       ``(ii) $1,000,000 shall be made available to the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       ``(B) Derivation of funds.--Funds to carry out the 
     activities under this section shall be derived from amounts 
     authorized to be appropriated pursuant to subparagraph (A) 
     that are enacted after the date of enactment of the Marine 
     Mammal Research and Response Act of 2022.
       ``(2) Joseph r. geraci marine mammal rescue and rapid 
     response fund.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
     Rapid Response Fund $500,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 
     through 2028.
       ``(e) Acceptance of Donations.--For the purposes of 
     carrying out this section, the Secretary may solicit, accept, 
     receive, hold, administer, and use gifts, devises, and 
     bequests without any further approval or administrative 
     action.''.
       (b) Technical Edits.--Section 408 of the Marine Mammal 
     Protection Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1421f-1), as amended by 
     subsection (a), is further amended in subsection (f), as 
     redesignated by subsection (a)(3)--
       (1) in paragraph (1)--
       (A) by striking ``the costs of an activity conducted with a 
     grant under this section shall be'' and inserting ``a project 
     conducted with funds awarded under the grant program under 
     this section shall be not less than''; and
       (B) by striking ``such costs'' and inserting ``such 
     project''; and
       (2) in paragraph (2)--

[[Page S6602]]

       (A) by striking ``an activity'' and inserting ``a 
     project''; and
       (B) by striking ``the activity'' and inserting ``the 
     project''.
       (c) Table of Contents Amendment.--The table of contents in 
     the first section of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 
     (Public Law 92-522; 86 Stat. 1027) (as amended by section 
     5503(b)) is amended by striking the item related to section 
     408 and inserting the following:

``Sec. 408. Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program and Rapid 
              Response Fund.

     SEC. 5508. HEALTH MAP.

       (a) In General.--Title IV of the Marine Mammal Protection 
     Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1421 et seq.) is amended by inserting 
     after section 408 the following:

     ``SEC. 408A. MARINE MAMMAL HEALTH MONITORING AND ANALYSIS 
                   PLATFORM (HEALTH MAP).

       ``(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of the Marine Mammal Research and Response Act of 
     2022, the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the 
     National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and the 
     Marine Mammal Commission, shall--
       ``(1) establish a marine mammal health monitoring and 
     analysis platform (referred to in this Act as the `Health 
     MAP');
       ``(2) incorporate the Health MAP into the Observation 
     System; and
       ``(3) make the Health MAP--
       ``(A) publicly accessible through the web portal of the 
     Observation System; and
       ``(B) interoperable with other national data systems or 
     other data systems for management or research purposes, as 
     practicable.
       ``(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Health MAP are--
       ``(1) to promote--
       ``(A) interdisciplinary research among individuals with 
     knowledge and experience in marine mammal science, marine 
     mammal veterinary and husbandry practices, medical science, 
     and oceanography, and with other marine scientists;
       ``(B) timely and sustained dissemination and availability 
     of marine mammal health, stranding, entanglement, and 
     mortality data;
       ``(C) identification of spatial and temporal patterns of 
     marine mammal mortality, disease, and stranding;
       ``(D) evaluation of marine mammal health in terms of 
     mortality, as well as sublethal marine mammal health impacts;
       ``(E) improved collaboration and forecasting of marine 
     mammal and larger ecosystem health events;
       ``(F) rapid communication and dissemination of information 
     regarding marine mammal strandings that may have implications 
     for human health, such as those caused by harmful algal 
     blooms; and
       ``(G) increased accessibility of data in a user friendly 
     visual interface for public education and outreach; and
       ``(2) to contribute to an ocean health index that 
     incorporates marine mammal health data.
       ``(c) Requirements.--The Health MAP shall--
       ``(1) integrate in situ, remote, and other marine mammal 
     health, stranding, and mortality data, including 
     visualizations and metadata, collected by marine mammal 
     stranding networks, Federal, State, local, and Tribal 
     governments, private partners, and academia; and
       ``(2) be designed--
       ``(A) to enhance data and information availability, 
     including data sharing among stranding network participants, 
     scientists, and the public within and across stranding 
     network regions;
       ``(B) to facilitate data and information access across 
     scientific disciplines, scientists, and managers;
       ``(C) to facilitate public access to national and regional 
     marine mammal health, stranding, entanglement, and mortality 
     data, including visualizations and metadata, through the 
     national and regional data portals of the Observation System; 
     and
       ``(D) in collaboration with, and with input from, States 
     and stranding network participants.
       ``(d) Procedures and Guidelines.--The Secretary shall 
     establish and implement policies, protocols, and standards 
     for--
       ``(1) reporting marine mammal health data collected by 
     stranding networks consistent with subsections (c) and (d) of 
     section 402;
       ``(2) promptly transmitting health data from the stranding 
     networks and other appropriate data providers to the Health 
     MAP;
       ``(3) disseminating and making publicly available data on 
     marine mammal health, stranding, entanglement, and mortality 
     data in a timely and sustained manner; and
       ``(4) integrating additional marine mammal health, 
     stranding, or other relevant data as the Secretary determines 
     appropriate.
       ``(e) Consultation.--The Administrator of the National 
     Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall maintain and 
     update the Health MAP in consultation with the Secretary of 
     the Interior and the Marine Mammal Commission.
       ``(f) Contributions.--For purposes of carrying out this 
     section, the Secretary may solicit, accept, receive, hold, 
     administer, and use gifts, devises, and bequests without any 
     further approval or administrative action.''.
       (b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The table of contents in 
     the first section of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 
     (Public Law 92-522; 86 Stat. 1027) (as amended by section 
     5507(b)) is amended by inserting after the item related to 
     section 408 the following:

``Sec. 408A. Marine Mammal Health Monitoring and Analysis Platform 
              (Health MAP).

     SEC. 5509. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

       (a) In General.--Title IV of the Marine Mammal Protection 
     Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1421 et seq.) (as amended by section 
     5508(a)) is amended by inserting after section 408A the 
     following:

     ``SEC. 408B. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

       ``(a) Definition of Appropriate Committees of Congress.--In 
     this section, the term `appropriate committees of Congress' 
     means--
       ``(1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation of the Senate;
       ``(2) the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the 
     Senate;
       ``(3) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
     Representatives; and
       ``(4) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of 
     the House of Representatives.
       ``(b) Health MAP Status Report.--
       ``(1) In general.--Not later than 2 year after the date of 
     enactment of the Marine Mammal Research and Response Act of 
     2022, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration, in consultation with the Marine 
     Mammal Commission, the Secretary of the Interior, and the 
     National Ocean Research Leadership Council, shall submit to 
     the appropriate committees of Congress a report describing 
     the status of the Health MAP.
       ``(2) Requirements.--The report under paragraph (1) shall 
     include--
       ``(A) a detailed evaluation of the data made publicly 
     available through the Health MAP;
       ``(B) a detailed list of any gaps in data collected 
     pursuant to the Health MAP, a description of the reasons for 
     those gaps, and recommended actions to close those gaps;
       ``(C) an analysis of the effectiveness of using the website 
     of the Observation System as the platform to collect, 
     organize, visualize, archive, and disseminate marine mammal 
     stranding and health data;
       ``(D) a list of publications, presentations, or other 
     relevant work product resulting from, or produced in 
     collaboration with, the Health MAP;
       ``(E) a description of emerging marine mammal health 
     concerns and the applicability of those concerns to human 
     health;
       ``(F) an analysis of the feasibility of the Observation 
     System being used as an alert system during stranding events, 
     entanglement events, and unusual mortality events for the 
     stranding network, Observation System partners, Health MAP 
     partners, Federal and State agencies, and local and Tribal 
     governments;
       ``(G) an evaluation of the use of Health MAP data to 
     predict broader ecosystem events and changes that may impact 
     marine mammal or human health and specific examples of proven 
     or potential uses of Observation System data for those 
     purposes; and
       ``(H) recommendations for the Health MAP with respect to--
       ``(i) filling any identified data gaps;
       ``(ii) standards that could be used to improve data 
     quality, accessibility, transmission, interoperability, and 
     sharing;
       ``(iii) any other strategies that would contribute to the 
     effectiveness and usefulness of the Health MAP; and
       ``(iv) the funding levels needed to maintain and improve 
     the Health MAP.
       ``(c) Data Gap Analysis.--
       ``(1) In general.--Not later than 5 years after the date on 
     which the report required under subsection (b)(1) is 
     submitted, and every 10 years thereafter, the Administrator 
     of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in 
     consultation with the Marine Mammal Commission and the 
     Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 
     shall--
       ``(A) make publicly available a report on the data gap 
     analysis described in paragraph (2); and
       ``(B) provide a briefing to the appropriate committees of 
     Congress concerning that data gap analysis.
       ``(2) Requirements.--The data gap analysis under paragraph 
     (1) shall include--
       ``(A) an overview of existing participants within a marine 
     mammal stranding network;
       ``(B) an identification of coverage needs and participant 
     gaps within a network;
       ``(C) an identification of data and reporting gaps from 
     members of a network; and
       ``(D) an analysis of how stranding and health data are 
     shared and made available to scientists, academics, State, 
     local, and Tribal governments, and the public.
       ``(d) Marine Mammal Response Capabilities in the Arctic.--
       ``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of the Marine Mammal Research and Response Act of 
     2022, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration, the Director of the United States 
     Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Director of the United 
     States Geologic Survey, in consultation with the Marine 
     Mammal Commission, shall--
       ``(A) make publicly available a report describing the 
     response capabilities for sick and injured marine mammals in 
     the Arctic regions of the United States; and
       ``(B) provide a briefing to the appropriate committees of 
     Congress on that report.
       ``(2) Arctic.--The term `Arctic' has the meaning given the 
     term in section 112 of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 
     1984 (15 U.S.C. 4111).

