U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

1 

49–010 

" ! SENATE 113TH CONGRESS

2d Session 

REPORT

2014

113–279 

Calendar No. 607 

NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM 

AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2014 

R E P O R T 

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND 

TRANSPORTATION 

ON

S. 2030 

DECEMBER 1, 2014—Ordered to be printed 


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(II) 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION 

ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS

SECOND SESSION

JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, West Virginia, Chairman 

BARBARA BOXER, California JOHN THUNE, South Dakota 

BILL NELSON, Florida ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi 

MARIA CANTWELL, Washington ROY BLUNT, Missouri 

MARK PRYOR, Arkansas MARCO RUBIO, Florida 

CLAIRE MCCASKILL, Missouri KELLY AYOTTE, New Hampshire 

AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota DEAN HELLER, Nevada 

MARK BEGICH, Alaska DANIEL COATS, Indiana 

RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut TIM SCOTT, South Carolina 

BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii TED CRUZ, Texas 

ED MARKEY, Massachusetts DEB FISCHER, Nebraska 

CORY BOOKER, New Jersey RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin 

JOHN WALSH, Montana 

ELLEN DONESKI, Staff Director 

JOHN WILLIAMS, General Counsel 

DAVID SCHWIETERT, Republican Staff Director 

NICK ROSSI, Republican Deputy Staff Director 

REBECCA SEIDEL, Republican General Counsel 


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Calendar No. 607 

113TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 2d Session 113–279 

NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM 

AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2014 

DECEMBER 1, 2014.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. ROCKEFELLER, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 2030] 

The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to 

which was referred the bill (S. 2030) to reauthorize and amend the 

National Sea Grant College Program Act, and for other purposes, 

having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with an 

amendment (in the nature of a substitute) and recommends that 

the bill (as amended) do pass. 

PURPOSE OF THE BILL

The purpose of S. 2030 is to amend the National Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1121 et seq.) (Sea Grant Act) to reauthorize the National Sea Grant College Program (Sea Grant) 

through 2020, and to improve the program’s ability to enhance the 

practical use and conservation of coastal, marine, and Great Lakes 

resources through research, extension, and education activities. 

BACKGROUND AND NEEDS

The Sea Grant Act was first enacted in 1966 and has been 

amended ten times, most recently in 2008. Sea Grant promotes research, education, and training to increase the understanding, development, management, utilization, and conservation of the Nation’s ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources. Sea Grant is a 

partnership between institutions of higher learning and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and also 

works to build partnerships with State, local, and non-governmental (NGO) groups to address coastal and marine issues. For 

more than 40 years, the program has efficiently leveraged Federal 


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1 NOAA, National Sea Grant College Program FY2013 Performance Measures and Metrics, 

2014, http://seagrant.noaa.gov/Portals/0/Documents/wherelwelwork/documents/ 

FY13%20Performance%20Measures%20and%20Metrics%20for%202l2012- 

1l2013%20info%20(1).pdf. 

funds to create and maintain a healthy coastal environment and 

economy in the United States. 

The Sea Grant network has been expanded gradually over time, 

and now consists of 33 university-based programs covering every 

coastal State, major territories, Lake Champlain, and the Great 

Lakes. The network includes over 3000 scientists at over 300 institutions. Sea Grant focuses on the crosscutting goals of performing 

quality research, generating an informed public, facilitating inclusive decision making with diverse stakeholders, and providing relevant, timely information on coastal hazards. Sea Grant’s current 

National Strategic Plan (2014-2017) includes four focus areas: (1) 

healthy coastal ecosystems; (2) sustainable fisheries and aquaculture; (3) resilient communities and economies; and (4) environmental literacy and workforce development. 

Sea Grant is structured in three parts: (1) the National Sea 

Grant Office (NSGO), based in Silver Spring, MD; (2) the Sea 

Grant Association (SGA), which represents the network of State 

programs; and (3) the Sea Grant Advisory Board (SGAB), which is 

a group of independent expert advisors and evaluators. In fiscal year (FY) 2013, with $57.6 million in appropriations, Sea Grant supported an estimated $485 million in economic benefit 

to the Nation, created or retained 3,400 businesses, created or retained 15,000 jobs, generated 13 patents, and supported 900 undergraduate and 980 graduate students.1 Sea Grant is able to leverage Federal funding by matching every $2 of Federal funding with an 

additional $1 of non-Federal funding from partners (33 U.S.C. 

1124(a)). 

The primary purpose of this bill is to reauthorize Sea Grant. This 

bill also proposes changes to the legislation that will advance Sea 

Grant’s capability to address regional and national issues, mandate 

the Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program, enhance NOAA’s 

ability to administer and provide guidance to Sea Grant, and make 

a number of administrative adjustments, such as the removal of 

two now-moot reporting requirements. A substitute amendment 

made other alterations to the base bill, including: additional direction for the administration of the Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship 

Program; clarification of Sea Grant’s authority to accept private 

monetary donations; addition of aquaculture, coastal resilience, and 

working waterfronts to the list of priority program activities; and 

a reduction in the authorization levels for the priority activity 

grant program from $18 million to $6 million annually. 

