(C) to invest any funds provided to the 
Foundation by the Federal Government in obli-
gations of the United States or in obligations or 
securities that are guaranteed or insured by the 
United States; 
(D) to deposit any funds provided to the 
Foundation by the Federal Government into ac-
counts that are insured by an agency or instru-
mentality of the United States; 
(E) to make use of any interest or invest-
ment income that accrues as a consequence of 
actions taken under subparagraph (C) or (D) to 
carry out the purposes of the Foundation; 
(F) to use Federal funds to make pay-
ments under cooperative agreements to provide 
substantial long-term benefits for the assess-
ment, prevention, reduction, and removal of ma-
rine debris; 
(G) unless otherwise required by the in-
strument of transfer, to sell, donate, lease, in-
vest, reinvest, retain or otherwise dispose of any 
property or income therefrom; 
(H) to borrow money and issue bonds, de-
bentures, or other debt instruments; 
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(I) to sue and be sued, and complain and 
defend itself in any court of competent jurisdic-
tion, except that the Directors of the Founda-
tion shall not be personally liable, except for 
gross negligence; 
(J) to enter into contracts or other ar-
rangements with, or provide financial assistance 
to, public agencies and private organizations 
and persons and to make such payments as 
may be necessary to carry out its functions; and 
(K) to do any and all acts necessary and 
proper to carry out the purposes of the Founda-
tion. 
(2) NON-FEDERAL
CONTRIBUTIONS
TO
THE 
FUND.—A gift, devise, or bequest may be accepted 
by the Foundation without regard to whether the 
gift, devise, or bequest is encumbered, restricted, or 
subject to beneficial interests of private persons if 
any current or future interest in the gift, devise, or 
bequest is for the benefit of the Foundation. 
(e) NOTICE
TO
MEMBERS
OF
CONGRESS.—The 
Foundation may not make a grant of Federal funds in 
an amount greater than $100,000 unless, by not later 
than 15 days before the grant is made, the Foundation 
provides notice of the grant to the Member of Congress 
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for the congressional district in which the project to be 
funded with the grant will be carried out. 
(f) COORDINATION OF INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS.— 
Any efforts of the Foundation carried out in a foreign 
country, and any grants provided to an individual or entity 
in a foreign country, shall be made only with the concur-
rence of the Secretary of State, in consultation, as appro-
priate, with the Administrator of the United States Agen-
cy for International Development. 
(g) CONSULTATION WITH NOAA.—The Foundation 
shall consult with the Under Secretary during the plan-
ning of any restoration or remediation action using funds 
resulting from judgments or settlements relating to the 
damage to trust resources of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration. 
SEC. 114. ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND SUPPORT. 
(a) PROVISION OF SERVICES.—The Under Secretary 
may provide personnel, facilities, and other administrative 
services to the Foundation, including reimbursement of 
expenses, not to exceed the current Federal Government 
per diem rates, for a period of up to 5 years beginning 
on the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(b) REIMBURSEMENT.—The Foundation may reim-
burse the Under Secretary for any administrative service 
provided under subsection (a). The Under Secretary shall 
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deposit any reimbursement received under this subsection 
into the Treasury to the credit of the appropriations then 
current and chargeable for the cost of providing such serv-
ices. 
SEC. 115. VOLUNTEER STATUS. 
The Secretary of Commerce may accept, without re-
gard to the civil service classification laws, rules, or regu-
lations, the services of the Foundation, the Board, and 
the officers and employees of the Board, without com-
pensation from the Department of Commerce, as volun-
teers in the performance of the functions authorized in 
this subtitle. 
SEC. 116. REPORT REQUIREMENTS; PETITION OF ATTOR-
NEY GENERAL FOR EQUITABLE RELIEF. 
(a) REPORT.—The Foundation shall, as soon as prac-
ticable after the end of each fiscal year, transmit to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources and 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House 
of Representatives a report— 
(1) describing the proceedings and activities of 
the Foundation during that fiscal year, including a 
full and complete statement of its receipts, expendi-
tures, and investments; and 
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(2) including a detailed statement of the recipi-
ent, amount, and purpose of each grant made by the 
Foundation in the fiscal year. 
