Federal Oceanography Coordination Improvement Act of 1996

Summary: Federal Oceanography Coordination Improvement Act of 1996 - Establishes the National Oceanographic Partnership Program.  Sets forth the purposes of the program. 
Establishes the National Ocean Research Leadership Council which shall:  (1) prescribe policies and procedures to implement the National Oceanographic Partnership Program; and (2) review, select, identify, and allocate funds for partnership projects for implementation under the program, based on certain criteria.  Mandates an  annual report.  Requires the Council to establish in the National Ocean Service and oversee a partnership program office to implement the National Oceanographic Partnership Program, including to:  (1) establish and oversee working groups to propose partnership projects to the Council and advise the Council on such projects; (2) manage peer review of partnership projects and competition for projects selected by the Council; and (3) submit to the Council an annual report on the status of all partnership projects and office activities.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Oceanography Coordination 
Improvement Act of 1996''.

SEC. 2. FEDERAL OCEANOGRAPHY COORDINATION IMPROVEMENT.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The oceans and coastal areas of the United States are 
        among the Nation's most valuable natural resources, making 
        substantial contributions to economic growth, quality of life, 
        and national security.
            (2) Oceans drive global and regional climate. Therefore, 
        they contain information affecting agriculture, fishing, and 
        the prediction of severe weather.
            (3) Understanding of the oceans through basic and applied 
        research is essential for using the oceans wisely and 
        protecting their limited resources. Therefore, the United 
        States should maintain its world leadership in oceanography as 
        one key to its competitive future.
            (4) Ocean research and education activities take place 
        within Federal agencies, academic institutions, and industry. 
        These entities often have similar requirements for research 
        facilities, data, and other resources (such as oceanographic 
        research vessels).
            (5) The need exists for a formal mechanism to coordinate 
        existing partnerships and establish new partnerships for the 
        sharing of resources, intellectual talent, and facilities in 
        the ocean sciences and education, so that optimal use can be 
        made of this most important natural resource for the well-being 
        of all Americans.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSES OF PROGRAM.

    The Secretary of Commerce shall establish a program to be known as 
the ``National Oceanographic Partnership Program''. The purposes of the 
program are as follows:
            (1) To promote the national goals of assuring national 
        security, advancing economic development, protecting quality of 
        life, and strengthening science education and communication 
        through improved knowledge of the ocean.
            (2) To coordinate and strengthen oceanographic efforts in 
        support of those goals by--
                    (A) identifying and carrying out partnerships among 
                Federal agencies, academia, industry, and other members 
                of the oceanographic scientific community in the areas 
                of data, resources, education, and communication; and
                    (B) reporting annually to Congress on the program.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL OCEAN RESEARCH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL.

    (a) In General.--There is established a National Ocean Research 
Leadership Council (hereinafter in this section referred to as the 
``Council'').
    (b) Membership.--The Council is composed of the following members:
            (1) The Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
        Atmospheric Administration, who shall be the Chairman of the 
        Council.
            (2) The Secretary of the Navy.
            (3) The Director of the National Science Foundation.
            (4) The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
        Administration.
            (5) The Deputy Secretary of Energy.
            (6) The Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
        Agency.
            (7) The Commandant of the Coast Guard.
            (8) The Director of the Geological Survey of the Department 
        of the Interior.
            (9) The Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects 
        Agency.
            (10) The Director of the Minerals Management Service of the 
        Department of the Interior.
            (11) The President of the National Academy of Sciences, the 
        President of the National Academy of Engineering, and the 
        President of the Institute of Medicine.
            (12) The Director of the Office of Science and Technology.
            (13) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
            (14) One member appointed by the Chairman from among 
        individuals who will represent the views of ocean industries.
            (15) One member appointed by the Chairman from among 
        individuals who will represent the views of State governments.
            (16) One member appointed by the Chairman from among 
        individuals who will represent the views of academia.
            (17) One member appointed by the Chairman from among 
        individuals who will represent such other views as the Chairman 
        considers appropriate.
    (c) Term of Office.--The term of office of a member of the Council 
appointed under paragraph (14), (15), (16), or (17) of subsection (b) 
shall be two years, except that any person appointed to fill a vacancy 
occurring before the expiration of the term for which his or her 
predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of such 
term.
    (d) Initial Appointments of Council Members.--The Administrator of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall make the 
appointments required by subsection (b) by not later than December 1, 
1996.
    (e) Responsibilities of Council.--The Council shall have the 
following responsibilities:
            (1) To establish the Ocean Research Partnership 
        Coordinating Group as provided in section 7903.
            (2) To establish the Ocean Research Advisory Panel as 
        provided in section 6.
            (3) To submit to Congress an annual report pursuant to 
        subsection (f).
    (f) Annual Report.--Not later than March 1 of each year, the 
Council shall submit to Congress a report on the National Oceanographic 
Partnership Program. The report shall contain the following:
            (1) A description of activities of the program carried out 
        during the fiscal year before the fiscal year in which the 
        report is prepared. The description also shall include a list 
        of the members of the Ocean Research Partnership Coordinating 
        Group, the Ocean Research Advisory Panel, and any working 
        groups in existence during the fiscal year covered.
            (2) A general outline of the activities planned for the 
        program during the fiscal year in which the report is prepared.
            (3) A summary of projects continued from the fiscal year 
        before the fiscal year in which the report is prepared and 
        projects expected to be started during the fiscal year in which 
        the report is prepared and during the following fiscal year.
            (4) A description of the involvement of the program with 
        Federal interagency coordinating entities.
            (5) The amounts requested, in the budget submitted to 
        Congress pursuant to section 1105(a) of title 31 for the fiscal 
        year following the fiscal year in which the report is prepared, 
        for the programs, projects, and activities of the program and 
        the estimated expenditures under such programs, projects, and 
        activities during such following fiscal year.
The first annual report required by this subsection shall be submitted 
to Congress not later than March 1, 1997. The first report shall 
include, in addition to the information otherwise required by this 
subsection, information about the terms of office, procedures, and 
responsibilities of the Ocean Research Advisory Panel established by 
the Council.

