I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5102 

To designate public colleges and universities that provide research, data, 

and recommendations on physical and biological science, social science, 

economic analysis, policy analysis, risk analysis, monitoring, predicting, 

and planning for sea-level rise and associated coastal flooding and shoreline erosion as National Centers of Excellence in Coastal Resilience 

Research and Education, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 14, 2019 

Mr. PANETTA (for himself, Mr. WALTZ, Mr. ROUDA, Mr. PALAZZO, Mr. 

CARBAJAL, Mr. SUOZZI, Ms. ESHOO, and Mr. RICHMOND) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, 

and Technology, and in addition to the Committees on Natural Resources, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined 

by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 

within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To designate public colleges and universities that provide 

research, data, and recommendations on physical and 

biological science, social science, economic analysis, policy 

analysis, risk analysis, monitoring, predicting, and planning for sea-level rise and associated coastal flooding 

and shoreline erosion as National Centers of Excellence 

in Coastal Resilience Research and Education, and for 

other purposes. 


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1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Coastal Resilience Re5 search and Education Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. NATIONAL CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE IN COASTAL 

7 RESILIENCE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Na9 tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall des10 ignate public institutions of higher education as National 

11 Centers of Excellence in Coastal Resilience Research and 

12 Education (in this section referred to as ‘‘National Cen13 ters of Excellence’’). The Administrator shall make the 

14 first such designation by not later than 180 days after 

15 the date of enactment of this Act. 

16 (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of such designation 

17 are the following: 

18 (1) To recognize institutions of higher edu19 cation that have exhibited national leadership in re20 search and education in coastal climate change ad21 aptation and mitigation. 

22 (2) To identify such National Centers of Excel23 lence as sources of expert advice and guidance for 

24 Federal agencies engaged in research and education 

25 related to coastal climate change resilience. 


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1 (3) To formalize and enhance existing collabo2 rations and partnerships between public institutions 

3 of higher education and Federal agencies, with the 

4 goal of ensuring information and recommendations 

5 are communicated effectively between such entities. 

6 (c) CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION.—The Adminis7 trator shall designate as a National Center of Excellence 

8 only a public institution of higher education that— 

9 (1) has demonstrated proven expertise in the 

10 physical, engineering, and environmental sciences, 

11 particularly research and education focused on the 

12 impacts of sea-level rise, coastal flooding, or shore13 line erosion; 

14 (2) has demonstrated a commitment to under15 standing the socioeconomic impacts of climate 

16 change; 

17 (3) is located in a State that frequently experi18 ences coastal flooding or shoreline erosion in connec19 tion with sea-level rise, severe coastal storms, or sea20 water intrusion into groundwater supplies; 

21 (4) has previously partnered with, or is receiv22 ing funds from, Federal agencies for research on 

23 coastal flooding or shoreline erosion issues; 

24 (5) has collaborated with State agencies or 

25 State legislators as technical and scientific advisory 


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1 entities with respect to coastal flooding or shoreline 

2 erosion; 

3 (6) can demonstrate institutional collaboration 

4 in coastal flooding or shoreline erosion research and 

5 education with other public institutions of higher 

6 education, including minority-serving institutions, 

7 within the same State; and 

8 (7) can demonstrate a history of convening 

9 local, State, or Federal entities to develop plans for 

10 coastal flooding or shoreline erosion. 

11 SEC. 3. INFORMATION COLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION; 

12 REVIEWS AND ADDITIONAL DESIGNS. 

13 (a) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Administrator shall an14 nually submit to Congress and the President a report de15 scribing the activities, partnership and collaborations, 

16 Federal policy recommendations, previous and continuing 

17 budgets, and findings of, and any other applicable infor18 mation from, the National Centers of Excellence, and 

19 make such reports available to the public in an easily ac20 cessible format on the website of the National Oceanic and 

21 Atmospheric Administration. 

22 (b) REVIEW OF REPORTS FROM NATIONAL CENTERS

23 OF EXCELLENCE.—The Administrator shall review re24 ports from National Centers of Excellence to ensure that 

25 recommendations and guidance of such Centers regarding 


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1 sea-level rise, coastal flooding, shoreline erosion, and re2 lated issues are communicated to relevant Federal agen3 cies. 

4 (c) REVIEW OF NATIONAL CENTERS OF EXCEL5 LENCE AND POTENTIAL DESIGNEES.—The Administrator 

6 shall periodically review each National Center of Excel7 lence and potential new designees as such Centers, to— 

8 (1) ensure that each National Center of Excel9 lence continues to meet the criteria for designation 

10 under this Act; and 

11 (2) designate additional National Centers of 

12 Excellence in accordance with this Act. 

13 (d) REVOCATION.—If the Secretary determines under 

14 subsection (c) that a National Center for Excellence does 

15 not meet the criteria for such designation, the Secretary 

16 shall revoke such designation by such process as the Sec17 retary determines appropriate. 

18 SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL AUTHORITIES. 

19 In carrying out this Act, the Administrator may 

20 use— 

21 (1) the National Oceanographic Partnership 

22 Program established by section 8931 of title 10, 

23 United States Code, as a venue for collaboration and 

24 coordination to leverage partnerships between public 


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1 institutions of higher education and Federal agen2 cies; 

3 (2) the Coastlines and People initiative under 

4 the National Science Foundation as a tool to use on5 going interdisciplinary research; and 

6 (3) the National Sea Grant College Program as 

7 a resource to help foster collaboration between public 

8 institutions of higher education and Federal agen9 cies. 

10 SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. 

11 In this Act: 

12 (1) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 

13 term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 

14 meaning given such term in section 101 of the High15 er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). 

16 (2) MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTION.—The 

17 term ‘‘minority-serving institution’’ means an insti18 tution of higher education eligible to receive funds 

19 under section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 

20 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)). 

Æ 


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