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[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 910 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        S.910

                     One Hundred Sixteenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America

                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

           Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday,
            the third day of January, two thousand and twenty

                                 An Act

 
To reauthorize and amend the National Sea Grant College Program Act, and 
                           for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
    This Act may be cited as the ``National Sea Grant College Program 
Amendments Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. REFERENCES TO THE NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM ACT.
    Except as otherwise expressly provided, wherever in this Act an 
amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal 
of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to 
be made to a section or other provision of the National Sea Grant 
College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1121 et seq.).
SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF DEAN JOHN A. KNAUSS MARINE POLICY FELLOWSHIP.
    (a) In General.--Section 208(b) (33 U.S.C. 1127(b)) is amended by 
striking ``may'' and inserting ``shall''.
    (b) Placements in Congress.--Such section is further amended--
        (1) in the first sentence, by striking ``The Secretary'' and 
    inserting the following:
        ``(1) In general.--The Secretary''; and
        (2) in paragraph (1), as designated by paragraph (1), in the 
    second sentence, by striking ``A fellowship'' and inserting the 
    following:
        ``(2) Placement priorities.--
            ``(A) In general.--In each year in which the Secretary 
        awards a legislative fellowship under this subsection, when 
        considering the placement of fellows, the Secretary shall 
        prioritize placement of fellows in the following:
                ``(i) Positions in offices of, or with Members on, 
            committees of Congress that have jurisdiction over the 
            National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
                ``(ii) Positions in offices of Members of Congress that 
            have a demonstrated interest in ocean, coastal, or Great 
            Lakes resources.
            ``(B) Equitable distribution.--In placing fellows in 
        offices described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall 
        ensure that placements are equitably distributed among the 
        political parties.
        ``(3) Duration.--A fellowship''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to the first calendar year beginning after the date 
of the enactment of this Act.
    (d) Sense of Congress Concerning Federal Hiring of Former 
Fellows.--It is the sense of Congress that in recognition of the 
competitive nature of the fellowship under section 208(b) of the 
National Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1127(b)), and of the 
exceptional qualifications of fellowship awardees, the Secretary of 
Commerce, acting through the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
Atmosphere, should encourage participating Federal agencies to consider 
opportunities for fellowship awardees at the conclusion of their 
fellowships for workforce positions appropriate for their education and 
experience.
SEC. 4. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF COMMERCE TO ACCEPT 
DONATIONS FOR NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM.
    (a) In General.--Section 204(c)(4)(E) (33 U.S.C. 1123(c)(4)(E)) is 
amended to read as follows:
            ``(E) accept donations of money and, notwithstanding 
        section 1342 of title 31, United States Code, of voluntary and 
        uncompensated services;''.
    (b) Priorities.--The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the 
Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, shall establish 
priorities for the use of donations accepted under section 204(c)(4)(E) 
of the National Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 
1123(c)(4)(E)), and shall consider among those priorities the 
possibility of expanding the Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy 
Fellowship's placement of additional fellows in relevant legislative 
offices under section 208(b) of that Act (33 U.S.C. 1127(b)), in 
accordance with the recommendations under subsection (c) of this 
section.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Sea Grant College 
Program, in consultation with the National Sea Grant Advisory Board and 
the Sea Grant Association, shall--
        (1) develop recommendations for the optimal use of any 
    donations accepted under section 204(c)(4)(E) of the National Sea 
    Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1123(c)(4)(E)); and
        (2) submit to Congress a report on the recommendations 
    developed under paragraph (1).
    (d) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
limit or otherwise affect any other amounts available for marine policy 
fellowships under section 208(b) of the National Sea Grant College 
Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1127(b)), including amounts--
        (1) accepted under section 204(c)(4)(F) of that Act (33 U.S.C. 
    1123(c)(4)(F)); or
        (2) appropriated pursuant to the authorization of 
    appropriations under section 212 of that Act (33 U.S.C. 1131).
SEC. 5. REDUCTION IN FREQUENCY REQUIRED FOR NATIONAL SEA GRANT ADVISORY 
BOARD REPORT.
    Section 209(b)(2) (33 U.S.C. 1128(b)(2)) is amended--
        (1) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``Biennial'' and 
    inserting ``Periodic'';
        (2) by striking the first sentence and inserting the following: 
    ``The Board shall report to Congress at least once every four years 
    on the state of the national sea grant college program and shall 
    notify Congress of any significant changes to the state of the 
    program not later than two years after the submission of such a 
    report.''; and
        (3) in the second sentence, by adding before the end period the 
    following: ``and provide a summary of research conducted under the 
    program''.
SEC. 6. MODIFICATION OF ELEMENTS OF NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM.
    Section 204(b) (33 U.S.C. 1123(b)) is amended, in the matter 
preceding paragraph (1), by inserting ``for research, education, 
extension, training, technology transfer, and public service'' after 
``financial assistance''.
SEC. 7. DESIGNATION OF NEW NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGES AND SEA GRANT 
INSTITUTES.
    Section 207(b) (33 U.S.C. 1126(b)) is amended--
        (1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Existing 
    Designees'' and inserting ``Additional Designations''; and
        (2) by striking ``Any institution'' and inserting the 
    following:
        ``(1) Notification to congress of designations.--
            ``(A) In general.--Not less than 30 days before designating 
        an institution, or an association or alliance of two or more 