[[Page S6603]]

       ``(3) Requirements.--The report under paragraph (1) shall 
     include--
       ``(A) a description, developed in consultation with the 
     Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior, 
     of all marine mammal stranding agreements in place for the 
     Arctic region of the United States, including species 
     covered, response capabilities, facilities and equipment, and 
     data collection and analysis capabilities;
       ``(B) a list of State and local government agencies that 
     have personnel trained to respond to marine mammal strandings 
     in the Arctic region of the United States;
       ``(C) an assessment of potential response and data 
     collection partners and sources of local information and 
     knowledge, including Alaska Native people and villages;
       ``(D) an analysis of spatial and temporal trends in marine 
     mammal strandings and unusual mortality events that are 
     correlated with changing environmental conditions in the 
     Arctic region of the United States;
       ``(E) a description of training and other resource needs to 
     meet emerging response requirements in the Arctic region of 
     the United States;
       ``(F) an analysis of oiled marine mammal response and 
     rehabilitation capabilities in the Arctic region of the 
     United States, including personnel, equipment, facilities, 
     training, and husbandry capabilities, and an assessment of 
     factors that affect response and rehabilitation success 
     rates; and
       ``(G) recommendations to address future stranding response 
     needs for marine mammals in the Arctic region of the United 
     States.''.
       (b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The table of contents in 
     the first section of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 
     (Public Law 92-522; 86 Stat. 1027) (as amended by section 
     5508(b)) is amended by inserting after the item related to 
     section 408A the following:

``Sec. 408B. Reports to Congress.

     SEC. 5510. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 409 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16 
     U.S.C. 1421g) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``1993 and 1994;'' and 
     inserting ``2023 through 2028;'';
       (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``1993 and 1994;'' and 
     inserting ``2023 through 2028;''; and
       (3) in paragraph (3), by striking ``fiscal year 1993.'' and 
     inserting ``for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2028.''.

     SEC. 5511. DEFINITIONS.

       Section 410 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16 
     U.S.C. 1421h) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (6) as 
     paragraphs (2), (5), (6), (7), (8), and (9), respectively;
       (2) by inserting before paragraph (2) (as so redesignated) 
     the following:
       ``(1) The term `entangle' or `entanglement' means an event 
     in the wild in which a living or dead marine mammal has gear, 
     rope, line, net, or other material wrapped around or attached 
     to the marine mammal and is--
       ``(A) on lands under the jurisdiction of the United States, 
     including beaches and shorelines; or
       ``(B) in waters under the jurisdiction of the United 
     States, including any navigable waters.'';
       (3) in paragraph (2) (as so redesignated) by striking ``The 
     term'' and inserting ``Except as used in section 408, the 
     term'';
       (4) by inserting after paragraph (2) (as so redesignated) 
     the following:
       ``(3) The term `Health MAP' means the Marine Mammal Health 
     Monitoring and Analysis Platform established under section 
     408A(a)(1).
       ``(4) The term `Observation System' means the National 
     Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System established 
     under section 12304 of the Integrated Coastal and Ocean 
     Observation System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3603).''.

     SEC. 5512. STUDY ON MARINE MAMMAL MORTALITY.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 12 months after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Undersecretary of Commerce for 
     Oceans and Atmosphere shall, in consultation with the 
     Secretary of the Interior and the Marine Mammal Commission, 
     conduct a study evaluating the connections among marine heat 
     waves, frequency and intensity of harmful algal blooms, prey 
     availability, and habitat degradation, and the impacts of 
     these conditions on marine mammal mortality.
       (b) Report.--The Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
     Atmosphere, in consultation with the Secretary of the 
     Interior and the Marine Mammal Commission, shall prepare, 
     post to a publicly available website, and brief the 
     appropriate committees of Congress on, a report containing 
     the results of the study described in subsection (a). The 
     report shall identify priority research activities, 
     opportunities for collaboration, and current gaps in effort 
     and resource limitations related to advancing scientific 
     understanding of how ocean heat waves, harmful algae blooms, 
     availability of prey, and habitat degradation impact marine 
     mammal mortality. The report shall include recommendations 
     for policies needed to mitigate and respond to mortality 
     events.

                   TITLE LVI--VOLCANIC ASH AND FUMES

     SEC. 5601. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Volcanic Ash and Fumes Act 
     of 2022''.

     SEC. 5602. MODIFICATIONS TO NATIONAL VOLCANO EARLY WARNING 
                   AND MONITORING SYSTEM.

       (a) Definitions.--Subsection (a) of section 5001 of the 
     John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation 
     Act (43 U.S.C. 31k) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3);
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
       ``(2) Secretary of commerce.--The term `Secretary of 
     Commerce' means the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the 
     Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(4) Volcanic ash advisory center.--The term `Volcanic Ash 
     Advisory Center' means an entity designated by the 
     International Civil Aviation Organization that is responsible 
     for informing aviation interests about the presence of 
     volcanic ash in the airspace.''.
       (b) Purposes.--Subsection (b)(1)(B) of such section is 
     amended--
       (1) in clause (i), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (2) in clause (ii), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(iii) to strengthen the warning and monitoring systems of 
     volcano observatories in the United States by integrating 
     relevant capacities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration, including with the Volcanic Ash Advisory 
     Centers located in Anchorage, Alaska, and Washington, DC, to 
     observe and model emissions of gases, aerosols, and ash, 
     atmospheric dynamics and chemistry, and ocean chemistry 
     resulting from volcanic eruptions.''.
       (c) System Components.--Subsection (b)(2) of such section 
     is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (B)--
       (A) by striking ``and'' before ``spectrometry''; and
       (B) by inserting ``, and unoccupied aerial vehicles'' after 
     ``emissions''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(C) Memorandum of understanding.--The Secretary and the 
     Secretary of Commerce shall develop and execute a memorandum 
     of understanding to establish cooperative support for the 
     activities of the System from the National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration, including environmental 
     observations, modeling, and temporary duty assignments of 
     personnel to support emergency activities, as necessary or 
     appropriate.''.
       (d) Management.--Subsection (b)(3) of such section is 
     amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (A), by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(iii) Update.--

       ``(I) National oceanic and atmospheric administration cost 
     estimates.--The Secretary of Commerce shall submit to the 
     Secretary annual cost estimates for modernization activities 
     and support of the System for the National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration.
       ``(II) Update of management plan.--The Secretary shall 
     update the management plan submitted under clause (i) to 
     include the cost estimates submitted under subclause (I).''; 
     and

       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(E) Collaboration.--The Secretary of Commerce shall 
     collaborate with the Secretary to implement activities 
     carried out under this section related to the expertise of 
     the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
     including observations and modeling of emissions of gases, 
     aerosols, and ash, atmospheric dynamics and chemistry, and 
     ocean chemistry resulting from volcanic eruptions.''.
       (e) Funding.--Subsection (c) of such section is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1)--
       (A) in the paragraph heading, by inserting ``, united 
     states geological survey'' after ``appropriations''; and
       (B) by inserting ``to the United States Geological Survey'' 
     after ``appropriated'';.
       (2) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3);
       (3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
       ``(2) Authorization of appropriations, national oceanic and 
     atmospheric administration.--There is authorized to be 
     appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration to carry out this section such sums as may be 
     necessary for the period of fiscal years 2023 through 
     2024.''; and
       (4) in paragraph (3), as redesignated by paragraph (2)--
       (A) by striking ``United States Geological Survey''; and
       (B) by inserting ``of the United States Geological Survey 
     and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration'' 
     after ``programs''.
       (f) Implementation Plan.--
       (1) Development of plan.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, 
     in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, shall 
     develop a plan to implement the amendments made by this Act 
     during the 5-year period beginning on the date on which the 
     plan is developed.
       (2) Elements.--The plan developed under paragraph (1) shall 
     include an estimate of the cost and schedule required for the 
     implementation described in such paragraph.
       (3) Public availability.--Upon completion of the plan 
     developed under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Commerce 
     shall make the plan publicly available.

[[Page S6604]]

  


           TITLE LVII--WILDFIRE AND FIRE WEATHER PREPAREDNESS

     SEC. 5701. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Fire Ready Nation Act of 
     2022''.

     SEC. 5702. DEFINITIONS.

