OCEAN Research Partnerships Act

Summary: Opportunities in Cooperative Education And New Research Partnerships Act or the OCEAN Research Partnerships Act This bill amends the National Sea Grant College Program Act to revise and reauthorize through FY2021 the National Sea Grant College Program. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must award Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowships. Currently, NOAA has discretion in awarding such fellowships. These fellowships support the placement of graduate students in fields related to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources in positions with the executive and legislative branches.  In placing marine policy fellows in the legislative branch, NOAA must give priority to positions in: (1) offices or committees of Congress that have jurisdiction over NOAA; and (2) offices of Members of Congress that have a demonstrated interest in ocean, coastal, or Great Lakes resources.  The bill authorizes through FY2021 grants for university research on: (1) the biology, prevention, and control of aquatic nonnative species; (2) oyster diseases, oyster restoration, and oyster-related human health risks; (3) the biology, prevention, and forecasting of harmful algal blooms; and (4) sustainable aquaculture techniques and technologies. The bill also authorizes through FY2021 grants for: (1) fishery extension activities conducted by sea grant colleges or sea grant institutes to enhance existing core program funding, and (2) priority issues identified in the National Sea Grant Program's strategic plan. 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Opportunities in Cooperative 
Education And New Research Partnerships Act'' or the ``OCEAN Research 
Partnerships Act''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENT REFERENCES.

    Except as otherwise specifically provided, whenever in this Act an 
amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal 
of, a provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to a 
provision of the National Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1121 
et seq.).

SEC. 3. REPEAL OF COORDINATION REQUIREMENT.

    Section 9 of the National Sea Grant College Program Amendments of 
2002 (33 U.S.C. 857-20) is repealed.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM.

    (a) Program Objectives.--Section 202(b) (33 U.S.C. 1121(b)) is 
amended by inserting ``for research, education, extension services, 
training, technology transfer, and public service'' after 
``assistance''.
    (b) Allocation of Funding to Sea Grant Programs and Projects.--
Section 204(d)(3) (33 U.S.C. 1123(d)(3)) is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
        ``sea grant colleges and sea grant institutes'' and inserting 
        ``sea grant colleges, sea grant institutes, sea grant programs, 
        and projects,''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``sea grant colleges 
        and sea grant institutes'' and inserting ``sea grant colleges, 
        sea grant institutes, sea grant programs, and projects,''.

SEC. 5. DEAN JOHN A. KNAUSS MARINE POLICY FELLOWSHIPS.

    (a) Amendments.--Section 208(b) (16 U.S.C. 1127(b)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``The Secretary may'' and inserting the 
        following:
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, subject to the 
        availability of appropriations, shall'';
            (2) by inserting after ``Government.'' the following:
            ``(2) Placement priorities.--In placing fellows in the 
        legislative branch each year under this section the Secretary 
        shall give priority to--
                    ``(A) positions in offices of, or with Members on, 
                committees of Congress that have jurisdiction over the 
                National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; or
                    ``(B) positions in offices of Members of Congress 
                that have a demonstrated interest in ocean, coastal, or 
                Great Lakes resources.
            ``(3) Duration.--''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) Direct hire authority.--
                    ``(A) In general.--During fiscal year 2016 and 
                thereafter, the head of any Federal agency may, subject 
                to the availability of appropriations, appoint, without 
                regard to the provisions of subchapter I of chapter 33 
                of title 5, United States Code, other than sections 
                3303 and 3328 of that title, a qualified candidate 
                described in subparagraph (B) directly to a position 
                with any Federal agency for which the candidate meets 
                Office of Personnel Management qualification standards.
                    ``(B) Dean john a. knauss marine policy fellows.--
                An individual shall be a qualified candidate described 
                in subparagraph (B) if the individual is a former 
                recipient of a fellowship under this subsection who--
                            ``(i) earned a graduate or postgraduate 
                        degree, including a professional degree, in a 
                        field related to ocean, coastal, or Great Lakes 
                        science, resource management, law, or policy 
                        from an accredited institution of higher 
                        education; and
                            ``(ii) successfully fulfilled the 
                        requirements of the fellowship.
                    ``(C) Deadline for exercise of direct appointment 
                authority.--The head of a Federal agency may not 
                exercise direct appointment authority under this 
                paragraph with respect to a specific qualified 
                candidate after the end of the 3-year period beginning 
                on the date the candidate completes fulfillment of the 
                requirements of the candidate's fellowship under this 
                subsection.''.
    (b) Application of Placement Priorities.--The amendment made by 
subsection (a)(2) of this section shall apply beginning with respect to 
the first calendar year beginning after the date of enactment of this 
Act.

