I 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5618 

To reauthorize and amend the National Sea Grant College Program Act, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 13, 2008 

Ms. BORDALLO (for herself, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. SAXTON, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. GILCHREST, and Mr. FARR) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To reauthorize and amend the National Sea Grant College 

Program Act, and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘National Sea Grant 

5 College Program Amendments Act of 2008’’. 

6 SEC. 2. REFERENCES. 

7 Except as otherwise expressly provided therein, when8 ever in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in 

9 terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other 

10 provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to 


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1 a section or other provision of the National Sea Grant Col2 lege Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1121 et seq.). 

3 SEC. 3. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 

4 (a) FINDINGS.—Section 202(a) (33 U.S.C. 1121(a)) 

5 is amended— 

6 (1) by amending paragraph (1)(D) to read as 

7 follows: 

8 ‘‘(D) encourage the development of prepa9 ration, forecast, analysis, mitigation, response, 

10 and recovery systems for coastal hazards;’’; 

11 (2) in paragraph (2) by striking ‘‘program of 

12 research, education,’’ and inserting ‘‘program of in13 tegrated research, education, extension,’’; and 

14 (3) by striking paragraph (6) and inserting the 

15 following: 

16 ‘‘(6) The National Ocean Research Priorities 

17 Plan and Implementation Strategy issued by the Na18 tional Science and Technology Council’s Joint Sub19 committee on Ocean Science and Technology on 

20 January 26, 2007, identifies research priorities for 

21 compelling areas of interaction between society and 

22 the ocean, and calls for the engagement of a broad 

23 array of ocean science sectors (government, aca24 demia, industry, and non-government entities) to adVerDate Aug 31 2005 22:01 Mar 14, 2008 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5618.IH H5618

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1 dress the areas of greatest research need and oppor2 tunity. 

3 ‘‘(7) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

4 Administration, through the national sea grant col5 lege program, offers the most suitable locus and 

6 means for such commitment and engagement 

7 through the promotion of activities that will result in 

8 greater such understanding, assessment, develop9 ment, utilization, and conservation. The most cost10 effective way to promote such activities is through 

11 continued and increased Federal support of the es12 tablishment, development, and operation of pro13 grams and projects by sea grant colleges, sea grant 

14 institutes, and other institutions, including strong 

15 collaborations between Administration scientists and 

16 research and outreach personnel at academic institu17 tions.’’. 

18 (b) PURPOSE.—Section 202(c) (33 U.S.C. 1121(c)) 

19 is amended by striking ‘‘to promote research, education, 

20 training, and advisory service activities’’ and inserting ‘‘to 

21 promote integrated research, education, training, and ex22 tension activities’’. 

23 SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 

24 (a) AMENDMENTS.—Section 203 (33 U.S.C. 1122) is 

25 amended— 


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1 (1) in paragraph (11) by striking ‘‘advisory 

2 services’’ and inserting ‘‘extension services’’; 

3 (2) in each of paragraphs (12) and (13) by 

4 striking ‘‘(33 U.S.C. 1126)’’; and 

5 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

6 ‘‘(17) The term ‘regional research and informa7 tion plan’ means a plan developed by one or more 

8 sea grant colleges or sea grant institutes that identi9 fies regional priorities to implement the National 

10 Ocean Research Priorities Plan and Implementation 

11 Strategy. 

12 ‘‘(18) The term ‘National Ocean Research Pri13 orities Plan and Implementation Strategy’ means 

14 such plan and strategy issued by the National 

15 Science and Technology Council’s Joint Sub16 committee on Ocean Science and Technology on 

17 January 26, 2007.’’. 

18 (b) REPEAL.—Section 307 of the Flower Garden Na19 tional Marine Sanctuary Act (Public Law 102–251; 106 

20 Stat. 66) is repealed. 

21 SEC. 5. NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM, GEN22 ERALLY. 

23 (a) PROGRAM ELEMENTS.—Section 204(b) (33 

24 U.S.C. 1123(b)) is amended— 


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1 (1) by amending in paragraph (1) to read as 

2 follows: 

3 ‘‘(1) sea grant programs that comprise a na4 tional sea grant college program network, including 

5 international projects conducted within such pro6 grams and regional and national projects conducted 

7 among such programs;’’; 

8 (2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as fol9 lows: 

10 ‘‘(2) administration of the national sea grant 

11 college program and this title by the national sea 

12 grant office and the Administration;’’; and 

13 (3) by amending paragraph (4) to read as fol14 lows: 

15 ‘‘(4) any regional or national strategic invest16 ments in fields relating to ocean, coastal, and Great 

17 Lakes resources developed in consultation with the 

18 board and with the approval of the sea grant col19 leges and the sea grant institutes.’’. 