Strengthening the education mandate and fellowship placement priorities 

Sea Grant has worked to integrate its three program elements – 

research, outreach, and education. However, recent proposals by 

the Administration regarding the consolidation of STEM education 

into the National Science Foundation (NSF) have raised the possibility that the core education function could be removed from Sea 

Grant, thus changing the fundamental nature of the program. The 

currently authorized Sea Grant Act includes education as one of 


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the primary purposes of Sea Grant (33 U.S.C. 1121(c)) and requires 

Sea Grant to support several fellowships (33 U.S.C. 1123(b)(3)), but 

the Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, as written, is 

currently optional. For more than 30 years, the Dean John A. 

Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship has been a highly successful part 

of Sea Grant, and has brought over 1,000 fellows to Washington, 

D.C. This bill would strengthen the education mandate of Sea 

Grant by making the Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship a mandatory component of Sea Grant’s education portfolio. 

Each year, ten of the Knauss Fellows are placed on Capitol Hill 

in member offices or with committees. In response to concerns 

about potential imbalances in legislative fellow placement, the bill 

would direct the Secretary of Commerce to take steps, to the degree 

practicable, to ensure equitable placements among political parties. 

Because Knauss Fellows bring expertise in marine and aquatic-related fields, the bill would prioritize placement within offices of 

committees of Congress that have jurisdiction over NOAA, in offices of members on those committees, and in offices of members 

that have a demonstrated interest in ocean, coastal, and Great 

Lakes resources. The Committee urges the NSGO to implement 

these changes as swiftly as possible, and no later than 30 days 

after enactment of this Act. 

Developing Sea Grant’s regional leadership and expanding 

priority activities 

Since its inception, Sea Grant has prided itself on its ability to 

address national issues at a local level. Although Sea Grant has always had the capability of addressing intermediate-scale problems 

at a regional level, it can be difficult to encourage collaboration between State programs without a specific mandate. Sea Grant has 

already taken a leadership role by developing regional research and 

information plans over the past few years. This bill would formalize 

the role of regional projects within Sea Grant by adding an authorization for regional and national activities to the list of issue-specific authorizations already included in the Sea Grant Act (33 

U.S.C. 1131(a)(2)). This addition would encourage cooperation between States on region-wide issues, such as the Deepwater Horizon 

oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Other additions to the list of priority activities include coastal resilience, working waterfronts, and sustainable aquaculture techniques and technologies, topics that have become increasingly important to coastal communities. Collectively, these additions would 

serve to direct future research and highlight Sea Grant’s capacity 

as a regional leader in providing science-based information and 

tools on a wide variety of issues. 

Increasing resources for the national Sea Grant office 

Currently, the Sea Grant Act mandates a 5 percent cap on administrative spending in the NSGO. With this cap, approximately 

95 percent of the Federal funding provided to Sea Grant goes directly to the State programs, where it is used to conduct research, 

carry out extension and outreach activities, and deliver direct community services. With relatively flat funding and the administrative spending cap set at 5 percent, over the past seven years the 

NSGO has lost one-third of its full time employees, all four of its 


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senior positions, and now has less than half the staff that it had 

in 1991. The SGAB has reviewed the functions and staffing of 

NOAA’s NSGO twice in the last decade (2002 and 2008). In addition, in 2006, the National Research Council (NRC) reviewed the 

role of the NSGO in program evaluation and administration. Each 

of these reviews concluded that the staffing level of the NSGO was 

not adequate to accomplish the duties required, and therefore recommended to NOAA and the Department of Commerce that additional resources be allocated to the NSGO. However, the SGA expressed concern that a reallocation of funding to the NSGO would 

detract from their own funding in the States, and would impair 

their ability to do research and outreach in communities. Therefore, the bill proposes to raise the administrative cap to 5.5 percent, and includes language to authorize the NSGO to use the 

Intergovernmental Personnel Act Mobility Program to temporarily 

assign qualified and dedicated State Sea Grant personnel to fulfill 

critical NSGO duties. These assignments would result from a written agreement between the NSGO and the relevant State Sea 

Grant program. These additional personnel would come directly 

from the State programs on a rotating basis, external to the NSGO 

administrative spending cap. 

Removal of unnecessary reporting requirements 

This bill would remove two required reports to Congress that are 

no longer useful. One report served as a progress update on the addition of new Sea Grant programs to the national network. However, with the addition of the Lake Champlain and Guam Sea 

Grant programs, Sea Grant network is now complete, with a program in every coastal State, the Great Lakes, Lake Champlain, 

and the major U.S. territories. Therefore, this report is no longer 

relevant. Second, the Sea Grant Act calls for a coordination report 

regarding a decade-old proposal to transfer Sea Grant from NOAA 

to NSF. However, as that restructuring is no longer planned, the 

need for annual reporting on coordination has passed. NSF agrees, 

and has stated in writing its desire for the report to be eliminated. 

This bill would also alter the reporting requirements for the ‘‘State 

of Sea Grant’’ report from biennial to every three years, in order 

to alleviate time constraints on the SGAB. 