        such institutions, as a sea grant college or sea grant 
        institute under subsection (a), the Secretary shall notify 
        Congress in writing of the proposed designation. The 
        notification shall include an evaluation and justification for 
        the designation.
            ``(B) Effect of joint resolution of disapproval.--The 
        Secretary may not designate an institution, or an association 
        or alliance of two or more such institutions, as a sea grant 
        college or sea grant institute under subsection (a) if, before 
        the end of the 30-day period described in subparagraph (A), a 
        joint resolution disapproving the designation is enacted.
        ``(2) Existing designees.--Any institution''.
SEC. 8. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY; DEAN JOHN A. KNAUSS MARINE POLICY 
FELLOWSHIP.
    (a) In General.--During fiscal year 2021 and any fiscal year 
thereafter, the head of any Federal agency may appoint, without regard 
to the provisions of subchapter I of chapter 33 of title 5, United 
States Code, other than sections 3303 and 3328 of that title, a 
qualified candidate described in subsection (b) directly to a position 
with the Federal agency for which the candidate meets Office of 
Personnel Management qualification standards.
    (b) Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship.--Subsection (a) 
applies with respect to a former recipient of a Dean John A. Knauss 
Marine Policy Fellowship under section 208(b) of the National Sea Grant 
College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1127(b)) who--
        (1) earned a graduate or post-graduate degree in a field 
    related to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources or policy from 
    an accredited institution of higher education; and
        (2) successfully fulfilled the requirements of the fellowship 
    within the executive or legislative branch of the United States 
    Government.
    (c) Limitation.--The direct hire authority under this section shall 
be exercised with respect to a specific qualified candidate not later 
than 2 years after the date that the candidate completed the fellowship 
described in subsection (b).
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE 
PROGRAM.
    (a) In General.--Section 212(a) (33 U.S.C. 1131(a)) is amended--
        (1) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
        ``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
    the Secretary to carry out this title--
            ``(A) $87,520,000 for fiscal year 2021;
            ``(B) $91,900,000 for fiscal year 2022;
            ``(C) $96,500,000 for fiscal year 2023;
            ``(D) $101,325,000 for fiscal year 2024; and
            ``(E) $105,700,000 for fiscal year 2025.''; and
        (2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
        ``(2) Priority activities for fiscal years 2021 through 2025.--
    In addition to the amounts authorized to be appropriated under 
    paragraph (1), there are authorized to be appropriated $6,000,000 
    for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025 for competitive grants 
    for the following:
            ``(A) University research on the biology, prevention, and 
        control of aquatic nonnative species.
            ``(B) University research on oyster diseases, oyster 
        restoration, and oyster-related human health risks.
            ``(C) University research on the biology, prevention, and 
        forecasting of harmful algal blooms.
            ``(D) University research, education, training, and 
        extension services and activities focused on coastal resilience 
        and United States working waterfronts and other regional or 
        national priority issues identified in the strategic plan under 
        section 204(c)(1).
            ``(E) University research and extension on sustainable 
        aquaculture techniques and technologies.
            ``(F) Fishery research and extension activities conducted 
        by sea grant colleges or sea grant institutes to enhance, and 
        not supplant, existing core program funding.''.
    (b) Modification of Limitations on Amounts for Administration.--
Paragraph (1) of section 212(b) (33 U.S.C. 1131(b)) is amended to read 
as follows:
        ``(1) Administration.--
            ``(A) In general.--There may not be used for administration 
        of programs under this title in a fiscal year more than 5.5 
        percent of the lesser of--
                ``(i) the amount authorized to be appropriated under 
            this title for the fiscal year; or
                ``(ii) the amount appropriated under this title for the 
            fiscal year.
            ``(B) Critical staffing requirements.--
                ``(i) In general.--The Director shall use the authority 
            under subchapter VI of chapter 33 of title 5, United States 
            Code, and under section 210 of this title, to meet any 
            critical staffing requirement while carrying out the 
            activities authorized under this title.
                ``(ii) Exception from cap.--For purposes of 
            subparagraph (A), any costs incurred as a result of an 
            exercise of authority as described in clause (i) shall not 
            be considered an amount used for administration of programs 
            under this title in a fiscal year.''.
    (c) Allocation of Funding.--
        (1) In general.--Section 204(d)(3) (33 U.S.C. 1123(d)(3)) is 
    amended--
            (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
        ``With respect to sea grant colleges and sea grant institutes'' 
        and inserting ``With respect to sea grant colleges, sea grant 
        institutes, sea grant programs, and sea grant projects''; and
            (B) in subparagraph (B), in the matter preceding clause 
        (i), by striking ``funding among sea grant colleges and sea 
        grant institutes'' and inserting ``funding among sea grant 
        colleges, sea grant institutes, sea grant programs, and sea 
        grant projects''.
        (2) Repeal of requirements concerning distribution of excess 
    amounts.--Section 212 (33 U.S.C. 1131) is amended--
            (A) by striking subsection (c); and
            (B) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections 
        (c) and (d), respectively.
  SEC. 10. REPEAL OF REQUIREMENT FOR REPORT ON COORDINATION OF OCEANS 
      AND COASTAL RESEARCH ACTIVITIES.
    Section 9 of the National Sea Grant College Program Act Amendments 
of 2002 (33 U.S.C. 857-20) is repealed.
  SEC. 11. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.
    The National Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1121 et seq.) 
is amended--
        (1) in section 204(d)(3)(B) (33 U.S.C. 1123(d)(3)(B)), by 
    moving clause (vi) 2 ems to the right; and
        (2) in section 209(b)(2) (33 U.S.C. 1128(b)(2)), as amended by 
    section 5, in the third sentence, by striking ``The Secretary 
    shall'' and inserting the following:
        ``(3) Availability of resources of department of commerce.--The 
    Secretary shall''.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.
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