I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2939 
To establish a national policy for our oceans, to strengthen the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to establish a Committee on 
Ocean Policy, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 16, 2005 
Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania (for himself, Mr. FARR, Mr. ALLEN, and Mr. 
SAXTON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Science, 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 com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish a national policy for our oceans, to strengthen 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
to establish a Committee on Ocean Policy, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Oceans Conservation, Education, and National Strategy 
for the 21st Century Act’’.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Findings. 
Sec. 3. Purpose. 
Sec. 4. Definitions. 
TITLE I—CONGRESSIONAL DECLARATION OF NATIONAL OCEANS 
POLICY 
Subtitle A—National Oceans Policy 
Sec. 101. National oceans policy. 
Subtitle B—National Standards 
Sec. 111. National standards. 
Sec. 112. Determination of compliance with national oceans policy and national 
standards. 
Sec. 113. Implementation. 
Sec. 114. Stricter standards. 
Sec. 115. Citizen suits. 
TITLE II—NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC 
ADMINISTRATION 
Sec. 201. Existence in Department of Commerce; mission. 
Sec. 202. Administrator; functions. 
Sec. 203. Other officers. 
Sec. 204. Qualifications of Administration officers. 
Sec. 205. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Regional Offices. 
Sec. 206. Transfer of marine mammals management functions to the Adminis-
trator. 
Sec. 207. Science Advisory Board. 
Sec. 208. Report on recommendations for reorganization of Federal programs. 
TITLE III—OCEAN LEADERSHIP AND COORDINATION 
Subtitle A—National Oceans Advisor 
Sec. 301. Executive Advisor; mission. 
Sec. 302. Staffing. 
Subtitle B—Committee on Ocean Policy 
Sec. 311. Establishment of Committee; mission. 
Sec. 312. Chair; membership; functions. 
Sec. 313. Establishing a coordinated management regime for activities in fed-
eral waters. 
Subtitle C—Council of Advisors on Oceans Policy 
Sec. 321. Establishment of Council. 
Sec. 322. Duties. 
Sec. 323. Membership. 
Sec. 324. Meetings.
TITLE IV—REGIONAL COORDINATION AND PLANNING 
Sec. 401. Findings. 
Sec. 402. Regional Ocean Partnerships. 
Sec. 403. Regional Ocean Strategic Plans. 
Sec. 404. National Academy of Sciences study of regional oceans governance. 
Sec. 405. Regulations. 
Sec. 406. Other authority. 
Sec. 407. Ocean ecosystem resource information systems. 
Sec. 408. Authorization of appropriations. 
TITLE V—OCEAN SCIENCE, EXPLORATION, AND RESEARCH 
COORDINATION 
Sec. 501. Committee on Ocean Science, Education, and Operations. 
Sec. 502. National Strategy for Ocean and Coastal Science. 
Sec. 503. National Ocean Partnership Program. 
Sec. 504. Ocean Research and Education Advisory Panel. 
Sec. 505. Marine ecosystems research. 
Sec. 506. Authorization of appropriations. 
TITLE VI—OCEAN EDUCATION 
Sec. 601. Subcommittee on Ocean Education. 
Sec. 602. Ocean and coastal education program. 
Sec. 603. National Marine Scholarship Program. 
Sec. 604. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Edu-
cation. 
Sec. 605. Amendment to the National Sea Grant College Program Act. 
Sec. 606. Authorization of appropriations. 
TITLE VII—OCEAN EXPLORATION 
Sec. 701. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Ocean 
Exploration. 
Sec. 702. Subcommittee on Ocean Exploration. 
Sec. 703. Authorization of appropriations. 
TITLE VIII—OCEAN AND GREAT LAKES CONSERVATION TRUST 
FUND 
Sec. 801. Establishment of Fund. 
Sec. 802. Limitation on use of available amounts for administration. 
Sec. 803. Recordkeeping requirements. 
Sec. 804. Maintenance of effort and matching funding. 
Sec. 805. Community assistance formula and payments. 
Sec. 806. Approval of State funding and spending plans. 
Sec. 807. Special postage stamp. 
Sec. 808. Sunset. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) United States ocean waters and the ocean 
resources they contain are vital for the national se-
curity, environment, economy, and culture of the 
United States. 
(2) Consistent with customary international 
law, the United States exercises sovereign rights 
over ocean resources within United States ocean wa-
ters. 
(3) These ocean resources are the property of 
the people of the United States, are held in trust for 
them by Federal, State, local, and tribal govern-
ments, and should be managed to preserve the full 
range of their benefits for present and future gen-
erations. 
(4) Knowledge of the world’s oceans is critically 
important 
to 
the 
operations 
of 
the 
United 
States Armed Forces, particularly the Navy and 
Coast Guard operations, and therefore to the na-
tional security of the United States. 
(5) Marine, terrestrial, and atmospheric sys-
tems are interdependent, requiring that policy, infor-
mation transfer, and the management of human ac-
tivities be coordinated across systems. 
(6) Healthy and productive coastal and marine 
ecosystems are the keys to securing the full range of 
benefits from ocean resources, including important