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS

The National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 

2014 would reauthorize Sea Grant from 2015 to 2020. The bill 

would also make a number of program adjustments and improvements, including: 

• adding aquaculture, coastal resilience, working waterfronts, and regional and national issues to the list of priority 

activities for competitive research grants; • increasing the administrative spending cap for the NSGO 

from 5 percent to 5.5 percent, and allowing the NSGO to take 

on staff from the State Sea Grant programs via the Intergovernmental Personnel Act Mobility Program; 

• clarifying Sea Grant’s ability to accept monetary donations 

and asking the program to report to Congress on optimal uses 

of any such donations; 

• eliminating a number of unnecessary reports; and 


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• mandating the Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program, 

and establishing priorities for placement of legislative fellows 

among congressional offices and parties. 

This bill would authorize appropriations of $72 million for FY 

2015, $75.6 for FY 2016, $79.38 million for FY 2017, $83.35 million 

for FY 2018, $87.52 million for FY 2019, and $91.9 million for FY 

2020, the same amounts authorized in the past for the same program. An additional $6 million, $12 million less than the level authorized in the last reauthorization, would be authorized for competitive grants to address priority program activities. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

S. 2030 was introduced by Senator Schatz on February 12, 2014, 

and is cosponsored by Senator Wicker. S. 2030 would reauthorize 

and amend the Sea Grant Act, originally enacted in 1966 and last 

reauthorized in 2008. 

On July 23, 2014, the Committee met in open Executive Session 

and, by voice vote, accepted the substitute amendment for S. 2030 

filed by Senator Schatz, and ordered S. 2030 reported favorably. 

ESTIMATED COSTS

In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the Congressional Budget 

Act of 1974, the Committee provides the following cost estimate, 

prepared by the Congressional Budget Office: 

S. 2030—National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 

2014 

Summary: S. 2030 would authorize appropriations totaling $526 

million over the 2015–2020 period for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to carry out the National Sea 

Grant College Program, which funds scientific research, education, 

and public outreach related to marine issues at certain universities. In addition, the program would provide funds for marine policy fellowships. 

Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO estimates that implementing the legislation would cost $379 million 

over the 2015–2019 period and $147 million after 2019. Because 

enacting the legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. 

S. 2030 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA), 

and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. 

The bill would benefit public universities by reauthorizing the national sea grant college program. Any costs incurred by state, local, 

or tribal governments, including matching funds, would result from 

complying with a voluntary federal program. 

Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated budgetary impact of S. 2030 is shown in the following table. The costs 

of this legislation fall within budget function 300 (natural resources 

and environment). 


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By fiscal year, in millions of dollars— 

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2015- 

2019 

CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION 

Sea Grant Program 

Authorization Level .............................................................. 72 76 79 83 88 398 

Estimated Outlays ............................................................... 47 64 75 81 85 352 

Sea Grant Priority Grants 

Authorization Level .............................................................. 6 6 6 6 6 30 

Estimated Outlays ............................................................... 4 5 6 6 6 27 

Total Changes 

Authorization Level ..................................................... 78 82 85 89 94 428 

Estimated Outlays ...................................................... 51 69 81 87 91 379 

Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that S. 2030 

will be enacted by the end of fiscal year 2014, that the authorized 

amounts will be appropriated for each year, and that outlays will 

follow historical spending patterns for similar NOAA activities. 

S. 2030 would amend and reauthorize the National Sea Grant 

College Program Act. The bill would authorize appropriations totaling $490 million over the 2015–2020 period to fund activities at a 

network of 33 Sea Grant programs located at universities in every 

coastal and Great Lakes state, Vermont, Puerto Rico, and Guam. 

Those funds would also be used to provide fellowships that support 

the placement of graduate students studying ocean, coastal, and 

Great Lakes resources within the executive and legislative 

branches of the United States government. In 2014, NOAA received 

appropriations totaling $63 million to fund similar activities. Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO estimates 

that implementing those provisions would cost $352 million over 

the 2015–2019 period and $138 million after 2019. 

The bill also would authorize the appropriation of $6 million a 

year to fund competitive grants that would fund high-priority research activities at universities. Those activities would include the 

prevention and control of nonnative aquatic species, the development of sustainable aquaculture techniques, and the prevention 

and forecasting of harmful algal blooms. NOAA received an appropriation of $4 million to fund similar activities in 2014. Assuming 

appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO estimates that implementing these provisions would cost $27 million over the 2015– 

2019 period and $9 million after 2019. 

Pay-as-you-go considerations: None. 

Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: S. 2030 contains no 

intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA, 

and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. 

The bill would benefit public universities by reauthorizing the national sea grant college program. Any costs incurred by state, local, 

or tribal governments, including matching funds, would result from 

complying with a voluntary federal program. 

Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Jeff LaFave; Impact on 

state, local, and tribal governments: Jon Sperl; Impact on the private sector: Tristan Hanon. 

Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Assistant Director for 

Budget Analysis. 


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2 NOAA, National Sea Grant College Program FY2013 Performance Measures and Metrics, 

2014, http://seagrant.noaa.gov/Portals/0/Documents/wherelwelwork/documents/ 

FY13%20Performance%20Measures%20and%20Metrics%20for%202l2012- 

1l2013%20info%20(1).pdf. 

