To improve the conservation and management of coastal and ocean resources by authorizing National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration oceanographic programs.

Summary: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Oceanography Amendments Act of 2003 - Amends Federal law to establish as a permanent program (previously conducted in FY 1992 and 1993) a Coastal Ocean Program to augment and integrate existing research capabilities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Administration) with other research capabilities.Establishes in the Administration a Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (Great Lakes Lab), a Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, and an Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. Authorizes the Great Lakes Lab to support, in partnership with the University of Michigan, a Cooperative Institute for Limnology and Ecosystem Research.Establishes a National Undersea Research Program in the Administration and requires the Secretary of Commerce to appoint its director.Establishes an Ocean Exploration Program in the Administration. Authorizes the Secretary (in conjunction with specified entities) to: (1) conduct interdisciplinary exploration voyages or other activities to survey, inventory, monitor and assess little known areas of the marine environment; (2) promote the development of oceanographic research; (3) conduct public education and outreach activities that improve the public understanding of ocean science, resources, and processes; and (4) accept donations for such purposes.Specifies requirements the Secretary must meet before designating a Regional Coastal Observation Technology System.Authorizes the Secretary to coordinate and designate units of a Coastal Observation Technology System to collect data necessary to carry out the missions of the Administration. Requires the Secretary to use such data to develop forecast models to support coastal and fishery management, safe and efficient marine navigation, weather and climate prediction, and other appropriate activities.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration Oceanography Amendments Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. COASTAL OCEAN PROGRAM.

    Section 201 of Public Law 102-567 (106 Stat. 4280) is amended by--
            (1) striking the matter preceding ``living marine 
        resources'' and inserting the following:

``SEC. 201. COASTAL OCEAN PROGRAM.

    ``(a) In General.--There shall be in the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (in this title referred to as the 
`Administration') a coastal ocean program.
    ``(b) Program Elements.--The coastal ocean program shall augment 
and integrate existing research capabilities of the Administration with 
other Federal and non-Federal research capabilities. Research shall be 
conducted under this program to improve predictions of trends in Great 
Lakes, estuarine, and coastal ocean resources, to improve the 
conservation and management of''; and
            (2) striking subsections (d), (e), and (f).

SEC. 3. LABORATORIES.

    Section 202 of Public Law 102-567 (106 Stat. 4281) is amended to 
read as follows:

``SEC. 202. LABORATORIES.

    ``There shall be in the Administration a Great Lakes Environmental 
Research Laboratory, a Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, and an 
Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. These 
laboratories shall support the Administration in carrying out its 
primary missions specified in section 3(b). The Great Lakes 
Environmental Laboratory may support, in partnership with the 
University of Michigan, a Cooperative Institute for Limnology and 
Ecosystems Research.''.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL UNDERSEA RESEARCH PROGRAM.

    Section 203 of Public Law 102-567 (106 Stat. 4281) is amended to 
read as follows:

``SEC. 203. NATIONAL UNDERSEA RESEARCH PROGRAM.

    ``(a) In General.--There shall be in the Administration a national 
undersea research program.
    ``(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the program is to increase 
scientific knowledge by--
            ``(1) conducting undersea research related to the 
        Administration's coastal and ocean resource management 
        missions; and
            ``(2) maintaining operational assets and expertise, and 
        developing technology necessary to support undersea research.
    ``(c) Director.--The Secretary shall appoint as the Director of the 
National Undersea Research Program a qualified individual who has 
appropriate administrative experience and knowledge or expertise in 
fields related to undersea research.
    ``(d) Program.--The program shall be conducted through a national 
headquarters and a network of regional undersea research centers.
    ``(e) Competitiveness.--All research, education, and technology 
activities under the program shall be managed using an open and 
competitive process to evaluate scientific merit, relevance to the 
Administration's coastal and ocean resource management missions, and 
technical feasibility.''.

SEC. 5. OCEANOGRAPHY PROGRAMS.

    Title II of Public Law 102-567 (106 Stat. 4281) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 206. OCEAN EXPLORATION PROGRAM.

    ``(a) In General.--There shall be in the Administration an ocean 
exploration program.
    ``(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the program are the following:
            ``(1) To explore the physical, biological, chemical, 
        geological, archaeological, temporal, and other related 
        characteristics of the ocean.
            ``(2) To maximize efficiency by integrating the multiple 
        scientific disciplines and by employing the diverse resources 
        of the ocean science community.
            ``(3) To create missions and scientific activities of 
        discovery and exploration for the purpose of discovering and 
        documenting knowledge regarding the ocean.
            ``(4) In cooperation with the Coastal Ocean Program and the 
        National Undersea Research Program, to promote the development 
        and application of new technologies for the exploration of the 
        ocean.
            ``(5) To achieve a heightened scientific literacy and 
        public appreciation of the oceans.
            ``(6) To facilitate ocean exploration data and information 
        availability in a timely and consistent manner.
    ``(c) Authorities.--In carrying out the program under this section 
the Secretary may perform the following:
            ``(1) Conduct interdisciplinary exploration voyages or 
        other activities in conjunction with other Federal agencies or 
        academic or educational institutions, to survey little known 
        areas of the marine environment, and inventory, monitor, and 
        assess living and nonliving marine resources.
            ``(2) In cooperation with the Coastal Ocean Program and the 
        National Undersea Research Program, enhance the domestic 
        technical capability of the marine science community by 
        promoting the development of improved oceanographic research, 
        communication, navigation, and data management and 
        dissemination platforms, equipment, instruments, and 
        techniques.
            ``(3) In conjunction with the National Sea Grant College 
        Program and the National Science Foundation Centers for Ocean 
        Science Education Excellence, conduct public education and 
        outreach activities that improve the public understanding of 
        ocean science, resources, and processes.
            ``(4) Accept donations of property, data, and equipment to 
        be applied for the purpose of exploring the oceans or 
        increasing knowledge of the oceans.