       In this title:
       (1) Administration.--The term ``Administration'' means the 
     National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
       (2) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
     ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
     of the Senate; and
       (B) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 
     House of Representatives.
       (3) Earth system model.--The term ``Earth system model'' 
     means a mathematical model containing all relevant components 
     of the Earth, namely the atmosphere, oceans, land, 
     cryosphere, and biosphere.
       (4) Fire environment.--The term ``fire environment'' 
     means--
       (A) the environmental conditions, such as soil moisture, 
     vegetation, topography, snowpack, atmospheric temperature, 
     moisture, and wind, that influence--
       (i) fuel and fire behavior; and
       (ii) smoke dispersion and transport; and
       (B) the associated environmental impacts occurring during 
     and after fire events.
       (5) Fire weather.--The term ``fire weather'' means the 
     weather conditions that influence the start, spread, 
     character, or behavior of wildfire or fires at the wildland-
     urban interface and relevant meteorological and chemical 
     phenomena, including air quality, smoke, and meteorological 
     parameters such as relative humidity, air temperature, wind 
     speed and direction, and atmospheric composition and 
     chemistry, including emissions and mixing heights.
       (6) Impact-based decision support services.--The term 
     ``impact-based decision support services'' means forecast 
     advice and interpretative services the Administration 
     provides to help core partners, such as emergency personnel 
     and public safety officials, make decisions when weather, 
     water, and climate impact the lives and livelihoods of the 
     people of the United States.
       (7) Seasonal.--The term ``seasonal'' has the meaning given 
     that term in section 2 of the Weather Research and 
     Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8501).
       (8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Commerce.
       (9) Smoke.--The term ``smoke'' means emissions, including 
     the gases and particles released into the air as a result of 
     combustion.
       (10) State.--The term ``State'' means a State, the District 
     of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American 
     Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the 
     United State Virgin Islands, the Federated States of 
     Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the 
     Republic of Palau.
       (11) Subseasonal.--The term ``subseasonal'' has the meaning 
     given that term in section 2 of the Weather Research and 
     Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8501).
       (12) Tribal government.--The term ``Tribal government'' 
     means the recognized governing body of any Indian or Alaska 
     Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, community, 
     component band, or component reservation, individually 
     identified (including parenthetically) in the list published 
     most recently as of the date of enactment of this Act 
     pursuant to section 104 of the Federally Recognized Indian 
     Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131).
       (13) Under secretary.--The term ``Under Secretary'' means 
     the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.
       (14) Weather enterprise.--The term ``weather enterprise'' 
     has the meaning given that term in section 2 of the Weather 
     Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 
     8501).
       (15) Wildfire.--The term ``wildfire'' means any non-
     structure fire that occurs in vegetation or natural fuels, 
     originating from an unplanned ignition.
       (16) Wildland-urban interface.--The term ``wildland-urban 
     interface'' means the area, zone, or region of transition 
     between unoccupied or undeveloped land and human development 
     where structures and other human development meet or 
     intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels.

     SEC. 5703. ESTABLISHMENT OF FIRE WEATHER SERVICES PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Under Secretary shall establish and 
     maintain a coordinated fire weather services program among 
     the offices of the Administration in existence as of the date 
     of the enactment of this Act and designated by the Under 
     Secretary.
       (b) Program Functions.--The functions of the program 
     established under subsection (a), consistent with the 
     priorities described in section 101 of the Weather Research 
     and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8511), 
     shall be--
       (1) to support readiness, responsiveness, understanding, 
     and overall resilience of the United States to wildfires, 
     fire weather, smoke, and other associated conditions, 
     hazards, and impacts in built and natural environments and at 
     the wildland-urban interface;
       (2) to collaboratively develop and disseminate accurate, 
     precise, effective, and timely risk communications, 
     forecasts, watches, and warnings relating to wildfires, fire 
     weather, smoke, and other associated conditions, hazards, and 
     impacts, as applicable, with Federal land management 
     agencies;
       (3) to partner with and support the public, Federal, State, 
     and Tribal governments, and academic and local partners 
     through the development of capabilities, impact-based 
     decision support services, and overall service delivery and 
     utility;
       (4) to conduct and support research and development of new 
     and innovative models, technologies, techniques, products, 
     systems, processes, and procedures to improve understanding 
     of wildfires, fire weather, air quality, and the fire 
     environment;
       (5) to develop strong research-to-operations and 
     operations-to-research transitions, in order to facilitate 
     delivery of products, services, and tools to operational 
     users and platforms; and
       (6) to develop, in coordination with Federal land 
     management agencies and the Armed Forces, as appropriate, 
     impact-based decision support services that operationalize 
     and integrate the functions described in paragraphs (1) 
     through (5) in order to provide comprehensive impact-based 
     decision support services that encompass the fire 
     environment.
       (c) Program Priorities.--In developing and implementing the 
     program established under subsection (a), the Under Secretary 
     shall prioritize--
       (1) development of a fire weather-enabled Earth system 
     model and data assimilation systems that--
       (A) are capable of prediction and forecasting across 
     relevant spatial and temporal timescales;
       (B) include variables associated with fire weather, air 
     quality from smoke, and the fire environment;
       (C) improve understanding of the connections between fire 
     weather and modes of climate variability; and
       (D) incorporate emerging techniques such as artificial 
     intelligence, machine learning, and cloud computing;
       (2) advancement of existing and new observational 
     capabilities, including satellite-, airborne-, air-, and 
     ground-based systems and technologies and social networking 
     and other public information-gathering applications that--
       (A) identify--
       (i) high-risk pre-ignition conditions;
       (ii) conditions that influence fire behavior and spread 
     including those conditions that suppress active fire events; 
     and
       (iii) fire risk values;
       (B) support real-time notification and monitoring of 
     ignitions;
       (C) support observations and data collection of fire 
     weather and fire environment variables, including smoke, for 
     development of the model and systems under paragraph (1); and
       (D) support forecasts and advancing understanding and 
     research of the impacts of wildfires on military activities, 
     human health, ecosystems, climate, transportation, and 
     economies; and
       (3) development and implementation of advanced and user-
     oriented impact-based decision tools, science, and 
     technologies that--
       (A) ensure real-time and retrospective data, products, and 
     services are findable, accessible, interoperable, usable, 
     inform further research, and are analysis- and decision-
     ready;
       (B) provide targeted information throughout the fire 
     lifecycle including pre-ignition, detection, forecasting, 
     post-fire, and monitoring phases; and
       (C) support early assessment of post-fire hazards, such as 
     air quality, debris flows, mudslides, and flooding.
       (d) Program Activities.--In developing and implementing the 
     program established under subsection (a), the Under Secretary 
     may--
       (1) conduct relevant physical and social science research 
     activities in support of the functions described in 
     subsection (b) and the priorities described in subsection 
     (c);
       (2) conduct relevant activities, in coordination with 
     Federal land management agencies and Federal science 
     agencies, to assess fuel characteristics, including moisture, 
     loading, and other parameters used to determine fire risk 
     levels and outlooks;
       (3) support and conduct research that assesses impacts to 
     marine, riverine, and other relevant ecosystems, which may 
     include forest and rangeland ecosystems, resulting from 
     activities associated with mitigation of and response to 
     wildfires;
       (4) support and conduct attribution science research 
     relating to wildfires, fire weather, fire risk, smoke, and 
     associated conditions, risks, and impacts;
       (5) develop smoke and air quality forecasts, forecast 
     guidance, and prescribed burn weather forecasts, and conduct 
     research on the impact of such forecasts on response behavior 
     that minimizes health-related impacts from smoke exposure;
       (6) use, in coordination with Federal land management 
     agencies, wildland fire resource intelligence to inform fire 
     environment impact-based decision support products and 
     services for safety;
       (7) work with Federal agencies to provide data, tools, and 
     services to support determinations by such agencies for the 
     implementation of mitigation measures;
       (8) provide training and support to ensure effective media 
     utilization of impact-based decision support products and 
     guidance to

[[Page S6605]]

     the public regarding actions needing to be taken;
       (9) provide comprehensive training to ensure staff of the 
     program established under subsection (a) is properly equipped 
     to deliver the impact-based decision support products and 
     services described in paragraphs (1) through (6); and
       (10) acquire through contracted purchase private sector-
     produced observational data to fill identified gaps, as 
     needed.
       (e) Collaboration; Agreements.--
       (1) Collaboration.--The Under Secretary shall, as the Under 
     Secretary considers appropriate, collaborate and consult with 
     partners in the weather and climate enterprises, academic 
     institutions, States, Tribal governments, local partners, and 
     Federal agencies, including land and fire management 
     agencies, in the development and implementation of the 
     program established under subsection (a).
       (2) Agreements.--The Under Secretary may enter into 
     agreements in support of the functions described in 
     subsection (b), the priorities described in subsection (c), 
     the activities described in subsection (d), and activities 
     carried out under section 5708.
       (f) Program Administration Plan.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall submit 
     to the appropriate committees of Congress a plan that details 
     how the program established under subsection (a) will be 
     administered and governed within the Administration.
       (2) Elements.--The plan required by paragraph (1) should 
     include a description of--
       (A) how the functions described in subsection (b), the 
     priorities described in subsection (c), and the activities 
     described in subsection (d) will be distributed among the 
     line offices of the Administration; and
       (B) the mechanisms in place to ensure seamless coordination 
     among those offices.

     SEC. 5704. NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION 
                   DATA MANAGEMENT.