REGULATORY IMPACT

In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the following evaluation of the regulatory impact of the legislation, as reported: 

NUMBER OF PERSONS COVERED

The bill would not authorize any new regulations and therefore 

would not subject any individuals or businesses to new regulations. 

ECONOMIC IMPACT

This bill would authorize appropriations of $72 million for FY 

2015, $75.6 for FY 2016, $79.38 million for FY 2017, $83.35 million 

for FY 2018, $87.52 million for FY 2019, and $91.9 million for FY 

2020, the same amounts authorized in the past for the same program. The increasing authorization levels over flat funding are intended to allow for expansion of the capacity of smaller programs 

in the network. An additional $6 million, $12 million less than the 

level authorized in the last reauthorization, would be authorized 

for competitive grants to address priority activities: non-native species, oyster diseases and restoration, harmful algal blooms, coastal 

resilience and working waterfronts, aquaculture techniques and 

technologies, fisheries, and other regional or national priority 

issues identified in Sea Grant’s National Strategic Plan. These 

amounts are not expected to have an inflationary impact on the 

Nation’s economy. The research, education, and extension services 

that Sea Grant provides are estimated to have a net positive economic impact on coastal communities.2

PRIVACY

The reported bill would not have any adverse impact on the personal privacy of individuals. 

PAPERWORK

This bill would add a new reporting requirement, mandating that 

Sea Grant, in consultation with the SGAB and the SGA, report to 

Congress within 180 days of enactment of this Act their recommendations for optimal use of any monetary donations received 

by Sea Grant. 

However, this bill would likely decrease overall paperwork by 

eliminating two reports that are no longer necessary: the Sea 

Grant Colleges and Sea Grant Institutes Annual Report on 

Progress, and the Report on the Coordination of Oceans and Coastal Research Activities. It would decrease a currently authorized report to Congress from the SGAB regarding ‘‘The State of Sea 

Grant,’’ from a biennial submission to once every three years. 


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CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING

In compliance with paragraph 4(b) of rule XLIV of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides that no provisions 

contained in the bill, as reported, meet the definition of congressionally directed spending items under the rule. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title. 

This section would provide the short title of the bill, National Sea 

Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2014. 

Section 2. References to the National Sea Grant College Program 

Act. 

This section states that an amendment or repeal of a section or 

other provision shall be considered to be made to the Sea Grant 

Act. 

Section 3. Sea Grant colleges and Sea Grant institutes; annual report on progress. 

This section would remove a required report to Congress regarding the addition of new Sea Grant Colleges to the national network. 

Because the network is now complete, this report is no longer necessary. 

Section 4. Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship. 

This section would strengthen the mandate for the continuation 

of the Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship within Sea 

Grant. It would also establish priorities for placement of legislative 

Knauss Fellows within offices of, or with members on, committees 

of Congress that have jurisdiction over NOAA, or in offices of members that have a demonstrated interest in ocean, coastal, and Great 

Lakes resources. It would further direct the Secretary of Commerce 

to ensure, to the degree practicable, that placements are equitably 

distributed among political parties. Finally, this section includes a 

‘‘Sense of Congress’’ statement that the Secretary of Commerce 

should encourage Federal agencies hosting Knauss Fellows to consider opportunities for fellowship awardees at the conclusion of 

their fellowships for workforce positions commensurate with their 

level of education and experience. 

Section 5. Donations. 

This section would clarify that Sea Grant may accept monetary 

donations, and request that the program establish priorities for the 

use of any such donations, including the possibility of expanding 

the Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship’s placement of 

legislative fellows. It would require that the NSGO, in consultation 

with the SGAB and the SGA, report to Congress within 180 days 

of enactment of this Act their recommendations for optimal use of 

donations received. 

Section 6. Report on the coordination of oceans and coastal research 

activities. 

This section would remove a required report to Congress on the 

coordination of activities between Sea Grant and NSF, in response 


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to a decade-old proposal to incorporate Sea Grant into NSF. Because this proposal is no longer being enacted, this report is not 

necessary. 

Section 7. National Sea Grant Advisory Board report. 

This section would decrease a currently authorized report to Congress from the SGAB regarding ‘‘The State of Sea Grant,’’ from a 

biennial submission to once every three years. 

Section 8. Program elements. 

This section would duplicate language from elsewhere in the Act 

to emphasize and underscore Sea Grant’s diverse and important 

roles in research, extension, education, training, technology transfer, and public service. 

Section 9. Authorization of appropriations. 