20 (b) TECHNICAL CORRECTION.—Section 204(c)(1) 

21 (33 U.S.C. 1123(c)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘Within 

22 6 months of the date of enactment of the National Sea 

23 Grant College Program Reauthorization Act of 1998, the’’ 

24 and inserting ‘‘The’’. 


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1 (c) FUNCTIONS OF DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL SEA

2 GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM.—Section 204(d) (33 U.S.C. 

3 1123(d)) is amended— 

4 (1) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ‘‘long 

5 range’’; 

6 (2) in paragraph (3)(A)— 

7 (A) by striking ‘‘(A)(i) evaluate’’ and in8 serting ‘‘(A) evaluate and assess’’; 

9 (B) by striking ‘‘activities; and’’ and in10 serting ‘‘activities;’’; and 

11 (C) by striking clause (ii); and 

12 (3) in paragraph (3)(B)— 

13 (A) by redesignating clauses (ii) through 

14 (iv) as clauses (iii) through (v), respectively, 

15 and by inserting after clause (i) the following: 

16 ‘‘(ii) encourage collaborations among 

17 sea grant colleges and sea grant institutes 

18 to address regional and national priorities 

19 established under subsection (c)(1);’’; and 

20 (B) in clause (iii) (as so redesignated) by 

21 striking ‘‘encourage’’ and inserting ‘‘ensuring’’. 

22 SEC. 6. PROGRAM OR PROJECT GRANTS AND CONTRACTS. 

23 (a) EXEMPTION FROM LIMITATION ON COST

24 SHARE.—Section 205(a) (33 U.S.C. 1124(a)) is amended 

25 in the matter following paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘section 


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1 204(c)(4)(F)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 204(d) or that are 

2 appropriated under section 208(b)’’. 

3 (b) SPECIAL GRANTS; MAXIMUM AMOUNT.—Section 

4 205(b) (33 U.S.C. 1124(b)) is amended by striking the 

5 matter following paragraph (3) and inserting the fol6 lowing: 

7 ‘‘The total amount that may be provided for grants under 

8 this subsection during any fiscal year shall not exceed an 

9 amount equal to 5 percent of the total funds appropriated 

10 for such year under section 212.’’. 

11 SEC. 7. EXTENSION SERVICES BY SEA GRANT COLLEGES 

12 AND SEA GRANT INSTITUTES. 

13 Section 207(a) (33 U.S.C. 1126(a)) is amended in 

14 each of paragraphs (2)(B) and (3)(B) by striking ‘‘advi15 sory services’’ and inserting ‘‘extension services’’. 

16 SEC. 8. TECHNICAL CORRECTION RELATING TO FELLOW17 SHIPS. 

18 Section 208(a) (33 U.S.C. 1127(a)) is amended by 

19 striking ‘‘Not later than 1 year after the date of the enact20 ment of the National Sea Grant College Program Act 

21 Amendments of 2002, and every 2 years thereafter,’’ and 

22 inserting ‘‘Every 2 years,’’. 