       Section 301 of the Weather Research and Forecasting 
     Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8531) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as subsections 
     (g) and (h), respectively; and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following:
       ``(f) Data Availability and Management.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall--
       ``(A) make data and metadata generated or collected by the 
     National Oceanic and Administration that the Under Secretary 
     has the legal right to redistribute fully and openly 
     available, in accordance with chapter 35 of title 44, United 
     States Code, and the Foundations for Evidence-Based 
     Policymaking Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-435; 132 Stat. 5529) 
     and the amendments made by that Act, and preserve and curate 
     such data and metadata, in accordance with chapter 31 of 
     title 44, United States Code (commonly known as the `Federal 
     Records Act of 1950'), in order to maximize use of such data 
     and metadata; and
       ``(B) manage and steward the access, archival, and 
     retrieval activities for the data and metadata described in 
     subparagraph (A) by--
       ``(i) using--

       ``(I) enterprise-wide infrastructure, emerging 
     technologies, commercial partnerships, and the skilled 
     workforce needed to provide appropriate data management from 
     collection to broad access; and
       ``(II) associated information services; and

       ``(ii) pursuing the maximum interoperability of data and 
     information by--

       ``(I) leveraging data, information, knowledge, and tools 
     from across the Federal Government to support equitable 
     access, cross-sectoral collaboration and innovation, and 
     local planning and decision-making; and
       ``(II) developing standards and practices for the adoption 
     and citation of digital object identifiers for datasets, 
     models, and analytical tools.

       ``(2) Collaboration.--In carrying out this subsection, the 
     Under Secretary shall collaborate with such Federal partners 
     and stakeholders as the Under Secretary considers relevant--
       ``(A) to develop standards to pursue maximum 
     interoperability of data, information, knowledge, and tools 
     across the Federal Government, convert historical records 
     into common digital formats, and improve access and usability 
     of data by partners and stakeholders;
       ``(B) to identify and solicit relevant data from Federal 
     and international partners and other relevant stakeholders, 
     as the Under Secretary considers appropriate;
       ``(C) to develop standards and practices for the adoption 
     and citation of digital object identifiers for datasets, 
     models, and analytical tools; and
       ``(D) to ensure that, to the maximum extent possible, data 
     access and distribution is compatible with national security 
     equities.''.

     SEC. 5705. DIGITAL FIRE WEATHER SERVICES AND DATA MANAGEMENT.

       (a) In General.--
       (1) Digital presence.--The Under Secretary shall develop 
     and maintain a comprehensive, centralized, and publicly 
     accessible digital presence designed to promote findability, 
     accessibility, interoperability, usability, and utility of 
     the services, tools, data, and information produced by the 
     program established under section 5703(a).
       (2) Digital platform and tools.--In carrying out paragraph 
     (1), the Under Secretary shall seek to ensure the digital 
     platform and tools of the Administration integrate geospatial 
     data, decision support tools, training, and best practices to 
     provide real-time fire weather forecasts and address fire-
     related issues and needs.
       (b) Internet-based Tools.--In carrying out subsections (a) 
     and (b), the Under Secretary shall develop and implement 
     internet-based tools, such as webpages and smartphone and 
     other mobile applications, to increase utility and access to 
     services and products for the benefit of users.

     SEC. 5706. HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTING.

       (a) In General.--The Under Secretary shall seek to acquire 
     sufficient high-performance computing resources and capacity 
     for research, operations, and data storage in support of the 
     program established under section 5703(a).
       (b) Considerations.--In acquiring high-performance 
     computing capacity under subsection (a), the Under Secretary 
     shall consider requirements needed for--
       (1) conducting research and development;
       (2) the transition of research and testbed developments 
     into operations;
       (3) capabilities existing in other Federal agencies and the 
     commercial sector; and
       (4) skilled workforce development.

     SEC. 5707. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE REPORT ON FIRE 
                   WEATHER SERVICES PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the 
     United States shall submit to Congress a report on the 
     program established under section 5703(a).
       (b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) 
     shall--
       (1) evaluate the performance of the program by establishing 
     initial baseline capabilities and tracking progress made 
     toward fully operationalizing the functions described in 
     section 5703(b); and
       (2) include such other recommendations as the Comptroller 
     General determines are appropriate to improve the program.

     SEC. 5708. FIRE WEATHER TESTBED.

       (a) Establishment of Fire Weather Testbed.--The Under 
     Secretary shall establish a fire weather testbed that enables 
     engagement across the Federal Government, State and local 
     governments, academia, private and federally funded research 
     laboratories, the private sector, and end-users in order to 
     evaluate the accuracy and usability of technology, models, 
     fire weather products and services, and other research to 
     accelerate the implementation, transition to operations, and 
     use of new capabilities by the Administration, Federal and 
     land management agencies, and other relevant stakeholders.
       (b) Uncrewed Aircraft Systems.--
       (1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall--
       (A) research and assess the role and potential of uncrewed 
     aircraft systems to improve data collection in support of 
     modeling, observations, predictions, forecasts, and impact-
     based decision support services;
       (B) transition uncrewed aircraft systems technologies from 
     research to operations as the Under Secretary considers 
     appropriate; and
       (C) coordinate with other Federal agencies that may be 
     developing uncrewed aircraft systems and related technologies 
     to meet the challenges of wildland fire management.
       (2) Pilot required.--In carrying out paragraph (1), not 
     later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act, the Under Secretary shall conduct pilots of uncrewed 
     aircraft systems for fire weather and fire environment 
     observations, including--
       (A) testing of uncrewed systems in approximations of real-
     world scenarios;
       (B) assessment of the utility of meteorological data 
     collected from fire response and assessment aircraft;
       (C) input of the collected data into appropriate models to 
     predict fire behavior, including coupled atmosphere and fire 
     models; and
       (D) collection of best management practices for deployment 
     of uncrewed systems and other remote data technology, 
     including for communication and coordination between the 
     stakeholders described in subsection (a).
       (3) Prohibition.--
       (A) In general.--Except as provided under subparagraphs (B) 
     and (C), the Under Secretary may not procure any covered 
     uncrewed aircraft system that is manufactured or assembled by 
     a covered foreign entity, which includes associated elements 
     (consisting of communication links and the components that 
     control the uncrewed aircraft) that are required for the 
     operator to operate safely and efficiently in the national 
     airspace system. The Federal Acquisition Security Council, in 
     coordination with the Secretary of Transportation, shall 
     develop and update a list of associated elements.
       (B) Exemption.--The Under Secretary, in consultation with 
     the Secretary of Homeland Security, is exempt from the 
     prohibition under subparagraph (A) if the operation or 
     procurement is necessary for the sole purpose of marine or 
     atmospheric science or management.
       (C) Waiver.--The Under Secretary may waive the prohibition 
     under subparagraph (A) on a case-by-case basis--
       (i) with the approval of the Secretary of Homeland Security 
     or the Secretary of Defense; and
       (ii) upon notification to Congress.
       (D) Definitions.--In this paragraph:

[[Page S6606]]

       (i) Covered foreign entity.--The term ``covered foreign 
     entity'' means an entity included on a list developed and 
     maintained by the Federal Acquisition Security Council. The 
     list shall include entities in the following categories:

       (I) An entity included on the Consolidated Screening List.
       (II) Any entity that is subject to extrajudicial direction 
     from a foreign government, as determined by the Secretary of 
     Homeland Security.
       (III) Any entity the Secretary of Homeland Security, in 
     coordination with the Director of National Intelligence and 
     the Secretary of Defense, determines poses a national 
     security risk.
       (IV) Any entity domiciled in the People's Republic of China 
     or subject to influence or control by the Government of the 
     People's Republic of China or the Communist Party of the 
     People's Republic of China, as determined by the Secretary of 
     Homeland Security.
       (V) Any subsidiary or affiliate of an entity described in 
     subclauses (I) through (IV).

       (ii) Covered uncrewed aircraft system.--The term ``covered 
     uncrewed aircraft system'' has the meaning given the term 
     ``unmanned aircraft system'' in section 44801 of title 49, 
     United States Code.
       (4) Savings clause.--
       (A) In general.--In carrying out activities under this 
     subsection, the Under Secretary shall ensure that any testing 
     or deployment of uncrewed aircraft systems follow procedures, 
     restrictions, and protocols established by the heads of the 
     Federal agencies with statutory or regulatory jurisdiction 
     over any airspace in which wildfire response activities are 
     conducted during an active wildfire event.
       (B) Consultation and coordination.--The Under Secretary 
     shall consult and coordinate with relevant Federal land 
     management agencies, Federal science agencies, and the 
     Federal Aviation Administration to develop processes for the 
     appropriate deployment of the systems described in 
     subparagraph (A).
       (c) Additional Pilot Projects.--The Under Secretary shall 
     establish additional pilot projects relating to the fire 
     weather testbed that may include the following elements:
       (1) Advanced satellite detection products.
       (2) Procurement and use of commercial data.

     SEC. 5709. FIRE WEATHER SURVEYS AND ASSESSMENTS.