This section would set the total authorized appropriations to the Secretary of Commerce to implement the Act at $72 million for FY 

2015, $75.6 million for FY 2016, $79.38 million for FY 2017, $83.35 

million for FY 2018, $87.52 million for FY 2019, and $91.9 million 

for FY 2020. An additional $6 million, $12 million less than the 

amount authorized in the 2008 reauthorization, would be authorized for funding competitive grants for specific priority activities, 

including non-native species, oyster restoration and research, 

harmful algal blooms forecasting and prevention, coastal resilience, 

working waterfronts, aquaculture techniques and technology development, fisheries, and regional or national priority issues that span 

multiple States. Aquaculture, coastal resilience, working waterfronts, and regional and national priorities would be new additions 

to the scope of priority activities. This section would also limit 

spending on the administration of the program by the NSGO to 5.5 

percent of the lesser of the amount authorized to be appropriated 

and the amount appropriated for the fiscal year, an increase of 0.5 

percent over the current Sea Grant Act. Additionally, in this section, critical staffing requirements for the NSGO would be authorized to be met through the use of the Intergovernmental Personnel 

Act Mobility Program. The cost of staff transferred would not count 

towards the NSGO administrative spending cap, but rather would 

be paid for by the home office of the detail. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the bill, as 

reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted 

is enclosed in black brackets, new material is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman): 

NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM ACT 

[33 U.S.C. 1121 et seq.] 

SEC. 204. NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM. 

[33 U.S.C. 1123] 

(a) PROGRAM MAINTENANCE.—The Secretary shall maintain within the Administration a program to be known as the national sea 

grant college program. The national sea grant college program 


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shall be administered by a national sea grant office within the Administration. 

(b) PROGRAM ELEMENTS.—The national sea grant college program shall consist of the financial assistance for research, education, extension, training, technology transfer, and public service 

and other activities authorized in this title, and shall provide support for the following elements— 

(1) sea grant programs that comprise a national sea grant 

college program network, including international projects conducted within such programs and regional and national 

projects conducted among such programs; 

(2) administration of the national sea grant college program 

and this title by the national sea grant office and the Administration; 

(3) the fellowship program under section 208; and 

(4) any regional or national strategic investments in fields 

relating to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources developed 

in consultation with the Board and with the approval of the 

sea grant colleges and the sea grant institutes. 

(c) RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SECRETARY.— 

(1) The Secretary, in consultation with the Board, sea grant 

colleges, and sea grant institutes, shall develop at least every 

4 years a strategic plan that establishes priorities for the national sea grant college program, provides an appropriately 

balanced response to local, regional, and national needs, and is 

reflective of integration with the relevant portions of the strategic plans of the Department of Commerce and of the Administration. 

(2) The Secretary, in consultation with the Board, sea grant 

colleges, and sea grant institutes, shall establish guidelines related to the activities and responsibilities of sea grant colleges 

and sea grant institutes. Such guidelines shall include requirements for the conduct of merit review by the sea grant colleges 

and sea grant institutes of proposals for grants and contracts 

to be awarded under section 205, providing, at a minimum, for 

standardized documentation of such proposals and peer review 

of all research projects. 

(3) The Secretary shall by regulation prescribe the qualifications required for designation of sea grant colleges and sea 

grant institutes under section 207. 

(4) To carry out the provisions of this title, the Secretary 

may— 

(A) appoint, assign the duties, transfer, and fix the compensation of such personnel as may be necessary, in accordance with civil service laws; 

(B) make appointments with respect to temporary and 

intermittent services to the extent authorized by section 

3109 of title 5, United States Code; 

(C) publish or arrange for the publication of, and otherwise disseminate, in cooperation with other offices and 

programs in the Administration and without regard to section 501 of title 44, United States Code, any information 

of research, educational, training or other value in fields 

related to ocean, coastal, or Great Lakes resources; 


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(D) enter into contracts, cooperative agreements, and 

other transactions without regard to section 5 of title 41, 

United States Code; 

ø(E) notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31, United 

States Code, accept donations and voluntary and uncompensated services;¿ 

(E) accept donations of money and, notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31, United States Code, of voluntary and 

uncompensated services; 

(F) accept funds from other Federal departments and 

agencies, including agencies within the Administration, to 

pay for and add to grants made and contracts entered into 

by the Secretary; and 

(G) promulgate such rules and regulations as may be 

necessary and appropriate. 

(d) DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM.— 

(1) The Secretary shall appoint, as the Director of the National Sea Grant College Program, a qualified individual who 

has appropriate administrative experience and knowledge or 

expertise in fields related to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes 

resources. The Director shall be appointed and compensated, 

without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, 

governing appointments in the competitive service, at a rate 

payable under section 5376 of title 5, United States Code. 

(2) Subject to the supervision of the Secretary, the Director 

shall administer the national sea grant college program and 

oversee the operation of the national sea grant office. In addition to any other duty prescribed by law or assigned by the 

Secretary, the Director shall— 

(A) facilitate and coordinate the development of a strategic plan under subsection (c)(1); 

(B) advise the Secretary with respect to the expertise 

and capabilities which are available within or through the 

national sea grant college program and encourage the use 

of such expertise and capabilities, on a cooperative or other 

basis, by other offices and activities within the Administration, and other Federal departments and agencies; 

(C) advise the Secretary on the designation of sea grant 

colleges and sea grant institutes, and, if appropriate, on 

the termination or suspension of any such designation; and 

(D) encourage the establishment and growth of sea grant 

programs, and cooperation and coordination with other 

Federal activities in fields related to ocean, coastal, and 

Great Lakes resources. 