23 SEC. 9. NATIONAL SEA GRANT ADVISORY BOARD. 

24 (a) REDESIGNATION OF SEA GRANT REVIEW PANEL

25 AS BOARD.— 


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1 (1) REDESIGNATION.—The sea grant review 

2 panel established by section 209 of the National Sea 

3 Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1128), as in 

4 effect before the date of the enactment of this Act, 

5 is redesignated as the National Sea Grant Advisory 

6 Board. 

7 (2) MEMBERSHIPNOT AFFECTED.—An indi8 vidual serving as a member of the sea grant review 

9 panel immediately before the enactment of this Act 

10 may continue to serve as a member of the National 

11 Sea Grant Advisory Board until the expiration of 

12 such member’s term under section 209(c) of such 

13 Act (33 U.S.C. 1128(c). 

14 (3) REFERENCES.—Any reference in a law, 

15 map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of 

16 the United States to such sea grant review panel is 

17 deemed to be a reference to the National Sea Grant 

18 Advisory Board. 

19 (4) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 

20 (A) IN GENERAL.—Section 209 (33 U.S.C. 

21 1128) is amended by striking so much as pre22 cedes subsection (b) and inserting the following: 


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1 ‘‘SEC. 209. NATIONAL SEA GRANT ADVISORY BOARD. 

2 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There shall be an inde3 pendent committee to be known as the National Sea Grant 

4 Advisory Board.’’. 

5 (B) DEFINITION.—Section 203(9) (33 

6 U.S.C. 1122(9)) is amended to read as follows: 

7 ‘‘(9) The term ‘Board’ means the National Sea 

8 Grant Advisory Board established under section 

9 209.’’; 

10 (C) OTHER PROVISIONS.—The following 

11 provisions are each amended by striking 

12 ‘‘panel’’ each place it appears and inserting 

13 ‘‘Board’’: 

14 (i) Section 204 (33 U.S.C. 1123). 

15 (ii) Section 207 (33 U.S.C. 1126). 

16 (iii) Section 209 (33 U.S.C. 1128). 

17 (b) DUTIES.—Section 209(b) (33 U.S.C. 1128(b)) is 

18 amended to read as follows: 

19 ‘‘(b) DUTIES.— 

20 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Board shall advise the 

21 Secretary and the Director concerning— 

22 ‘‘(A) strategies for utilizing the sea grant 

23 college program to address the Nation’s highest 

24 priorities regarding the understanding, assess25 ment, development, utilization, and conservation 

26 of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources; 


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1 ‘‘(B) the designation of sea grant colleges 

2 and sea grant institutes; and 

3 ‘‘(C) such other matters as the Secretary 

4 refers to the Board for review and advice. 

5 ‘‘(2) BIENNIAL REPORT.—The Board shall re6 port to the Congress every two years on the state of 

7 the national sea grant college program. The Board 

8 shall indicate in each such report the progress made 

9 toward meeting the priorities identified in the stra10 tegic plan in effect under section 204(c). The Sec11 retary shall make available to the Board such infor12 mation, personnel, and administrative services and 

13 assistance as it may reasonably require to carry out 

14 its duties under this title.’’. 

15 (c) EXTENSION OF TERM.—Section 209(c)(3) (33 

16 U.S.C. 1128(c)) is amended by striking the second sen17 tence and inserting the following: ‘‘The Director may ex18 tend the term of office of a voting member of the Board 

19 once by up to 1 year.’’. 

20 (d) ESTABLISHMENT OF SUBCOMMITTEES.—Section 

21 204(c) (33 U.S.C. 1123(c)) is amended by adding at the 

22 end the following: 

23 ‘‘(8) The Board may establish such subcommittees as 

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1 section (b). Such subcommittees may include individuals 

2 who are not Board members.’’. 

3 SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

4 (a) AUTHORIZATION.—Section 212(a) (33 U.S.C. 

5 1131(a)) is amended to read as follows: 

6 ‘‘(a) AUTHORIZATION.—There are authorized to be 

7 appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this title— 

8 ‘‘(1) $66,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; 

9 ‘‘(2) $72,800,000 for fiscal year 2010; 

10 ‘‘(3) $79,600,000 for fiscal year 2011; 

11 ‘‘(4) $86,400,000 for fiscal year 2012; 

12 ‘‘(5) $93,200,000 for fiscal year 2013; and 

13 ‘‘(6) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2014.’’. 

14 (b) REPEAL OF DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENT.—Sec15 tion 212 (33 U.S.C. 1131) is amended by striking sub16 section (c), and by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) 

17 as subsections (c) and (d), respectively. 

Æ 


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