SEC. 6. NATIONAL SEA GRANT ADVISORY BOARD REPORTS.

    Section 209(b)(2) (33 U.S.C. 1128(b)(2)) is amended--
            (1) in the heading, by striking ``Biennial'' and inserting 
        ``Periodic'';
            (2) by striking ``The Board shall report to the Congress 
        every two years'' and inserting ``Not less frequently than once 
        every 3 years, the Board shall submit to Congress a report''; 
        and
            (3) by inserting before the last sentence the following:
            ``(3) Availability of resources of department of 
        commerce.--''.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 212 (33 U.S.C. 1131) is amended--
            (1) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
    ``(a) Authorization.--
            ``(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
        to the Secretary to carry out this subchapter--
                    ``(A) $75,600,000 for fiscal year 2016;
                    ``(B) $79,380,000 for fiscal year 2017;
                    ``(C) $83,350,000 for fiscal year 2018;
                    ``(D) $87,520,000 for fiscal year 2019;
                    ``(E) $91,900,000 for fiscal year 2020; and
                    ``(F) $96,500,000 for fiscal year 2021.
            ``(2) Priority activities for fiscal years 2016 through 
        2021.--In addition to the amounts authorized under paragraph 
        (1), there is authorized to be appropriated $18,000,000 for 
        each of fiscal years 2016 through 2021 for competitive grants 
        for the following:
                    ``(A) University research on the biology, 
                prevention, and control of aquatic nonnative species.
                    ``(B) University research on oyster diseases, 
                oyster restoration, and oyster-related human health 
                risks.
                    ``(C) University research on the biology, 
                prevention, and forecasting of harmful algal blooms.
                    ``(D) University research, education, training, and 
                extension services and activities focused on coastal 
                resilience and United States working waterfronts and 
                other regional or national priority issues identified 
                in the strategic plan under section 204(c)(1).
                    ``(E) University research on sustainable 
                aquaculture techniques and technologies.
                    ``(F) Fishery extension activities conducted by sea 
                grant colleges or sea grant institutes to enhance, and 
                not supplant, existing core program funding.'';
            (2) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
    ``(b) Limitations.--
            ``(1) Administration.--
                    ``(A) In general.--There may not be used for 
                administration of programs under this title in a fiscal 
                year more than 5.5 percent of the lesser of--
                            ``(i) the amount authorized to be 
                        appropriated under this title for the fiscal 
                        year; or
                            ``(ii) the amount appropriated under this 
                        title for the fiscal year.
                    ``(B) Critical staffing requirements.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Director shall use 
                        the authority under subchapter VI of chapter 33 
                        of title 5, United States Code, and section 
                        1129 of this title, to meet any critical 
                        staffing requirement while carrying out the 
                        activities authorized in this title.
                            ``(ii) Exception from cap.--For purposes of 
                        subparagraph (A), any costs incurred as a 
                        result of an exercise of authority as described 
                        in clause (i) shall not be considered an amount 
                        used for administration of programs under this 
                        title in a fiscal year.'';
            (3) by striking subsection (c) and redesignating 
        subsections (d) and (e) as subsections (c) and (d), 
        respectively; and
            (4) in subsection (d), as so redesignated, by--
                    (A) striking ``The amount'' and inserting the 
                following:
            ``(1) In general.--The amount''; and
                    (B) adding at the end the following:
            ``(2) Exception for prize competition.--Notwithstanding 
        paragraph (1), funds for announced prizes otherwise authorized 
        shall remain available, without fiscal year limitation, until 
        the prize is claimed or the offer is withdrawn.''.

SEC. 8. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.

    The National Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1121 et seq.) 
is amended--
            (1) in section 202(a)(6) (33 U.S.C. 1121(a)(6)), by 
        striking ``management, management,'' and inserting 
        ``management,''; and
            (2) in section 204(d)(3)(B) (33 U.S.C. 1123(d)(3)(B)), by 
        moving clause (vi) two ems to the right.