``SEC. 207. COASTAL OBSERVATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM.

    ``(a) Definition.--In this section, the term `coastal observation 
technology system' means a system of marine sensors and other devices, 
personnel, and products, that--
            ``(1) collects remotely sensed and in situ observations in 
        the coastal waters of a given region or subregion in a routine 
        manner, including continuous observations;
            ``(2) transmits the data to users including, as 
        appropriate, in real time or near real time;
            ``(3) produces forecasts and other appropriate products 
        representing ocean conditions for users; and
            ``(4) manages the collected data to best practices for 
        archiving and future use.
    ``(b) Designation of Units.--Before designating a regional coastal 
observation technology system as a unit of the national coastal 
observation technology system under subsection (c), the Secretary 
shall--
            ``(1) establish, in consultation with the National Ocean 
        Research Leadership Council, standards and protocols for the 
        collection and distribution of data by regional coastal 
        observation technology systems;
            ``(2) establish management, quality control, and assessment 
        systems for data collected and distributed by regional coastal 
        observation technology systems; and
            ``(3) determine that the regional coastal observation 
        technology system has adequate technical expertise to collect 
        and distribute data in accordance with standards and protocols 
        established under paragraph (1).
    ``(c) Data Collection.--The Secretary may designate units of and 
coordinate a coastal observation technology system to collect data 
necessary to carry out the primary missions of the Administration.
    ``(d) Data Use.--The Secretary shall, in conjunction with Federal, 
State, and local agencies and academic institutions, use data collected 
under subsection (b) to develop forecast models to support coastal and 
fishery management, safe and efficient marine navigation, weather and 
climate prediction, and other appropriate activities.
    ``(e) Assistance.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may enter into contracts 
        or cooperative agreements or make grants to units designated 
        under subsection (c) to carry out coastal observation 
        technology activities.
            ``(2) Cost share.--The Federal share of any assistance 
        provided under paragraph (1) may not exceed 50 percent of the 
        costs of those activities.

``SEC. 208. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``For operations, research, and facilities of the Administration 
relating to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes research, there are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary the following:
            ``(1) For ARGO floats, $9,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
        2004 through 2008.
            ``(2) For ocean and coastal research activities of 
        laboratories and joint institutes, other than activities 
        related to the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, 
        $12,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2008, of 
        which up to $3,000,000 may be expended each fiscal year for 
        VENTS.
            ``(3) For activities related to the Great Lakes 
        Environmental Research Laboratory and associated cooperative 
        institutes, $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 
        2008.
            ``(4) For activities related to the coastal ocean program, 
        $35,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2008.
            ``(5) For activities related to the national undersea 
        research program--
                    ``(A) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
                    ``(B) $21,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
                    ``(C) $22,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;
                    ``(D) $23,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
                    ``(E) $24,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.
            ``(6) For activities related to the ocean exploration 
        program, $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 
        2008.
            ``(7) For tsunami hazard mitigation activities, $3,500,000 
        for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2008.
            ``(8) For Arctic research partnership programs, $4,000,000 
        for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2008, of which up to 
        $2,000,000 may used for the Study of Environmental Arctic 
        Change.
            ``(9) For activities related to coastal environmental 
        health and biomolecular research, $11,000,000 for each of 
        fiscal years 2004 through 2008.
            ``(10) For coastal observing technologies--
                    ``(A) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
                    ``(B) $17,500,000 for fiscal year 2005;
                    ``(C) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;
                    ``(D) $22,500,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
                    ``(E) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.

``SEC. 209. SHORT TITLE.

    ``This title may be cited as the `National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration Oceanography Act of 2003'.''.

SEC. 6. OCEAN EXPLORATION REPORT.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
section, the National Ocean Research Leadership Council (established by 
section 7902 of title 10, United States Code) shall provide to the 
Committee on Resources, the Committee on Science, and the Committee on 
Armed Services of the House of Representatives, and to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Armed 
Services of the Senate, a plan for implementing the report of the 
President's Panel on Ocean Exploration transmitted on October 10, 2000, 
including a recommendation for a dedicated multiyear, multidisciplinary 
voyage of discovery.