       (a) Annual Post-fire-weather Season Survey and 
     Assessment.--
       (1) In general.--During the second winter following the 
     enactment of this Act, and each year thereafter, the Under 
     Secretary shall conduct a post-fire-weather season survey and 
     assessment.
       (2) Elements.--After conducting a post-fire-weather season 
     survey and assessment under paragraph (1), the Under 
     Secretary shall--
       (A) investigate any gaps in data collected during the 
     assessment;
       (B) identify and implement strategies and procedures to 
     improve program services and information dissemination;
       (C) update systems, processes, strategies, and procedures 
     to enhance the efficiency and reliability of data obtained 
     from the assessment;
       (D) evaluate the accuracy and efficacy of physical fire 
     weather forecasting information for each incident included in 
     the survey and assessment; and
       (E) assess and refine performance measures, as needed.
       (b) Surveys and Assessments Following Individual Wildfire 
     Events.--The Under Secretary may conduct surveys and 
     assessments following individual wildfire events as the Under 
     Secretary determines necessary.
       (c) Goal.--In carrying out activities under this section, 
     the Under Secretary shall seek to increase the number of 
     post-wildfire community impact studies, including by 
     surveying individual and collective responses and 
     incorporating other applicable topics of social science 
     research.
       (d) Annual Briefing.--Not less frequently than once each 
     year, the Under Secretary shall provide a briefing to the 
     appropriate committees of Congress that provides--
       (1) an overview of the fire season; and
       (2) an outlook for the fire season for the coming year.
       (e) Coordination.--In conducting any survey or assessment 
     under this section, the Under Secretary shall coordinate with 
     Federal, State, and local partners, Tribal governments, 
     private entities, and such institutions of higher education 
     as the Under Secretary considers relevant in order to--
       (1) improve operations and collaboration; and
       (2) optimize data collection, sharing, integration, 
     assimilation, and dissemination.
       (f) Data Availability.--The Under Secretary shall make the 
     data and findings obtained from each assessment conducted 
     under this section available to the public in an accessible 
     digital format as soon as practicable after conducting the 
     assessment.
       (g) Service Improvements.--The Under Secretary shall make 
     best efforts to incorporate the results and recommendations 
     of each assessment conducted under this section into the 
     research and development plan and operations of the 
     Administration.

     SEC. 5710. INCIDENT METEOROLOGIST SERVICE.

       (a) Establishment.--The Under Secretary shall establish and 
     maintain an Incident Meteorologist Service within the 
     National Weather Service (in this section referred to as the 
     ``Service'').
       (b) Inclusion of Existing Incident Meteorologists.--The 
     Service shall include--
       (1) the incident meteorologists of the Administration as of 
     the date of the enactment of this Act; and
       (2) such incident meteorologists of the Administration as 
     may be appointed after such date.
       (c) Functions.--The Service shall provide--
       (1) on-site impact-based decision support services to 
     Federal, State, Tribal government, and local government 
     emergency response agencies preceding, during, and following 
     wildland fires or other events that threaten life or 
     property, including high-impact and extreme weather events; 
     and
       (2) support to Federal, State, Tribal government, and local 
     government decision makers, partners, and stakeholders for 
     seasonal planning.
       (d) Deployment.--The Service shall be deployed--
       (1) as determined by the Under Secretary; or
       (2) at the request of the head of another Federal agency 
     and with the approval of the Under Secretary.
       (e) Staffing and Resources.--In establishing and 
     maintaining the Service, the Under Secretary shall identify, 
     acquire, and maintain adequate levels of staffing and 
     resources to meet user needs.
       (f) Symbol.--
       (1) In general.--The Under Secretary may--
       (A) create, adopt, and publish in the Federal Register a 
     symbol for the Service; and
       (B) restrict the use of such symbol as appropriate.
       (2) Use of symbol.--The Under Secretary may authorize the 
     use of a symbol adopted under this subsection by any 
     individual or entity as the Under Secretary considers 
     appropriate.
       (3) Contract authority.--The Under Secretary may award 
     contracts for the creation of symbols under this subsection.
       (4) Offense.--It shall be unlawful for any person--
       (A) to represent themselves as an official of the Service 
     absent the designation or approval of the Under Secretary;
       (B) to manufacture, reproduce, or otherwise use any symbol 
     adopted by the Under Secretary under this subsection, 
     including to sell any item bearing such a symbol, unless 
     authorized by the Under Secretary; or
       (C) to violate any regulation promulgated by the Secretary 
     under this subsection.
       (g) Support for Incident Meteorologists.--The Under 
     Secretary shall provide resources, access to real-time fire 
     weather forecasts, training, administrative and logistical 
     support, and access to professional counseling or other forms 
     of support as the Under Secretary considers appropriate for 
     the betterment of the emotional and mental health and well-
     being of incident meteorologists and other employees of the 
     Administration involved with response to high-impact and 
     extreme fire weather events.

     SEC. 5711. AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVING SYSTEM.

       (a) Joint Assessment and Plan.--
       (1) In general.--The Under Secretary, in collaboration with 
     the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration and 
     the Secretary of Defense, shall--
       (A) conduct an assessment of resources, personnel, 
     procedures, and activities necessary to maximize the 
     functionality and utility of the automated surface observing 
     system of the United States that identifies--
       (i) key system upgrades needed to improve observation 
     quality and utility for weather forecasting, aviation safety, 
     and other users;
       (ii) improvements needed in observations within the 
     planetary boundary layer, including mixing height;
       (iii) improvements needed in public accessibility of 
     observational data;
       (iv) improvements needed to reduce latency in reporting of 
     observational data;
       (v) relevant data to be collected for the production of 
     forecasts or forecast guidance relating to atmospheric 
     composition, including particulate and air quality data, and 
     aviation safety;
       (vi) areas of concern regarding operational continuity and 
     reliability of the system, which may include needs for on-
     night staff, particularly in remote and rural areas and areas 
     where system failure would have the greatest negative impact 
     to the community;
       (vii) stewardship, data handling, data distribution, and 
     product generation needs arising from upgrading and changing 
     the automated surface observation systems;
       (viii) possible solutions for areas of concern identified 
     under clause (vi), including with respect to the potential 
     use of backup systems, power and communication system 
     reliability, staffing needs and personnel location, and the 
     acquisition of critical component backups and proper storage 
     location to ensure rapid system repair necessary to ensure 
     system operational continuity; and
       (ix) research, development, and transition to operations 
     needed to develop advanced data collection, quality control, 
     and distribution so that the data are provided to models, 
     users, and decision support systems in a timely manner; and
       (B) develop and implement a plan that addresses the 
     findings of the assessment conducted under subparagraph (A), 
     including by seeking and allocating resources necessary to 
     ensure that system upgrades are standardized across the 
     Administration, the Federal

[[Page S6607]]

     Aviation Administration, and the Department of Defense to the 
     extent practicable.
       (2) Standardization.--Any system standardization 
     implemented under paragraph (1)(B) shall not impede 
     activities to upgrade or improve individual units of the 
     system.
       (3) Remote automatic weather station coordination.--The 
     Under Secretary, in collaboration with relevant Federal 
     agencies and the National Interagency Fire Center, shall 
     assess and develop cooperative agreements to improve 
     coordination, interoperability standards, operations, and 
     placement of remote automatic weather stations for the 
     purpose of improving utility and coverage of remote automatic 
     weather stations, automated surface observation systems, 
     smoke monitoring platforms, and other similar stations and 
     systems for weather and climate operations.
       (b) Report to Congress.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary, in 
     collaboration with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
     Administration and the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to 
     the appropriate committees of Congress a report that--
       (A) details the findings of the assessment required by 
     subparagraph (A) of subsection (a)(1); and
       (B) the plan required by subparagraph (B) of such 
     subsection.
       (2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
     include a detailed assessment of appropriations required--
       (A) to address the findings of the assessment required by 
     subparagraph (A) of subsection (a)(1); and
       (B) to implement the plan required by subparagraph (B) of 
     such subsection.
       (c) Government Accountability Office Report.--Not later 
     than 4 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to 
     Congress a report that--
       (1) evaluates the functionality, utility, reliability, and 
     operational status of the automated surface observing system 
     across the Administration, the Federal Aviation 
     Administration, and the Department of Defense;
       (2) evaluates the progress, performance, and implementation 
     of the plan required by subsection (a)(1)(B);
       (3) assesses the efficacy of cross-agency collaboration and 
     stakeholder engagement in carrying out the plan and provides 
     recommendations to improve such activities;
       (4) evaluates the operational continuity and reliability of 
     the system, particularly in remote and rural areas and areas 
     where system failure would have the greatest negative impact 
     to the community, and provides recommendations to improve 
     such continuity and reliability;
       (5) assesses Federal coordination regarding the remote 
     automatic weather station network, air resource advisors, and 
     other Federal observing assets used for weather and climate 
     modeling and response activities, and provides 
     recommendations for improvements; and
       (6) includes such other recommendations as the Comptroller 
     General determines are appropriate to improve the system.