SEC. 5. OCEAN RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP COORDINATING GROUP.

    (a) Establishment.--The Council shall establish an entity to be 
known as the ``Ocean Research Partnership Coordinating Group'' 
(hereinafter in this section referred to as the ``Coordinating 
Group'').
    (b) Membership.--The Coordinating Group shall consist of members 
appointed by the Council, with one member appointed from each Federal 
department or agency having an oceanographic research or development 
program.
    (c) Chairman.--The Council shall appoint the Chairman of the 
Coordinating Group.
    (d) Responsibilities.--Subject to the authority, direction, and 
control of the Council, the Coordinating Group shall have the following 
responsibilities:
            (1) To prescribe policies and procedures to implement the 
        National Oceanographic Partnership Program.
            (2) To review, select, and identify and allocate funds for 
        partnership projects for implementation under the program, 
        based on the following criteria:
                    (A) Whether the project addresses critical research 
                objectives or operational goals, such as data 
                accessibility and quality assurance, sharing of 
                resources, education, or communication.
                    (B) Whether the project has broad participation 
                within the oceanographic community.
                    (C) Whether the partners have a long-term 
                commitment to the objectives of the project.
                    (D) Whether the resources supporting the project 
                are shared among the partners.
                    (E) Whether the project has been subjected to 
                adequate peer review.
            (3) To promote participation in partnership projects by 
        each Federal department and agency involved with oceanographic 
        research and development by publicizing the program and by 
        prescribing guidelines for participation in the program.
            (4) To submit to the Council an annual report pursuant to 
        subsection (h).
    (e) Partnership Program Office.--The Coordinating Group shall 
establish in the National Ocean Service and oversee a partnership 
program office to carry out such duties as the Chairman of the 
Coordinating Group considers appropriate to implement the National 
Oceanographic Partnership Program, including the following:
            (1) To establish and oversee working groups to propose 
        partnership projects to the Coordinating Group and advise the 
        Group on such projects.
            (2) To manage peer review of partnership projects proposed 
        to the Coordinating Group and competitions for projects 
        selected by the Group.
            (3) To submit to the Coordinating Group an annual report on 
        the status of all partnership projects and activities of the 
        office.
    (f) Contract and Grant Authority.--The Coordinating Group may 
authorize in the National Ocean Service to enter into contracts and 
make grants, using funds appropriated pursuant to an authorization for 
the National Oceanographic Partnership Program, for the purpose of 
implementing the program and carrying out the Coordinating Group's 
responsibilities.
    (g) Forms of Partnership Projects.--Partnership projects selected 
by the Coordinating Group may be in any form that the Coordinating 
Group considers appropriate, including memoranda of understanding, 
demonstration projects, cooperative research and development 
agreements, and similar instruments.
    (h) Annual Report.--Not later than February 1 of each year, the 
Coordinating Group shall submit to the Council a report on the National 
Oceanographic Partnership Program. The report shall contain, at a 
minimum, copies of any recommendations or reports to the Coordinating 
Group by the Ocean Research Advisory Panel.

SEC. 6. OCEAN RESEARCH ADVISORY PANEL.

    (a) Establishment.--The Council shall appoint an Ocean Research 
Advisory Panel (hereinafter in this section referred to as the 
``Advisory Panel'') consisting of not less than 10 and not more than 18 
members.
    (b) Membership.--Members of the Advisory Panel shall be appointed 
from among persons who are eminent in the fields of marine science or 
marine policy, or related fields, and who are representative, at a 
minimum, of the interests of government, academia, and industry.
    (c) Responsibilities.--
            (1) Review of partnership projects.--The Coordinating Group 
        shall refer to the Advisory Panel, and the Advisory Panel shall 
        review, each proposed partnership project estimated to cost 
        more than $500,000. The Advisory Panel shall make any 
        recommendations to the Coordinating Group that the Advisory 
        Panel considers appropriate regarding such projects.
            (2) Other recommendations.--The Advisory Panel shall make 
        any recommendations to the Coordinating Group regarding 
        activities that should be addressed by the National 
        Oceanographic Partnership Program that the Advisory Panel 
        considers appropriate.
    (d) Initial Appointments of Advisory Panel Members.--The Council 
shall make the appointments to the Advisory Panel by not later than 
January 1, 1997.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated to 
the Department of Defense, $30,000,000 is authorized for the National 
Oceanographic Partnership Program.
    (b) Required Funding for Program Office.--Of the amount 
appropriated for the National Oceanographic Partnership Program for 
fiscal year 1997, at least $500,000, or 3 percent of the amount 
appropriated, whichever is greater, shall be available for operations 
of the partnership program office established under section 5(e) for 
such fiscal year.