(3) øWith respect to sea grant colleges and sea grant institutes¿ With respect to sea grant colleges, sea grant institutes, 

sea grant programs, and sea grant projects, the Director shall— 

(A) evaluate and assess the performance of the programs 

of sea grant colleges and sea grant institutes, using the 

priorities, guidelines, and qualifications established by the 

Secretary under subsection (c), and determine which of the 

programs are the best managed and carry out the highest 

quality research, education, extension, and training activities; 


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(B) subject to the availability of appropriations, allocate 

øfunding among sea grant colleges and sea grant institutes¿ funding among sea grant colleges, sea grant institutes, sea grant programs, and sea grant projects so as to— 

(i) promote healthy competition among sea grant colleges and institutes; 

(ii) encourage collaborations among sea grant colleges and sea grant institutes to address regional and 

national priorities established under subsection (c)(1); 

(iii) ensure successful implementation of sea grant 

programs; 

(iv) to the maximum extent consistent with other 

provisions of this Act, provide a stable base of funding 

for sea grant colleges and institutes; 

(v) encourage and promote coordination and cooperation between the research, education, and outreach 

programs of the Administration and those of academic 

institutions; and 

(vi) encourage cooperation with Minority Serving Institutions to enhance collaborative research opportunities and increase the number of such students graduating in NOAA science areas; and 

(C) ensure compliance with the guidelines for merit review under subsection (c)(2). 

SEC. 207. SEA GRANT COLLEGES AND SEA GRANT INSTITUTES. 

[33 U.S.C. 1126] 

(a) DESIGNATION.— (1) A sea grant college or sea grant institute shall meet the 

following qualifications— 

(A) have an existing broad base of competence in fields 

related to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources; 

(B) make a long-term commitment to the objective in 

section 202(b), as determined by the Secretary; 

(C) cooperate with other sea grant colleges and institutes 

and other persons to solve problems or meet needs relating 

to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources; 

(D) have received financial assistance under section 205 

of this title (33 U.S.C. 1124); 

(E) be recognized for excellence in fields related to ocean, 

coastal, and Great Lakes resources (including marine resources management and science), as determined by the 

Secretary; and 

(F) meet such other qualifications as the Secretary, in 

consultation with the Board, considers necessary or appropriate. 

(2) The Secretary may designate an institution, or an association or alliance of two or more such institutions, as a sea 

grant college if the institution, association, or alliance— 

(A) meets the qualifications in paragraph (1); and 

(B) maintains a program of research, extension services, 

training, and education in fields related to ocean, coastal, 

and Great Lakes resources. 

(3) The Secretary may designate an institution, or an association or alliance of two or more such institutions, as a sea 

grant institute if the institution, association, or alliance— 


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(A) meets the qualifications in paragraph (1); and 

(B) maintains a program which includes, at a minimum, 

research and extension services. 

(b) EXISTING DESIGNEES.—Any institution, or association or alliance of two or more such institutions, designated as a sea grant 

college or awarded institutional program status by the Director 

prior to the date of enactment of the National Sea Grant College 

Program Reauthorization Act of 1998, shall not have to reapply for 

designation as a sea grant college or sea grant institute, respectively, after the date of enactment of the National Sea Grant College Program Reauthorization Act of 1998, if the Director determines that the institution, or association or alliance of institutions, 

meets the qualifications in subsection (a). 

(c) SUSPENSION OR TERMINATION OF DESIGNATION.—The Secretary may, for cause and after an opportunity for hearing, suspend 

or terminate any designation under subsection (a). 

(d) DUTIES.—Subject to any regulations prescribed or guidelines 

established by the Secretary, it shall be the responsibility of each 

sea grant college and sea grant institute— 

(1) to develop and implement, in consultation with the Secretary and the Board, a program that is consistent with the 

guidelines and priorities established under section 204(c); and 

(2) to conduct a merit review of all proposals for grants and 

contracts to be awarded under section 205. 

ø(e) ANNUAL REPORT ON PROGRESS.— ø(1) REPORT REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary shall report annually to the Committee on Resources and the Committee on 

Science of the House of Representatives, and to the Committee 

on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, on efforts and progress made by colleges, universities, institutions, 

associations, and alliances to become designated under this 

section as sea grant colleges or sea grant institutes, including 

efforts and progress made by sea grant institutes in being designated as sea grant colleges. 

ø(2) TERRITORIES AND FREELY ASSOCIATED STATES.—The report shall include description of— 

ø(A) efforts made by colleges, universities, associations, 

institutions, and alliances in United States territories and 

freely associated States to develop the expertise necessary 

to be designated as a sea grant institute or sea grant college; 

ø(B) the administrative, technical, and financial assistance provided by the Secretary to those entities seeking to 

be designated; and 

ø(C) the additional actions or activities necessary for 

those entities to meet the qualifications for such designation under subsection (a)(1).¿ 

SEC. 208. FELLOWSHIPS. 