(b) RELIEF WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN FOUNDA-
TION ACTS OR FAILURE TO ACT.—If the Foundation— 
(1) engages in, or threatens to engage in, any 
act, practice, or policy that is inconsistent with its 
purposes set forth in section 111(b); or 
(2) refuses, fails, or neglects to discharge its 
obligations under this subtitle, or threatens to do so, 
the Attorney General may petition in the United States 
District Court for the District of Columbia for such equi-
table relief as may be necessary or appropriate. 
SEC. 117. UNITED STATES RELEASE FROM LIABILITY. 
The United States shall not be liable for any debts, 
defaults, acts, or omissions of the Foundation nor shall 
the full faith and credit of the United States extend to 
any obligation of the Foundation. 
SEC. 118. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce such 
sums as may be necessary to carry out this subtitle 
for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2025. 
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(2) USE OF APPROPRIATED FUNDS.—Subject to 
paragraph (3), amounts made available under para-
graph (1) shall be provided to the Foundation to 
match contributions (whether in currency, services, 
or property) made to the Foundation, or to a recipi-
ent of a grant provided by the Foundation, by pri-
vate persons and State and local government agen-
cies. 
(3) PROHIBITION ON USE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE 
EXPENSES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), no Federal funds made 
available under paragraph (1) may be used by 
the Foundation for administrative expenses of 
the Foundation, including for salaries, travel 
and transportation expenses, and other over-
head expenses. 
(B) 
EXCEPTION.—The 
Secretary 
may 
allow the use of Federal funds made available 
under paragraph (1) to pay for salaries during 
the 18-month period beginning on the date of 
the enactment of this Act. 
(b) ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In addition to the amounts 
authorized to be appropriated under subsection (a), 
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the Foundation may accept Federal funds from a 
Federal agency under any other Federal law for use 
by the Foundation to further the assessment, pre-
vention, reduction, and removal of marine debris in 
accordance with the requirements of this subtitle. 
(2) USE OF FUNDS ACCEPTED FROM FEDERAL 
AGENCIES.—Federal funds provided to the Founda-
tion under paragraph (1) shall be used by the Foun-
dation for matching, in whole or in part, contribu-
tions (whether in currency, services, or property) 
made to the Foundation by private persons and 
State and local government agencies. 
(c) PROHIBITION ON USE OF GRANT AMOUNTS FOR 
LITIGATION AND LOBBYING EXPENSES.—Amounts pro-
vided as a grant by the Foundation shall not be used for— 
(1) any expense related to litigation consistent 
with Federal-wide cost principles; or 
(2) any activity the purpose of which is to influ-
ence legislation pending before Congress consistent 
with Federal-wide cost principles. 
Subtitle C—Genius Prize for Save 
Our Seas Innovations 
SEC. 121. DEFINITIONS. 
In this subtitle: 
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(1) PRIZE
COMPETITION.—The term ‘‘prize 
competition’’ means the competition for the award of 
the Genius Prize for Save Our Seas Innovations es-
tablished under section 122. 
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Commerce. 
SEC. 122. GENIUS PRIZE FOR SAVE OUR SEAS INNOVA-
TIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall es-
tablish under section 24 of the Stevenson-Wydler Tech-
nology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719) a prize 
competition— 
(1) to encourage technological innovation with 
the potential to reduce plastic waste and thereby 
prevent marine debris; and 
(2) to award 1 or more prizes biennially for 
projects that advance human understanding and in-
novation in removing and preventing plastic waste, 
including— 
(A) advancements in materials used in 
packaging and other products that, if such 
products enter the coastal or ocean environ-
ment, will fully degrade without harming the 
environment, wildlife, or human health; 
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(B) innovations in production and pack-
aging design that reduce the use of raw mate-
rials, increase recycled content, encourage 
reusability and recyclability, and promote a cir-
cular economy; 
(C) improvements in marine debris detec-
tion, monitoring, and cleanup technologies and 
processes; 
(D) technological improvements or im-
proved strategies to increase solid waste collec-
tion, processing, sorting, recycling, reuse, or 
repurposing; and 
(E) new designs or strategies to reduce 
overall packaging needs. 
(b) DESIGNATION.—The prize competition estab-
lished under subsection (a) shall be known as the ‘‘Genius 
Prize for Save Our Seas Innovations’’. 
(c) PRIORITIZATION.—In selecting awards for the 
prize competition, priority shall be given to projects that— 
(1) have a strategy, submitted with the applica-
tion or proposal, to move the new technology, proc-
ess, design, material, or other product supported by 
the prize to market-scale deployment; 
(2) support the concept of a circular economy; 
and 
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(3) promote development of materials that— 
(A) can fully degrade in the ocean without 
harming the environment, wildlife, or human 
health; and 
(B) are to be used in fishing gear or other 
maritime products that have an increased likeli-
hood of entering the coastal or ocean environ-
ment as unintentional waste. 
SEC. 123. SAVE OUR SEAS INNOVATION STEERING COM-
MITTEE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 
a steering committee, to be known as the ‘‘Save Our Seas 
Innovation Steering Committee’’ (in this subtitle referred 
as the ‘‘Committee’’) to provide expert advice and rec-
ommendations in the establishment of the prize competi-
tion, selection of awardees, and analysis of the successes 
of the prize competition. 
(b) DUTIES.—Subject to subsection (d), with respect 
to the prize competition, the Committee shall— 
(1) select a topic; 
(2) issue a problem statement; and 
(3) advise the Secretary on any opportunity for 
market-scale development of technological innovation 
to prevent marine plastic debris and promote the de-
velopment of materials that fully degrade in ocean 
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and coastal environments without harming the envi-
ronment, wildlife, or human health. 
(c) COMPETITION JUDGES.—A member of the Com-
mittee may serve as a judge for the prize competition 
under section 125. 
(d) ADMINISTRATIVE COST REDUCTION.—The Com-
mittee shall, to the maximum extent practicable, minimize 
the administrative costs of the Committee, including by 
encouraging remote participation to reduce travel costs. 
(e) CONSULTATION.—In selecting a topic and issuing 
a problem statement for the prize competition under sub-
paragraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (b)(1), respectively, 
the Committee shall consult widely with Federal and non- 
Federal stakeholders, including— 
(1) 1 or more Federal agencies with jurisdiction 
over the prevention of marine debris or the pro-
motion of innovative materials; 
(2) 1 or more State agencies with jurisdiction 
over the prevention of marine debris or the pro-
motion of innovative materials; 
(3) 1 or more State, regional, or local conserva-
tion or waste management organizations, the mis-
sion of which relates to the prevention of marine de-
bris or the promotion of innovative materials; 
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(4) 1 or more conservation groups, technology 
companies, research institutions, institutions of high-
er education, industry associations, or individual 
stakeholders with an interest in the prevention of 
marine debris or the promotion of innovative mate-
rials; 
(5) 1 or more experts in the area of standards 
development regarding the degradation, breakdown, 
or recycling of polymers; and 
(6) experts in the following areas: 
(A) Polymer chemistry. 
(B) Wildlife conservation and management. 
(C) Marine biology or animal science. 
(D) Waste management. 
(E) Technology development. 
(F) Engineering. 
(G) Lifecycle assessment. 
(H) Economics. 
(I) Recycling. 
(J) Business development and manage-
ment. 
(K) Marine environmental chemistry. 
(L) Any other discipline that the Secretary 
determines to be necessary to achieve the pur-
poses of this subtitle. 
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(f) NONAPPLICABILITY OF THE FEDERAL ADVISORY 
COMMITTEE ACT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Federal Advisory Com-
mittee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply with re-
spect to the Committee. 
(2) APPLICABILITY OF FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE 
REQUIREMENTS.—Notwithstanding paragraph (1), 
section 208(b)(3) of title 18, United States Code, 
shall apply with respect to Government employees 
serving on the Committee. 