     SEC. 5712. EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACTIVITIES.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Basic pay.--The term ``basic pay'' includes any 
     applicable locality-based comparability payment under section 
     5304 of title 5, United States Code, any applicable special 
     rate supplement under section 5305 of such title, or any 
     equivalent payment under a similar provision of law.
       (2) Covered employee.--The term ``covered employee'' means 
     an employee of the Department of Agriculture, the Department 
     of the Interior, or the Department of Commerce.
       (3) Covered services.--The term ``covered services'' means 
     services that are performed by a covered employee while 
     serving--
       (A) as a wildland firefighter or a fire management response 
     official, including a regional fire director, a deputy 
     regional fire director, and a fire management officer;
       (B) as an incident meteorologist accompanying a wildland 
     firefighter crew; or
       (C) on an incident management team, at the National 
     Interagency Fire Center, at a Geographic Area Coordinating 
     Center, or at an operations center.
       (4) Premium pay.--The term ``premium pay'' means premium 
     pay paid under a provision of law described in the matter 
     preceding paragraph (1) of section 5547(a) of title 5, United 
     States Code.
       (5) Relevant committees.--The term ``relevant committees'' 
     means--
       (A) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
     Affairs of the Senate;
       (B) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
     of the Senate;
       (C) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 
     of the Senate;
       (D) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
       (E) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 
     Senate;
       (F) the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of 
     Representatives;
       (G) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
     Representatives;
       (H) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 
     House of Representatives;
       (I) the Committee on Agriculture of the House of 
     Representative; and
       (J) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (6) Secretary concerned.--The term ``Secretary concerned'' 
     means--
       (A) the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to an 
     employee of the Department of Agriculture;
       (B) the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to an 
     employee of the Department of the Interior; and
       (C) the Secretary of Commerce, with respect to an employee 
     of the Department of Commerce.
       (b) Waiver.--
       (1) In general.--Any premium pay received by a covered 
     employee for covered services shall be disregarded in 
     calculating the aggregate of the basic pay and premium pay 
     for the covered employee for purposes of applying the 
     limitation on premium pay under section 5547(a) of title 5, 
     United States Code.
       (2) Calculation of aggregate pay.--Any pay that is 
     disregarded under paragraph (1) shall be disregarded in 
     calculating the aggregate pay of the applicable covered 
     employee for purposes of applying the limitation under 
     section 5307 of title 5, United States Code, during calendar 
     year 2023.
       (3) Limitation.--A covered employee may not be paid premium 
     pay under this subsection if, or to the extent that, the 
     aggregate of the basic pay and premium pay (including premium 
     pay for covered services) of the covered employee for a 
     calendar year would exceed the rate of basic pay payable for 
     a position at level II of the Executive Schedule under 
     section 5313 of title 5, United States Code, as in effect at 
     the end of that calendar year.
       (4) Treatment of additional premium pay.--If the 
     application of this subsection results in the payment of 
     additional premium pay to a covered employee of a type that 
     is normally creditable as basic pay for retirement or any 
     other purpose, that additional premium pay shall not be--
       (A) considered to be basic pay of the covered employee for 
     any purpose; or
       (B) used in computing a lump-sum payment to the covered 
     employee for accumulated and accrued annual leave under 
     section 5551 or 5552 of title 5, United States Code.
       (5) Effective period.--This subsection shall be in effect 
     during calendar year 2023 and apply to premium pay payable 
     during that year.
       (c) Amendment.--Section 5542(a)(5) of title 5, United 
     States Code, is amended by inserting ``, the Department of 
     Commerce,'' after ``Interior''.
       (d) Plan to Address Needs.--
       (1) Development and implementation.--Not later than March 
     30, 2023, the Secretaries referred to in subsection (a)(6), 
     in consultation with the Director of the Office of Management 
     and Budget and the Director of the Office of Personnel 
     Management, shall jointly develop and implement a plan that 
     addresses the needs of the Department of Agriculture, the 
     Department of the Interior, and the Department of Commerce, 
     as applicable, to hire, appoint, promote, or train additional 
     covered employees who carry out covered services such that 
     sufficient covered employees are available throughout each 
     fiscal year, beginning in fiscal year 2024, without the need 
     for waivers of premium pay limitations.
       (2) Submittal.--Not later than 30 days before the date on 
     which the Secretaries implement the plan developed under 
     paragraph (1), the Secretaries shall submit the plan to the 
     relevant committees.
       (3) Limitation.--The plan developed under paragraph (1) 
     shall not be contingent on any Secretary receiving amounts 
     appropriated for fiscal years beginning in fiscal year 2024 
     in amounts greater than amounts appropriated for fiscal year 
     2023.
       (e) Policies and Procedures for Health, Safety, and Well-
     being.--The Secretary concerned shall maintain polices and 
     procedures to promote the health, safety, and well-being of 
     covered employees.

     SEC. 5713. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE REPORT ON 
                   INTERAGENCY WILDFIRE FORECASTING, PREVENTION, 
                   PLANNING, AND MANAGEMENT BODIES.

       Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall 
     submit to Congress a report that--
       (1) identifies all Federal interagency bodies established 
     for the purpose of wildfire forecasting, prevention, 
     planning, and management (such as wildfire councils, 
     commissions, and workgroups), including--
       (A) the Wildland Fire Leadership Council;
       (B) the National Interagency Fire Center;
       (C) the Wildland Fire Management Policy Committee;
       (D) the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission;
       (E) the Joint Science Fire Program;
       (F) the National Interagency Coordination Center;
       (G) the National Predictive Services Oversight Group;
       (H) the Interagency Council for Advancing Meteorological 
     Services;
       (I) the National Wildfire Coordinating Group;
       (J) the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group; and
       (K) the Mitigation Framework Leadership Group;
       (2) evaluates the roles, functionality, and utility of such 
     interagency bodies;
       (3) evaluates the progress, performance, and implementation 
     of such interagency bodies;
       (4) assesses efficacy and identifies potential overlap and 
     duplication of such interagency bodies in carrying out 
     interagency

[[Page S6608]]

     collaboration with respect to wildfire prevention, planning, 
     and management; and
       (5) includes such other recommendations as the Comptroller 
     General determines are appropriate to streamline and improve 
     wildfire forecasting, prevention, planning, and management, 
     including recommendations regarding the interagency bodies 
     for which the addition of the Administration is necessary to 
     improve wildfire forecasting, prevention, planning, and 
     management.

     SEC. 5714. AMENDMENTS TO INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS 
                   ACT RELATING TO WILDFIRE MITIGATION.

       The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-
     58; 135 Stat. 429) is amended--
       (1) in section 70202--
       (A) in paragraph (1)--
       (i) in subparagraph (J), by striking ``; and'' and 
     inserting a semicolon;
       (ii) in subparagraph (K), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting a semicolon; and
       (iii) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(L) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation of the Senate; and
       ``(M) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of 
     the House of Representatives.''; and
       (B) in paragraph (6)--
       (i) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``; and'' and 
     inserting a semicolon;
       (ii) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting ``; and''; and
       (iii) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(D) The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Under 
     Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.''; and
       (2) in section 70203(b)(1)(B)--
       (A) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking ``9'' 
     and inserting ``not fewer than 10'';
       (B) in clause (i)--
       (i) in subclause (IV), by striking ``; and'' and inserting 
     a semicolon;
       (ii) in subclause (V), by adding ``and'' at the end; and
       (iii) by adding at the end the following:

       ``(VI) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration.'';

       (C) in clause (iv), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a 
     semicolon; and
       (D) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(vi) if the Secretaries determine it to be appropriate, 1 
     or more representatives from the relevant line offices of the 
     National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and''.

     SEC. 5715. WILDFIRE TECHNOLOGY MODERNIZATION AMENDMENTS.

       Section 1114 of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, 
     Management, and Recreation Act (43 U.S.C. 1748b-1) is 
     amended--
       (1) in subsection (c)(3), by inserting ``the National 
     Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,'' after ``Federal 
     Aviation Administration,'';
       (2) in subsection (e)(2)--
       (A) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); 
     and
       (B) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:
       ``(B) Consultation.--
       ``(i) In general.--In carrying out subparagraph (A), the 
     Secretaries shall consult with the Under Secretary of 
     Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere regarding any development 
     of impact-based decision support services that relate to 
     wildfire-related activities of the National Oceanic and 
     Atmospheric Administration.
       ``(ii) Definition of impact-based decision support 
     services.--In this subparagraph, the term `impact-based 
     decision support services' means forecast advice and 
     interpretative services the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration provides to help core partners, such as 
     emergency personnel and public safety officials, make 
     decisions when weather, water, and climate impact the lives 
     and livelihoods of the people of the United States.''; and
       (3) in subsection (f)--
       (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as 
     subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, and moving such 
     subparagraphs, as so redesignated, 2 ems to the right;
       (B) by striking ``The Secretaries'' and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretaries''; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(2) Collaboration.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the 
     Secretaries shall collaborate with the Under Secretary of 
     Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to improve coordination, 
     utility of systems and assets, and interoperability of data 
     for smoke prediction, forecasting, and modeling.''.

     SEC. 5716. COOPERATION; COORDINATION; SUPPORT TO NON-FEDERAL 
                   ENTITIES.

       (a) Cooperation.--Each Federal agency shall cooperate and 
     coordinate with the Under Secretary, as appropriate, in 
     carrying out this title and the amendments made by this 
     title.
       (b) Coordination.--
       (1) In general.--In meeting the requirements under this 
     title and the amendments made by this title, the Under 
     Secretary shall coordinate, and as appropriate, establish 
     agreements with Federal and external partners to fully use 
     and leverage existing assets, systems, networks, 
     technologies, and sources of data.
       (2) Inclusions.--Coordination carried out under paragraph 
     (1) shall include coordination with--
       (A) the National Interagency Fire Center, including the 
     Predictive Services Program that provides impact-based 
     decision support services to the wildland fire community at 
     the Geographic Area Coordination Center and the National 
     Interagency Coordination Center;
       (B) the National Wildfire Coordinating Group; and
       (C) relevant interagency bodies identified in the report 
     required by section 5713.
       (3) Consultation.--In carrying out this subsection, the 
     Under Secretary shall consult with Federal partners.
       (c) Coordination With Non-Federal Entities.--Not later than 
     540 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Under Secretary shall develop and submit to the appropriate 
     committees of Congress a process for annual coordination with 
     Tribal, State, and local governments to assist the 
     development of improved fire weather products and services.
       (d) Support to Non-Federal Entities.--In carrying out the 
     activities under this title and the amendments made by this 
     title, the Under Secretary may provide support to non-Federal 
     entities by making funds and resources available through--
       (1) competitive grants;
       (2) contracts under the mobility program under subchapter 
     VI of chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code (commonly 
     referred to as the ``Intergovernmental Personnel Act Mobility 
     Program'');
       (3) cooperative agreements; and
       (4) colocation agreements as described in section 502 of 
     the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
     Commissioned Officer Corps Amendments Act of 2020 (33 U.S.C. 
     851 note prec.).

     SEC. 5717. INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION.

       (a) In General.--The Under Secretary, in coordination with 
     the Secretary of State, may develop collaborative 
     relationships with foreign partners and counterparts to 
     address transboundary issues pertaining to wildfires, fire 
     weather, smoke, air quality, and associated conditions and 
     hazards or other relevant meteorological phenomena, as 
     appropriate, to facilitate full and open exchange of data and 
     information.
       (b) Coordination.--In carrying out activities under this 
     section, the Under Secretary shall coordinate with other 
     Federal agencies as the Under Secretary considers relevant.

     SEC. 5718. SUBMISSIONS TO CONGRESS REGARDING THE FIRE WEATHER 
                   SERVICES PROGRAM, INCIDENT METEOROLOGIST 
                   WORKFORCE NEEDS, AND NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE 
                   WORKFORCE SUPPORT.

       (a) Report to Congress.--Not later than 540 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall 
     submit to the appropriate committees of Congress--
       (1) the plan described in subsection (b);
       (2) the assessment described in subsection (c); and
       (3) the assessment described in subsection (d).
       (b) Fire Weather Services Program Plan.--
       (1) Elements.--The plan submitted under subsection (a)(1) 
     shall detail--
       (A) the observational data, modeling requirements, ongoing 
     computational needs, research, development, and technology 
     transfer activities, data management, skilled-personnel 
     requirements, engagement with relevant Federal emergency and 
     land management agencies and partners, and corresponding 
     resources and timelines necessary to achieve the functions 
     described in subsection (b) of section 5703 and the 
     priorities described in subsection (c) of such section; and
       (B) plans and needs for all other activities and 
     requirements under this title and the amendments made by this 
     title.
       (2) Submittal of annual budget for plan.--Following 
     completion of the plan submitted under subsection (a)(1), the 
     Under Secretary shall, not less frequently than once each 
     year concurrent with the submission of the budget by the 
     President to Congress under section 1105 of title 31, United 
     States Code, submit to Congress a proposed budget 
     corresponding with the elements detailed in the plan.
       (c) Incident Meteorologist Workforce Needs Assessment.--
       (1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall conduct a 
     workforce needs assessment on the current and future demand 
     for additional incident meteorologists for wildfires and 
     other high-impact fire weather events.
       (2) Elements.--The assessment required by paragraph (1) 
     shall include the following:
       (A) A description of staffing levels as of the date on 
     which the assessment is submitted under subsection (a)(2) and 
     projected future staffing levels.
       (B) An assessment of the state of the infrastructure of the 
     National Weather Service as of the date on which the 
     assessment is submitted and future needs of such 
     infrastructure in order to meet current and future demands, 
     including with respect to information technology support and 
     logistical and administrative operations.
       (3) Considerations.--In conducting the assessment required 
     by paragraph (1), the Under Secretary shall consider factors 
     including projected climate conditions, infrastructure, 
     relevant hazard meteorological response system equipment, 
     user needs, and feedback from relevant stakeholders.
       (d) Support Services Assessment.--
       (1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall conduct a 
     workforce support services assessment with respect to 
     employees of the National Weather Service engaged in 
     emergency response.
       (2) Elements.--The assessment required by paragraph (1) 
     shall include the following:

[[Page S6609]]

       (A) An assessment of need for further support of employees 
     of the National Weather Service engaged in emergency response 
     through services provided by the Public Health Service.
       (B) A detailed assessment of appropriations required to 
     secure the level of support services needed as identified in 
     the assessment described in subparagraph (A).
       (3) Additional support services.--Following the completion 
     of the assessment required by paragraph (1), the Under 
     Secretary shall seek to acquire additional support services 
     to meet the needs identified in the assessment.

     SEC. 5719. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE REPORT; FIRE 
                   SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY WORKING GROUP; STRATEGIC 
                   PLAN.

       (a) Government Accountability Office Report.--Not later 
     than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to 
     Congress a report that identifies--
       (1) the authorities, roles, and science and support 
     services relating to Federal agencies engaged in or providing 
     wildland fire prediction, detection, forecasting, modeling, 
     resilience, response, management, and assessments; and
       (2) recommended areas in and mechanisms by which the 
     agencies listed under paragraph (1) could support and 
     improve--
       (A) coordination between Federal agencies, State and local 
     governments, Tribal governments, and other relevant 
     stakeholders, including through examination of possible 
     public-private partnerships;
       (B) research and development, including interdisciplinary 
     research, related to fire environments, wildland fires, 
     associated smoke, and the impacts of such environments, 
     fires, and smoke, in furtherance of a coordinated interagency 
     effort to address wildland fire risk reduction;
       (C) data management and stewardship, the development and 
     coordination of data systems and computational tools, and the 
     creation of a centralized, integrated data collaboration 
     environment for agency data, including historical data, 
     relating to weather, fire environments, wildland fires, 
     associated smoke, and the impacts of such environments, 
     fires, and smoke, and the assessment of wildland fire risk 
     mitigation measures;
       (D) interoperability, usability, and accessibility of the 
     scientific data, data systems, and computational and 
     information tools of the agencies listed under paragraph (1);
       (E) coordinated public safety communications relating to 
     fire weather events, fire hazards, and wildland fire and 
     smoke risk reduction strategies; and
       (F) secure and accurate real-time data, alerts, and 
     advisories to wildland firefighters and other decision 
     support tools for wildland fire incident command posts.
       (b) Fire Science and Technology Working Group.--
       (1) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Executive Director of the 
     Interagency Committee for Advancing Weather Services 
     established under section 402 of the Weather Research and 
     Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8542) (in this 
     section referred to as the ``Interagency Committee'') shall 
     establish a working group, to be known as the ``Fire Science 
     and Technology Working Group'' (in this section referred to 
     as the ``Working Group'').
       (2) Chair.--The Working Group shall be chaired by the Under 
     Secretary, or designee.
       (3) General duties.--
       (A) In general.--The Working Group shall seek to build 
     efficiencies among the agencies listed under subsection 
     (a)(1) and coordinate the planning and management of science, 
     research, technology, and operations related to science and 
     support services for wildland fire prediction, detection, 
     forecasting, modeling, resilience, response, management, and 
     assessments.
       (B) Input.--The Working Group shall solicit input from non-
     Federal stakeholders.
       (c) Strategic Plan.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 540 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Interagency Committee shall 
     prepare and submit to the committees specified in paragraph 
     (3) a strategic plan for interagency coordination, research, 
     and development that will improve the assessment of fire 
     environments and the understanding and prediction of wildland 
     fires, associated smoke, and the impacts of such fires and 
     smoke, including--
       (A) at the wildland-urban interface;
       (B) on communities, buildings, and other infrastructure;
       (C) on ecosystem services and watersheds;
       (D) social and economic impacts;
       (E) by developing and encouraging the adoption of science-
     based and cost-effective measures--
       (i) to enhance community resilience to wildland fires;
       (ii) to address and mitigate the impacts of wildland fire 
     and associated smoke; and
       (iii) to restore natural fire regimes in fire-dependent 
     ecosystems;
       (F) by improving the understanding and mitigation of the 
     effects of weather and long-term drought on wildland fire 
     risk, frequency, and severity;
       (G) through integrations of social and behavioral sciences 
     in public safety fire communication;
       (H) by improving the forecasting and understanding of 
     prescribed fires and the impacts of such fires, and how those 
     impacts may differ from impacts of wildland fires that 
     originate from an unplanned ignition; and
       (I) consideration and adoption of any recommendations 
     included in the report required by subsection (a) pursuant to 
     paragraph (2) of such subsection.
       (2) Plan elements.--The strategic plan required by 
     paragraph (1) shall include the following:
       (A) A description of the priorities and needs of vulnerable 
     populations.
       (B) A description of high-performance computing, 
     visualization, and dissemination needs.
       (C) A timeline and guidance for implementation of--
       (i) an interagency data sharing system for data relevant to 
     performing fire assessments and modeling fire risk and fire 
     behavior;
       (ii) a system for ensuring that the fire prediction models 
     of relevant agencies can be interconnected; and
       (iii) to the maximum extent practicable, any 
     recommendations included in the report required by subsection 
     (a).
       (D) A plan for incorporating and coordinating research and 
     operational observations, including from infrared 
     technologies, microwave, radars, satellites, mobile weather 
     stations, and uncrewed aerial systems.
       (E) A flexible framework to communicate clear and simple 
     fire event information to the public.
       (F) Integration of social, behavioral, risk, and 
     communication research to improve the fire operational 
     environment and societal information reception and response.
       (3) Committees specified.--The committees specified in this 
     paragraph are--
       (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
     of the Senate;
       (B) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 
     Senate;
       (C) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 
     of the Senate;
       (D) the Committee on Agriculture of the House of 
     Representatives;
       (E) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
     Representatives; and
       (F) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 
     House of Representatives.