[33 U.S.C. 1127] 

(a) IN GENERAL.—To carry out the educational and training objectives of this Act, the Secretary shall support a program of fellowships for qualified individuals at the graduate and postgraduate 

level. The fellowships shall be related to ocean, coastal, and Great 

Lakes resources and awarded pursuant to guidelines established by 

the Secretary. The Secretary shall strive to ensure equal access for 


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1The amendment inserting the language under paragraph (2) shall apply with respect to the 

first calendar year beginning after the date of enactment of the National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2014. 

minority and economically disadvantaged students to the program 

carried out under this subsection. Every 2 years, the Secretary 

shall submit a report to the Congress describing the efforts by the 

Secretary to ensure equal access for minority and economically disadvantaged students to the program carried out under this subsection, and the results of such efforts. 

(b) DEAN JOHN A. KNAUSS MARINE POLICY FELLOWSHIP.—øThe 

Secretary¿ 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary ømay¿ shall award marine 

policy fellowships to support the placement of individuals at 

the graduate level of education in fields related to ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources in positions with the executive 

and legislative branches of the United States Government. øA 

fellowship¿ 

(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, to the degree practicable, that placements are equitably distributed among the political parties. 

(3) DURATION.—A fellowship awarded under this subsection 

shall be for a period of not more than 1 year.1

(c) RESTRICTION ON USE OF FUNDS.—Amounts available for fellowships under this section, including amounts accepted under section 204(c)(4)(F) or appropriated under section 212 to implement 

this section, shall be used only for award of such fellowships and 

administrative costs of implementing this section. 

SEC. 209. NATIONAL SEA GRANT ADVISORY BOARD. 

[33 U.S.C. 1128] 

(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There shall be an independent committee 

to be known as the National Sea Grant Advisory Board. 

(b) DUTIES.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Board shall advise the Secretary and 

the Director concerning— 

(A) strategies for utilizing the sea grant college program 

to address the Nation’s highest priorities regarding the understanding, assessment, development, management, utilization, and conservation of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes 

resources; 

(B) the designation of sea grant colleges and sea grant 

institutes; and 


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(C) such other matters as the Secretary refers to the 

Board for review and advice. 

ø(2) BIENNIAL REPORT.—The Board shall report to the Congress every two years on the state of the national sea grant college program. The Board shall indicate in each such report the 

progress made toward meeting the priorities identified in the 

strategic plan in effect under section 204(c). The Secretary 

shall make available to the Board such information, personnel, 

and administrative services and assistance as it may reasonably require to carry out its duties under this title.¿ 

(2) REPORT.—The Board shall report to the Congress every 3 

years on the state of the national sea grant college program. 

The Board shall indicate in each such report the progress made 

toward meeting the priorities identified in the strategic plan in 

effect under section 204(c). The Secretary shall make available 

to the Board such information, personnel, and administrative 

services and assistance as it may reasonably require to carry 

out its duties under this title. 

(c) MEMBERSHIP, TERMS, AND POWERS.— 

(1) The Board shall consist of 15 voting members who shall 

be appointed by the Secretary. The Director and a director of 

a sea grant program who is elected by the various directors of 

sea grant programs shall serve as nonvoting members of the 

Board. Not less than 8 of the voting members of the Board 

shall be individuals who, by reason of knowledge, experience, 

or training, are especially qualified in one or more of the disciplines and fields included in marine science. The other voting 

members shall be individuals who, by reason of knowledge, experience, or training, are especially qualified in, or representative of, education, marine affairs and resource management, 

coastal management, extension services, State government, industry, economics, planning, or any other activity which is appropriate to, and important for, any effort to enhance the understanding, assessment, development, management, utilization, or conservation of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources. No individual is eligible to be a voting member of the 

Board if the individual is (A) the director of a sea grant college 

or sea grant institute; (B) an applicant for, or beneficiary (as 

determined by the Secretary) of, any grant or contract under 

section 205; or (C) a full-time officer or employee of the United 

States. 

(2) The term of office of a voting member of the Board shall 

be 3 years for a member appointed before the date of enactment of the National Sea Grant College Program Act Amendments of 2002, and 4 years for a member appointed or reappointed after the date of enactment of the National Sea 

Grant College Program Act Amendments of 2002. The Director 

may extend the term of office of a voting member of the Board 

appointed before the date of enactment of the National Sea 

Grant College Program Act Amendments of 2002 by up to 1 

year. At least once each year, the Secretary shall publish a notice in the Federal Register soliciting nominations for membership on the Board. 

(3) Any individual appointed to a partial or full term may be 

reappointed for one additional full term. The Director may exVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:52 Dec 03, 2014 Jkt 049010 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR279.XXX SR279

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tend the term of office of a voting member of the Board once 

by up to 1 year. 

(4) The Board shall select one voting member to serve as the 

Chairman and another voting member to serve as the Vice 

Chairman. The Vice Chairman shall act as Chairman in the 

absence or incapacity of the Chairman. 

(5) Voting members of the Board shall— 

(A) receive compensation at a rate established by the 

Secretary, not to exceed the maximum daily rate payable 

under section 5376 of title 5, United States Code, when actually engaged in the performance of duties for such 

Board; and 

(B) be reimbursed for actual and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of such duties. 

