I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7713 
To reauthorize the National Oceanographic Partnership Program, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 21, 2020 
Mr. PANETTA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on 
Armed Services, and Science, Space, and Technology, 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 con-
cerned 
A BILL 
To reauthorize the National Oceanographic Partnership 
Program, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Oceano-
graphic Partnership Program Revitalization Act’’ or the 
‘‘NOPP Revitalization Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:20 Aug 09, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7713.IH
H7713
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
SEC. 
2. 
REAUTHORIZATION 
OF 
NATIONAL 
OCEANO-
GRAPHIC PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. 
Chapter 893 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 8931. NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PARTNERSHIP 
PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of the Navy 
shall establish a program to be known as the ‘National 
Oceanographic Partnership Program’. 
‘‘(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the program are 
as follows: 
‘‘(1) To promote the national goals of assuring 
national security, advancing economic development, 
protecting quality of life, ensuring environmental 
stewardship, and strengthening science education 
and communication through improved knowledge of 
the ocean. 
‘‘(2) To coordinate and strengthen oceano-
graphic efforts in support of those goals by— 
‘‘(A) creating and carrying out partner-
ships among Federal agencies, academia, indus-
try, and other members of the oceanographic 
community in the areas of science, data, re-
sources, education, and communication; and 
‘‘(B) accepting, planning, and executing 
oceanographic research projects funded by 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:20 Aug 09, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7713.IH
H7713
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, or 
other vehicles as appropriate, that contribute to 
assuring national security, advancing economic 
development, protecting quality of life, ensuring 
environmental stewardship, and strengthening 
science education and communication through 
improved knowledge of the ocean. 
‘‘SEC. 8932. OCEAN POLICY COMMITTEE. 
‘‘(a) COMMITTEE.—There is established an Ocean 
Policy Committee (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Com-
mittee’). The Committee shall retain the membership, co- 
chairs, and subcommittees outlined in Executive Order 
13840. 
‘‘(b) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Committee shall con-
tinue the activities of that Committee as it was in exist-
ence on the day before the date of enactment of this Act. 
In discharging its responsibilities and to assist in the exe-
cution of the activities delineated in this subparagraph, 
the Committee may delegate to a subcommittee, as appro-
priate. The Committee shall: 
‘‘(1) Prescribe policies and procedures to imple-
ment the National Oceanographic Partnership Pro-
gram. 
‘‘(2) Engage and collaborate, pursuant to exist-
ing laws and regulations, with stakeholders, includ-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:20 Aug 09, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7713.IH
H7713
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
ing regional ocean partnerships, to address ocean-re-
lated matters that may require interagency or inter-
governmental solutions. 
‘‘(3) Facilitate coordination and integration of 
Federal activities in ocean and coastal waters to in-
form ocean policy and identify priority ocean re-
search, technology, and data needs. 
‘‘(4) Review, select, and identify partnership 
projects for implementation under the program, 
based on the following criteria: 
‘‘(A) Whether the project addresses impor-
tant research objectives or operational goals. 
‘‘(B) Whether the project has, or is de-
signed to have, appropriate participation within 
the oceanographic community of public, aca-
demic, commercial, private participation or sup-
port. 
‘‘(C) Whether the partners have a long- 
term commitment to the objectives of the 
project. 
‘‘(D) Whether the resources supporting the 
project are shared among the partners. 
‘‘(E) Whether the project has been sub-
jected to adequate review according to each of 
the supporting agencies. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:20 Aug 09, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7713.IH
H7713
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
‘‘(c) ANNUAL REPORT AND BRIEF.—Not later than 
March 1 of each year, the Committee shall post a report 
on a publicly available website and brief the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; 
the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources of the House of Representa-
tives; the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
of the House of Representatives; and the Committee on 
Armed Services of the House of Representatives on the 
National Oceanographic Partnership Program. The report 
and brief shall discuss the following: 
‘‘(1) A description of activities of the program 
carried out during the prior fiscal year. 
‘‘(2) A general outline of the activities planned 
for the program during the current fiscal year. 
‘‘(3) A summary of projects, partnerships, and 
collaborations, including the Federal and non-Fed-
eral sources of funding, continued from the prior fis-
cal year and projects expected to begin during the 
current and subsequent fiscal years, as required in 
the program office report outlined in section 
8932(f)(2)(C). 
‘‘(4) The amounts requested in the budget sub-
mitted to Congress pursuant to section 1105(a) of 
title 31 for the subsequent fiscal year, for the pro-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:20 Aug 09, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7713.IH
H7713
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
grams, projects, activities and the estimated expend-
itures under such programs, projects, and activities, 
to execute the National Oceanographic Partnership 
Program. 
‘‘(5) A summary of national ocean research pri-
orities informed by the Ocean Research Advisory 
Panel required in section 8933(b)(4). 
‘‘(6) A list of the members of the Ocean Re-
search Advisory Panel described in section 8933(a) 
and any working groups described in section 
8932(f)(2)(A) in existence during the fiscal years 
covered. 
The report and all briefing materials shall be posted to 
a publicly available website not later than 30 days after 
the briefing. 
‘‘(d) NATIONAL
OCEANOGRAPHIC
PARTNERSHIP 
FUND.—There is established in the Treasury a separate 
account to be known as the National Oceanographic Part-
nership Program Fund to be jointly managed by the Sec-
retary of the Navy, the Administrator of the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration, and any other Fed-
eral agency that contributes amounts to the Fund. 
‘‘(1) 
APPROPRIATION
AND
AUTHORIZED 
USES.—Amounts in the Fund shall be available to 
the NOPP without further appropriation to remain 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:20 Aug 09, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7713.IH
H7713
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS