I 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1834 

To authorize the national ocean exploration program and the national undersea research program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 29, 2007 

Mr. SAXTON (for himself, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. MCINTYRE, Mr. 

PALLONE, Mr. FARR, Mr. WICKER, and Mr. ABERCROMBIE) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science 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 authorize the national ocean exploration program and 

the national undersea research program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

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

3 TITLE I—NATIONAL OCEAN 

4 EXPLORATION PROGRAM 

5 SECTION 101. SHORT TITLE. 

6 This title may be cited as the ‘‘National Ocean Explo7 ration Program Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 102. AUTHORIZATION. 

2 The Secretary of Commerce, through the Adminis3 trator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis4 tration, shall, in consultation with the National Science 

5 Foundation and other appropriate Federal agencies, con6 duct a coordinated national ocean exploration program 

7 within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra8 tion that promotes collaboration with existing programs 

9 of the Administration, including those authorized in title 

10 II. 

11 SEC. 103. AUTHORITIES. 

12 In carrying out the program authorized under section 

13 102, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and At14 mospheric Administration (in this title referred to as the 

15 ‘‘Administrator’’) shall— 

16 (1) conduct interdisciplinary voyages or other 

17 scientific activities of discovery in conjunction with 

18 other Federal agencies or academic or educational 

19 institutions, to explore and survey little known areas 

20 of the marine environment, inventory, observe, and 

21 assess living and nonliving marine resources, and re22 port such findings; 

23 (2) give priority attention to deep ocean re24 gions, with a focus on deep water marine systems 

25 that hold potential for important scientific discovVerDate Aug 31 2005 05:52 Apr 05, 2007 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1834.IH H1834

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1 eries, such as hydrothermal vent communities and 

2 seamounts; 

3 (3) conduct scientific voyages to locate, define, 

4 and document historic shipwrecks, submerged sites, 

5 and other ocean exploration activities that combine 

6 archaeology and oceanographic sciences; 

7 (4) develop and implement, in consultation with 

8 the National Science Foundation, a transparent 

9 process for merit-based peer-review and approval of 

10 proposals for activities to be conducted under this 

11 program; 

12 (5) enhance the technical capability of the 

13 United States marine science community by pro14 moting the development of improved oceanographic 

15 research, communication, navigation, and data col16 lection systems, as well as underwater platforms and 

17 sensors and autonomous vehicles; 

18 (6) accept donations of property, data, and 

19 equipment to be applied for the purpose of exploring 

20 the oceans or increasing knowledge of the oceans; 

21 and 

22 (7) establish an ocean exploration forum to en23 courage partnerships and promote communication 

24 among experts and other stakeholders in order to 


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1 enhance the scientific and technical expertise and 

2 relevance of the national program. 

3 SEC. 104. OCEAN EXPLORATION ADVISORY BOARD. 

4 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Administrator shall ap5 point an Ocean Exploration Advisory Board composed of 

6 experts in relevant fields to— 

7 (1) advise the Administrator on priority areas 

8 for survey and discovery; 

9 (2) assist the program in the development of a 

10 five-year strategic plan for exploration and dis11 covery; 

12 (3) annually review the quality and effectiveness 

13 of the proposal review process established under sec14 tion 103(4); and 

15 (4) provide other assistance and advice as re16 quested by the Administrator. 

17 (b) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.— 

18 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Federal Advisory Com19 mittee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the 

20 Ocean Exploration Advisory Board. 

21 (2) COMPLIANCE.—Notwithstanding paragraph 

22 (1), the Ocean Exploration Advisory Board shall be 

23 appointed and operate in a manner consistent with 

24 all provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act 

25 with respect to— 


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1 (A) the balance of membership; 

2 (B) provisions of public notice regarding 

3 activities of the Ocean Exploration Advisory 

4 Board; 

5 (C) open meetings; and 

6 (D) public access to documents created by 

7 the Ocean Exploration Advisory Board. 

8 SEC. 105. OCEAN EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGY AND INFRA9 STRUCTURE TASK FORCE. 

10 The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra11 tion, in coordination with the National Science Founda12 tion, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 

13 the United States Geological Survey, the Department of 

14 the Navy, the Mineral Management Service, and relevant 

15 governmental, non-governmental, academic, industry, and 

16 other experts, shall convene an ocean exploration tech17 nology and infrastructure task force to develop and imple18 ment a strategy— 

19 (1) to facilitate transfer of new exploration 

20 technology to the program authorized under section 

21 102; 

22 (2) to improve availability of communications 

23 infrastructure, including satellite capabilities, to the 

24 program; 


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1 (3) to develop an integrated, workable, and 

2 comprehensive data management information proc3 essing system that will make information on unique 

4 and significant features obtained by the program 

5 available for research and management purposes; 

6 (4) to conduct public outreach activities that 

7 improve the public understanding of ocean science, 

8 resources, and processes, in conjunction with rel9 evant programs of the National Oceanic and Atmos10 pheric Administration, the National Science Founda11 tion, and other agencies; and 

12 (5) to encourage cost-sharing partnerships with 

13 governmental and non-governmental entities that 

14 will assist in transferring exploration technology and 

15 technical expertise to the program. 

16 SEC. 106. APPLICATION WITH OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF 

17 LANDS ACT. 

18 Nothing in this title or title II supersedes, or limits 

19 the authority of the Secretary of the Interior under the 

20 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et 

21 seq.). 