SEC. 124. AGREEMENT WITH THE MARINE DEBRIS FOUNDA-
TION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall offer to enter 
into an agreement, which may include a grant or coopera-
tive agreement, under which the Marine Debris Founda-
tion established under subtitle B shall administer the prize 
competition. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—An agreement entered into 
under subsection (a) shall comply with the following re-
quirements: 
(1) DUTIES.—The Marine Debris Foundation 
shall— 
(A) advertise the prize competition; 
(B) solicit prize competition participants; 
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(C) administer funds relating to the prize 
competition; 
(D) receive Federal and non-Federal 
funds— 
(i) to administer the prize competi-
tion; and 
(ii) to award a cash prize; 
(E) carry out activities to generate con-
tributions of non-Federal funds to offset, in 
whole or in part— 
(i) the administrative costs of the 
prize competition; and 
(ii) the costs of a cash prize; 
(F) in consultation with, and subject to 
final approval by, the Secretary, develop criteria 
for the selection of prize competition winners; 
(G) provide advice and consultation to the 
Secretary on the selection of judges under sec-
tion 125 based on criteria developed in con-
sultation with, and subject to the final approval 
of, the Secretary; 
(H) announce 1 or more annual winners of 
the prize competition; 
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(I) subject to paragraph (2), award 1 or 
more cash prizes biennially of not less than 
$100,000; and 
(J) protect against unauthorized use or 
disclosure by the Marine Debris Foundation of 
any trade secret or confidential business infor-
mation of a prize competition participant. 
(2) ADDITIONAL
CASH
PRIZES.—The Marine 
Debris Foundation may award more than 1 cash 
prize in a year— 
(A) if the initial cash prize referred to in 
paragraph (1)(I) and any additional cash prizes 
are awarded using only non-Federal funds; and 
(B) consisting of an amount determined by 
the Under Secretary after the Secretary is noti-
fied by the Marine Debris Foundation that non- 
Federal funds are available for an additional 
cash prize. 
(3) SOLICITATION OF FUNDS.—The Marine De-
bris Foundation— 
(A) may request and accept Federal funds 
and non-Federal funds for a cash prize or ad-
ministration of the prize competition; 
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(B) may accept a contribution for a cash 
prize in exchange for the right to name the 
prize; and 
(C) shall not give special consideration to 
any Federal agency or non-Federal entity in ex-
change for a donation for a cash prize awarded 
under this section. 
SEC. 125. JUDGES. 
(a) APPOINTMENT.—The Secretary shall appoint not 
fewer than 3 judges who shall, except as provided in sub-
section (b), select the 1 or more annual winners of the 
prize competition. 
(b) DETERMINATION
BY
THE
SECRETARY.—The 
judges appointed under subsection (a) shall not select any 
annual winner of the prize competition if the Secretary 
makes a determination that, in any fiscal year, none of 
the technological advancements entered into the prize 
competition merits an award. 
SEC. 126. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 
Not later than 60 days after the date on which a cash 
prize is awarded under this subtitle, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Nat-
ural Resources of the House of Representatives a report 
on the prize competition that includes— 
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(1) a statement by the Committee that de-
scribes the activities carried out by the Committee 
relating to the duties described in section 123; 
(2) if the Secretary has entered into an agree-
ment under section 124, a statement by the Marine 
Debris Foundation that describes the activities car-
ried out by the Marine Debris Foundation relating 
to the duties described in section 123; and 
(3) a statement by 1 or more of the judges ap-
pointed under section 125 that explains the basis on 
which the winner of the cash prize was selected. 
SEC. 127. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—There are authorized to be ap-
propriated such sums as may be necessary for expenses, 
including administrative expenses, relating to the prize 
competition. 
(b) REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES.—Members of 
the Committee and judges appointed under section 125 
shall serve without pay, but may be reimbursed for the 
actual and necessary traveling and subsistence expenses. 
SEC. 128. TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY. 
The prize program will terminate after 5 prize com-
petition cycles have been completed. 
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