     SEC. 5720. FIRE WEATHER RATING SYSTEM.

       (a) In General.--The Under Secretary shall, in 
     collaboration with the Chief of the United States Forest 
     Service, the Director of the United States Geological Survey, 
     the Director of the National Park Service, the Administrator 
     of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and such 
     stakeholders as the Under Secretary considers appropriate--
       (1) evaluate the system used as of the date of the 
     enactment of this Act to rate the risk of wildfire; and
       (2) determine whether updates to that system are required 
     to ensure that the ratings accurately reflect the severity of 
     fire risk.
       (b) Update Required.--If the Under Secretary determines 
     under subsection (a) that updates to the system described in 
     paragraph (1) of such subsection are necessary, the Under 
     Secretary shall update that system.

     SEC. 5721. AVOIDANCE OF DUPLICATION.

       (a) In General.--The Under Secretary shall ensure, to the 
     greatest extent practicable, that activities carried out 
     under this title and the amendments made by this title are 
     not duplicative of activities supported by other parts of the 
     Administration or other relevant Federal agencies.
       (b) Coordination.--In carrying out activities under this 
     title and the amendments made by this title, the Under 
     Secretary shall coordinate with the Administration and heads 
     of other Federal research agencies--
       (1) to ensure those activities enhance and complement, but 
     do not constitute unnecessary duplication of, efforts; and
       (2) to ensure the responsible stewardship of funds.

     SEC. 5722. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) In General.--In addition to amounts appropriated under 
     title VIII of division D of the Infrastructure Investment and 
     Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58; 135 Stat. 1094), there are 
     authorized to be appropriated to the Administration to carry 
     out new policies and programs to address fire weather under 
     this title and the amendments made by this title--
       (1) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2023;
       (2) $111,360,000 for fiscal year 2024;
       (3) $116,928,000 for fiscal year 2025;
       (4) $122,774,400 for fiscal year 2026; and
       (5) $128,913,120 for fiscal year 2027.
       (b) Prohibition.--None of the amounts authorized to be 
     appropriated by subsection (a) may be used to unnecessarily 
     duplicate activities funded under title VIII of division D of 
     the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-
     58; 135 Stat. 1094).

 TITLE LVIII--LEARNING EXCELLENCE AND GOOD EXAMPLES FROM NEW DEVELOPERS

     SEC. 5801. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Learning Excellence and 
     Good Examples from New Developers Act of 2022'' or the 
     ``LEGEND Act of 2022''.

     SEC. 5802. DEFINITIONS.

       In this title:
       (1) Administration.--The term ``Administration'' means the 
     National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
       (2) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
     Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and 
     Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration.
       (3) Earth prediction innovation center.--The term ``Earth 
     Prediction Innovation Center'' means the community global 
     weather

[[Page S6610]]

     research modeling system described in paragraph (5)(E) of 
     section 102(b) of the Weather Research Forecasting and 
     Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8512(b)), as redesignated 
     by section 5804(g).
       (4) Model.--The term ``model'' means any vetted numerical 
     model and associated data assimilation of the Earth's system 
     or its components--
       (A) developed, in whole or in part, by scientists and 
     engineers employed by the Administration; or
       (B) otherwise developed using Federal funds.
       (5) Operational model.--The term ``operational model'' 
     means any model that has an output used by the Administration 
     for operational functions.
       (6) Suitable model.--The term ``suitable model'' means a 
     model that meets the requirements described in paragraph 
     (5)(E)(ii) of section 102(b) of the Weather Research 
     Forecasting and Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8512(b)), 
     as redesignated by section 5804(g), as determined by the 
     Administrator.

     SEC. 5803. PURPOSES.

       The purposes of this title are--
       (1) to support innovation in modeling by allowing 
     interested stakeholders to have easy and complete access to 
     the models used by the Administration, as the Administrator 
     determines appropriate; and
       (2) to use vetted innovations arising from access described 
     in paragraph (1) to improve modeling by the Administration.

     SEC. 5804. PLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PLAN TO MAKE CERTAIN 
                   MODELS AND DATA AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

       (a) In General.--The Administrator shall develop and 
     implement a plan to make available to the public the 
     following:
       (1) Operational models developed by the Administration.
       (2) Models that are not operational models, including 
     experimental and developmental models, as the Administrator 
     determines appropriate.
       (3) Applicable information and documentation for models 
     described in paragraphs (1) and (2).
       (4) Subject to section 5807, all data owned by the Federal 
     Government and data that the Administrator has the legal 
     right to redistribute that are associated with models made 
     available to the public pursuant to the plan and used in 
     operational forecasting by the Administration, including--
       (A) relevant metadata;
       (B) data used for operational models used by the 
     Administration as of the date of the enactment of this Act; 
     and
       (C) a description of intended model outputs.
       (b) Accommodations.--In developing and implementing the 
     plan under subsection (a), the Administrator may make such 
     accommodations as the Administrator considers appropriate to 
     ensure that the public release of any model, information, 
     documentation, or data pursuant to the plan does not 
     jeopardize--
       (1) national security;
       (2) intellectual property or redistribution rights, 
     including under titles 17 and 35, United States Code;
       (3) any trade secret or commercial or financial information 
     subject to section 552(b)(4) of title 5, United States Code;
       (4) any models or data that are otherwise restricted by 
     contract or other written agreement; or
       (5) the mission of the Administration to protect lives and 
     property.
       (c) Priority.--In developing and implementing the plan 
     under subsection (a), the Administrator shall prioritize 
     making available to the public the models described in 
     subsection (a)(1).
       (d) Protections for Privacy and Statistical Information.--
     In developing and implementing the plan under subsection (a), 
     the Administrator shall ensure that all requirements 
     incorporated into any models described in subsection (a)(1) 
     ensure compliance with statistical laws and other relevant 
     data protection requirements, including the protection of any 
     personally identifiable information.
       (e) Exclusion of Certain Models.--In developing and 
     implementing the plan under subsection (a), the Administrator 
     may exclude models that the Administrator determines will be 
     retired or superseded in fewer than 5 years after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act.
       (f) Platforms.--In carrying out subsections (a) and (b), 
     the Administrator may use government servers, contracts or 
     agreements with a private vendor, or any other platform 
     consistent with the purpose of this title.
       (g) Support Program.--The Administrator shall plan for and 
     establish a program to support infrastructure, including 
     telecommunications and technology infrastructure of the 
     Administration and the platforms described in subsection (f), 
     relevant to making operational models and data available to 
     the public pursuant to the plan under subsection (a).
       (h) Technical Correction.--Section 102(b) of the Weather 
     Research Forecasting and Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 
     8512(b)) is amended by redesignating the second paragraph (4) 
     (as added by section 4(a) of the National Integrated Drought 
     Information System Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 
     115-423; 132 Stat. 5456)) as paragraph (5).

     SEC. 5805. REQUIREMENT TO REVIEW MODELS AND LEVERAGE 
                   INNOVATIONS.

       The Administrator shall--
       (1) consistent with the mission of the Earth Prediction 
     Innovation Center, periodically review innovations and 
     improvements made by persons outside the Administration to 
     the operational models made available to the public pursuant 
     to the plan under section 5804(a) in order to improve the 
     accuracy and timeliness of forecasts of the Administration; 
     and
       (2) if the Administrator identifies an innovation for a 
     suitable model, develop and implement a plan to use the 
     innovation to improve the model.

     SEC. 5806. REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to 
     the appropriate congressional committees a report on the 
     implementation of this title that includes a description of--
       (1) the implementation of the plan required by section 
     5804;
       (2) the process of the Administration under section 5805--
       (A) for engaging with interested stakeholders to learn what 
     innovations those stakeholders have found;
       (B) for reviewing those innovations; and
       (C) for operationalizing innovations to improve suitable 
     models.
       (b) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
     means--
       (1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
     and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
       (2) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the 
     Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.

     SEC. 5807. PROTECTION OF NATIONAL SECURITY INTERESTS.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     this title, the Administrator, in consultation with the 
     Secretary of Defense, as appropriate, may withhold any model 
     or data if the Administrator determines doing so to be 
     necessary to protect the national security interests of the 
     United States.
       (b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this title shall be 
     construed to supersede any other provision of law governing 
     the protection of the national security interests of the 
     United States.

     SEC. 5808. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
     carry out this title $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 
     through 2027.
       (b) Derivation of Funds.--Funds to carry out this section 
     shall be derived from amounts authorized to be appropriated 
     to the National Weather Service that are enacted after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act.
                                 ______