(e) EXPIRATION.—Section 14 of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the 
Science Advisory Board. 
(f) STRATEGIC PLAN FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOP-
MENT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, and once every 5 years thereafter, the Admin-
istrator shall consult with the Science Advisory board to 
develop a strategic plan for research and development at 
the Administration. The plan shall include— 
(1) an assessment of the science and technology 
needs of the Administration based on the Adminis-
tration’s operational requirements and on input pro-
vided by external stakeholders at the national, re-
gional, State, and local levels; and 
(2) a strategic plan that assigns specific pro-
grams within the Administration the responsibility 
to meet each need identified under paragraph (1) 
and that describes the extent to which each need 
identified in paragraph (1) will be addressed 
through— 
(A) intramural research; 
(B) extramural, peer-reviewed, competitive 
grant programs; and 
(C) work done in cooperation with other 
Federal agencies. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:44 Jul 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3980.IH
H3980
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(g) NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES REVIEW.— 
The Administrator shall enter into an arrangement with 
the National Academy of Sciences for a review of the plan 
developed under subsection (f). 
(h) TRANSMITTAL TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 18 
months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Ad-
ministrator shall transmit to the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate the initial strategic plan developed 
under subsection (f) and the review prepared pursuant to 
subsection (g). Subsequent strategic plans developed 
under subsection (f) shall also be transmitted to those 
committees upon completion. 
TITLE II—GENERAL PROVISIONS 
SEC. 201. RECOMMENDATIONS TO CONGRESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, and at any appropriate 
time thereafter, the Administrator shall provide to the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources of the House of Representa-
tives recommendations for technical, conforming, or other 
amendments necessary— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:44 Jul 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3980.IH
H3980
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(1) to assist the transition of the Administra-
tion to an independent agency; or 
(2) to further the policy and purpose of this 
Act. 
(b) 
CONSULTATION.—In 
developing 
any 
rec-
ommendations pursuant to subsection (a), the Adminis-
trator shall consult with the Office of the Law Revision 
Counsel of the House of Representatives. 
SEC. 202. CONFORMING REPEALS. 
(a) EFFECT OF REORGANIZATION PLAN.—Reorga-
nization Plan No. 4 of 1970 shall have no further force 
and effect. 
(b) NOAA OFFICERS.—Subsections (a) and (b) of 
section 407 of Public Law 99–659 (15 U.S.C. 1503b; 
1507c) are hereby repealed. 
SEC. 203. SAVINGS PROVISION. 
(a) EXISTING REQUIREMENTS.—All rules and regu-
lations, determinations, standards, policies, agreements, 
contracts, including collective bargaining agreements, cer-
tifications, authorizations, appointments, delegations of 
authority, results and findings of investigations, and other 
decisions or actions duly issued, made, or taken pursuant 
to or under the authority of any statute or executive order 
which resulted in the assignment of functions or activities 
to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:44 Jul 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3980.IH
H3980
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmos-
phere, or to any officer, employee, or part of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or to the Sec-
retary of Commerce and delegated to the Under Secretary 
of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, or their des-
ignee, that are in effect immediately before the date of 
enactment of this Act shall continue in full force and effect 
after the effective date of this Act until modified or re-
scinded. 
(b) SUITS, APPEALS, JUDGMENTS.—In the case of 
any action or proceeding relating to the functions or activi-
ties described in subsection (a) pending on the date of en-
actment of this Act, the rights of the parties at issue in 
such proceeding shall, to the maximum extent practicable, 
be undisturbed by this Act. For purposes of any such ac-
tion or proceeding, the provisions of Reorganization Plan 
No. 4 of 1970 and subsections (a) and (b) of section 407 
of Public Law 99–659 as in effect on the day before such 
date of enactment shall apply. 
(c) DISCUSSION OF RESEARCH.—Nothing in this Act 
shall be construed to limit the ability of an Administration 
employee to discuss scientific research performed by that 
employee in accordance with the Administration’s sci-
entific integrity policies. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:44 Jul 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3980.IH
H3980
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(d) EXISTING AUTHORITIES UNDER LAW.—Nothing 
in this Act shall be construed to modify any authority 
under law existing immediately before the date of enact-
ment of this Act, except as explicitly provided herein, in-
cluding by— 
(1) altering the responsibilities or authorities of 
any other Federal agency; 
(2) authorizing or prohibiting the transfer of 
any program, function, or project from other Fed-
eral agencies to the Administration; or 
(3) expanding, modifying, or superseding any 
existing regulatory or other authority of the Admin-
istration. 
(e) AUTHORITIES WITH RESPECT TO PUBLIC BUILD-
INGS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act shall be 
construed to grant the Administrator any authority 
to construct, alter, repair, or acquire by any means 
a public building (as defined in section 3301 of title 
40, United States Code) or to grant any authority 
to lease general purpose office or storage space in 
any building. 
(2) INTERACTION
WITH
OTHER
SIMILAR
AU-
THORITIES.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed 
to diminish any authority the Administrator has im-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:44 Jul 08, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00016
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3980.IH
H3980
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS