tablish and maintain an undersea research program and 
shall designate a Director of that program. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the program is to in-
crease scientific knowledge essential for the informed man-
agement, use, and preservation of oceanic, marine, and 
coastal areas and the Great Lakes. 
SEC. 203. POWERS OF PROGRAM DIRECTOR. 
The Director of the program, in carrying out the pro-
gram, shall— 
(1) cooperate with institutions of higher edu-
cation and other educational marine and ocean 
science organizations, and shall make available un-
dersea research facilities, equipment, technologies, 
information, and expertise to support undersea re-
search efforts by these organizations; 
(2) enter into partnerships, as appropriate and 
using existing authorities, with the private sector to 
achieve the goals of the program and to promote 
technological advancement of the marine industry; 
and 
(3) coordinate the development of agency budg-
ets and identify the items in their annual budget 
that support the activities described in paragraphs 
(1) and (2). 
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SEC. 204. ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The program shall be conducted 
through a national headquarters, a network of extramural 
regional undersea research centers that represent all rel-
evant National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
regions, and the National Institute for Undersea Science 
and Technology. 
(b) DIRECTION.—The Director shall develop the over-
all direction of the program in coordination with a Council 
of Center Directors comprised of the directors of the ex-
tramural regional centers and the National Institute for 
Undersea Science and Technology. The Director shall pub-
lish a draft program direction document not later than 
1 year after the date of enactment of this Act in the Fed-
eral Register for a public comment period of not less than 
120 days. The Director shall publish a final program di-
rection, including responses to the comments received dur-
ing the public comment period, in the Federal Register 
within 90 days after the close of the comment period. The 
program director shall update the program direction, with 
opportunity for public comment, at least every 5 years. 
SEC. 205. RESEARCH, EXPLORATION, EDUCATION, AND 
TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The following research, explo-
ration, education, and technology programs shall be con-
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ducted through the network of regional centers and the 
National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology: 
(1) Core research and exploration based on na-
tional and regional undersea research priorities. 
(2) Advanced undersea technology development 
to support the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration’s research mission and programs. 
(3) Undersea science-based education and out-
reach programs to enrich ocean science education 
and public awareness of the oceans and Great 
Lakes. 
(4) Development, testing, and transition of ad-
vanced undersea technology associated with ocean 
observatories, submersibles, advanced diving tech-
nologies, remotely operated vehicles, autonomous un-
derwater vehicles, and new sampling and sensing 
technologies. 
(5) Discovery, study, and development of nat-
ural resources and products from ocean, coastal, and 
aquatic systems. 
(b) OPERATIONS.—The Director of the program, 
through operation of the extramural regional centers and 
the National Institute for Undersea Science and Tech-
nology, shall leverage partnerships and cooperative re-
search with academia and private industry. 
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SEC. 206. COMPETITIVENESS. 
(a) DISCRETIONARY FUND.—The Program shall allo-
cate no more than 10 percent of its annual budget to a 
discretionary fund that may be used only for program ad-
ministration and priority undersea research projects iden-
tified by the Director but not covered by funding available 
from centers. 
(b) COMPETITIVE SELECTION.—The Administrator 
shall conduct an initial competition to select the regional 
centers that will participate in the program 90 days after 
the publication of the final program direction under sec-
tion 204 and every 5 years thereafter. Funding for 
projects conducted through the regional centers shall be 
awarded through a competitive, merit-reviewed process on 
the basis of their relevance to the goals of the program 
and their technical feasibility. 
SEC. 207. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration— 
(1) for fiscal year 2009— 
(A) $13,750,000 for the regional centers, 
of which 50 percent shall be for West Coast re-
gional centers and 50 percent shall be for East 
Coast regional centers; and 
(B) $5,500,000 for the National Tech-
nology Institute; 
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(2) for fiscal year 2010— 
(A) $15,125,000 for the regional centers, 
of which 50 percent shall be for West Coast re-
gional centers and 50 percent shall be for East 
Coast regional centers; and 
(B) $6,050,000 for the National Tech-
nology Institute; 
(3) for fiscal year 2011— 
(A) $16,638,000 for the regional centers, 
of which 50 percent shall be for West Coast re-
gional centers and 50 percent shall be for East 
Coast regional centers; and 
(B) $6,655,000 for the National Tech-
nology Institute; 
(4) for fiscal year 2012— 
(A) $18,301,000 for the regional centers, 
of which 50 percent shall be for West Coast re-
gional centers and 50 percent shall be for East 
Coast regional centers; and 
(B) $7,321,000 for the National Tech-
nology Institute; 
(5) for fiscal year 2013— 
(A) $20,131,000 for the regional centers, 
of which 50 percent shall be for West Coast re-
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