22 SEC. 107. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

23 There are authorized to be appropriated to the Na24 tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to carry 

25 out this title— 


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1 (1) $30,500,000 for fiscal year 2008; 

2 (2) $33,550,000 for fiscal year 2009; 

3 (3) $36,905,000 for fiscal year 2010; 

4 (4) $40,596,000 for fiscal year 2011; 

5 (5) $44,655,000 for fiscal year 2012; 

6 (6) $49,121,000 for fiscal year 2013; 

7 (7) $54,033,000 for fiscal year 2014; 

8 (8) $59,436,000 for fiscal year 2015; 

9 (9) $65,379,000 for fiscal year 2016; and 

10 (10) $71,917,000 for fiscal year 2017. 

11 TITLE II—UNDERSEA RESEARCH 

12 PROGRAM 

13 SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE. 

14 This title may be cited as the ‘‘National Undersea 

15 Research Program Act of 2007’’. 

16 SEC. 202. AUTHORIZATION. 

17 The Administrator of the National Oceanic and At18 mospheric Administration shall conduct an undersea re19 search program and shall designate a Director of that pro20 gram. 

21 SEC. 203. PURPOSE. 

22 The purpose of the program authorized under section 

23 202 is to increase scientific knowledge essential for the 

24 informed management, use, and preservation of oceanic, 

25 coastal, and large lake resources through undersea reVerDate Aug 31 2005 05:52 Apr 05, 2007 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1834.IH H1834

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1 search, exploration, education, and technology develop2 ment. The program shall be part of the National Oceanic 

3 and Atmospheric Administration’s undersea research, edu4 cation, and technology development efforts, and shall 

5 make available the infrastructure and expertise to service 

6 the undersea science and technology needs of the academic 

7 community and marine industry. 

8 SEC. 204. PROGRAM. 

9 The program authorized under section 202 shall be 

10 conducted through a national headquarters, a network of 

11 extramural regional undersea research centers that rep12 resent all relevant National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad13 ministration regions, and a national technology institute. 

14 Overall direction of the program will be provided by the 

15 program director in coordination with a Council of Center 

16 Directors comprised of the directors of the extramural re17 gional centers and the National Institute for Undersea 

18 Science and Technology. 

19 SEC. 205. REGIONAL CENTERS AND INSTITUTE. 

20 (a) PROGRAMS.—The following research, exploration, 

21 education, and technology programs shall be conducted 

22 through the network of extramural regional centers and 

23 the National Institute for Undersea Science and Tech24 nology: 


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1 (1) Core research and exploration based on na2 tional and regional undersea research priorities. 

3 (2) Advanced undersea technology development 

4 to support the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

5 Administration’s research mission and programs. 

6 (3) Development, testing, and transition of ad7 vanced undersea technology associated with ocean 

8 observatories, submersibles, advanced diving tech9 nologies, remotely operated vehicles, autonomous un10 derwater vehicles, and new sampling and sensing 

11 technologies such as LEO–15, Pisces, and the 

12 Aquarius habitat. 

13 (4) Undersea science-based education and out14 reach programs to enrich ocean science education 

15 and public awareness of the oceans and Great 

16 Lakes. 

17 (5) Discovery, study, and development of nat18 ural products from ocean and aquatic systems. 

19 (b) OPERATIONS.—Operation of the extramural re20 gional centers and the National Institute for Undersea 

21 Science and Technology shall leverage partnerships and 

22 cooperative research with academia and private industry. 

23 SEC. 206. COMPETITIVENESS. 

24 Except for a small discretionary fund for rapid re25 sponse activities, for which no more than 10 percent of 


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1 the program budget shall be set aside, and for National 

2 Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-related service 

3 projects, the external projects supported by the regional 

4 centers shall be managed using an open and competitive 

5 process to evaluate scientific merit, relevance to the Na6 tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, regional 

7 and national research priorities, and technical feasibility. 

8 SEC. 207. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

9 There are authorized to be appropriated to the Na10 tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to carry 

11 out this title— 

12 (1) $17,500,000 for fiscal year 2008; 

13 (2) $19,500,000 for fiscal year 2009; 

14 (3) $21,500,000 for fiscal year 2010; 

15 (4) $23,500,000 for fiscal year 2011; 

16 (5) $25,500,000 for fiscal year 2012; 

17 (6) $27,500,000 for fiscal year 2013; 

18 (7) $29,500,000 for fiscal year 2014; 

19 (8) $31,500,000 for fiscal year 2015; 

20 (9) $33,500,000 for fiscal year 2016; and 

21 (10) $35,500,000 for fiscal year 2017. 


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1 TITLE III—INTERAGENCY 

2 FINANCING 

3 SEC. 301. INTERAGENCY FINANCING. 

4 The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra5 tion, the National Science Foundation, the Department of 

6 the Navy, and other Federal agencies involved in the pro7 grams authorized under title I and II, are authorized to 

8 participate in interagency financing and share, transfer, 

9 receive, and spend funds appropriated to any Federal par10 ticipant in the program for the purposes of carrying out 

11 any administrative or programmatic project or activity 

12 under the program. Funds may be transferred among such 

13 departments and agencies through an appropriate instru14 ment that specifies the goods, services, or space being ac15 quired from another Federal participant and the costs 

16 thereof. 

Æ 


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