(6) The Board shall meet on a biannual basis and, at any 

other time, at the call of the Chairman or upon the request of 

a majority of the voting members or of the Director. 

(7) The Board may exercise such powers as are reasonably 

necessary in order to carry out its duties under subsection (b). 

(8) The Board may establish such subcommittees as are reasonably necessary to carry out its duties under subsection (b). 

Such subcommittees may include individuals who are not 

Board members. 

SEC. 212. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

[33 U.S.C. 1131] 

(a) AUTHORIZATION.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated to 

the Secretary to carry out this title— 

ø(A) $ 72,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; 

ø(B) $ 75,600,000 for fiscal year 2010; 

ø(C) $ 79,380,000 for fiscal year 2011; 

ø(D) $ 83,350,000 for fiscal year 2012; 

ø(E) $ 87,520,000 for fiscal year 2013; and 

ø(F) $ 91,900,000 for fiscal year 2014.¿ 

(A) $72,000,000 for fiscal year 2015; 

(B) $75,600,000 for fiscal year 2016; 

(C) $79,380,000 for fiscal year 2017; 

(D) $83,350,000 for fiscal year 2018; 

(E) $87,520,000 for fiscal year 2019; and 

(F) $91,900,000 for fiscal year 2020. 

ø(2) PRIORITY ACTIVITIES.—In addition to the amounts authorized under paragraph (1), there are authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2014— 

ø(A) $ 5,000,000 for competitive grants for university research on the biology, prevention, and control of aquatic 

nonnative species; 

ø(B) $ 5,000,000 for competitive grants for university research on oyster diseases, oyster restoration, and oyster-related human health risks; 

ø(C) $ 5,000,000 for competitive grants for university research on the biology, prevention, and forecasting of harmful algal blooms; and 

ø(D) $ 3,000,000 for competitive grants for fishery extension activities conducted by sea grant colleges or sea grant 


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institutes to enhance, and not supplant, existing core program funding.¿ 

(2) PRIORITY ACTIVITIES.—In addition to the amounts authorized under paragraph (1), there is authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 2015 through 2020 $6,000,000 

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 

U.S. 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. 

(b) LIMITATIONS.— 

ø(1) ADMINISTRATION.—There may not be used for administration of programs under this title in a fiscal year more than 

5 percent of the lesser of— 

ø(A) the amount authorized to be appropriated under 

this title for the fiscal year; or 

ø(B) the amount appropriated under this title for the fiscal year.¿ 

(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.—The Director 

shall use the authority under subchapter VI of chapter 33 

of title 5, United States Code, to meet any critical staffing 

requirement while implementing the activities authorized 

in this title. The costs associated with that exercise of authority shall not be counted toward the cap under subparagraph (A). 

(2) USE FOR OTHER OFFICES OR PROGRAMS.—Sums appropriated under the authority of subsection (a)(2) shall not be 

available for administration of this title by the National Sea 

Grant Office, for any other Administration or department program, or for any other administrative expenses. 

ø(c) DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.—In any fiscal year in which the appropriations made under subsection (a)(1) exceed the amounts appropriated for fiscal year 2003 for the purposes described in such 

subsection, the Secretary shall distribute any excess amounts (exVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:52 Dec 03, 2014 Jkt 049010 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR279.XXX SR279

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cept amounts used for the administration of the sea grant program) 

to any combination of the following: 

ø(1) sea grant programs, according to their performance assessments; 

ø(2) regional or national strategic investments authorized 

under section 204(b)(4); 

ø(3) a college, university, institution, association, or alliance 

for activities that are necessary for it to be designated as a sea 

grant college or sea grant institute; and 

ø(4) a sea grant college or sea grant institute designated 

after the date of enactment of the National Sea Grant College 

Program Act Amendments of 2002 but not yet evaluated under 

section 204(d)(3)(A).¿ 

ø(d)¿(c) AVAILABILITY OF SUMS.—Sums appropriated pursuant to 

this section shall remain available until expended. 

ø(e)¿ (d) REVERSION OF UNOBLIGATED AMOUNTS.—The amount of 

any grant, or portion of a grant, made to a person under any section of this Act that is not obligated by that person during the first 

fiscal year for which it was authorized to be obligated or during the 

next fiscal year thereafter shall revert to the Secretary. The Secretary shall add that reverted amount to the funds available for 

grants under the section for which the reverted amount was originally made available. 

NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM ACT 

AMENDMENTS OF 2002 

[116 Stat. 2345] 

øSEC. 9. REPORT ON COORDINATION OF OCEANS AND COASTAL RESEARCH ACTIVITIES. 

[33 U.S.C. 857-20] 

øNot later than February 15 of each year, the Under Secretary 

of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and the Director of the 

National Science Foundation shall jointly submit to the Committees on Resources and Science of the House of Representatives and 

the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 

Senate a report on how the oceans and coastal research activities 

of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including 

the Coastal Ocean Program and the National Sea Grant College 

Program, and of the National Science Foundation will be coordinated during the fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the 

report is submitted. The report shall describe in detail any overlapping ocean and coastal research interests between the agencies and 

specify how such research interests will be pursued by the programs in a complementary manner.¿ 

Æ 


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