110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 1834 
AN ACT 
To authorize the national ocean exploration program and 
the national undersea research program within the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
TITLE I—NATIONAL OCEAN 
EXPLORATION PROGRAM 
SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘National Ocean Explo-
ration Program Act’’. 
SEC. 102. AUTHORIZATION. 
The Administrator of the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration shall, in consultation with the 
National Science Foundation and other appropriate Fed-
eral agencies, conduct a coordinated national ocean explo-
ration program within the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration that promotes collaboration with 
other Federal ocean and undersea research and explo-
ration programs. To the extent appropriate, the Adminis-
trator shall seek to facilitate coordination of data and in-
formation management systems, outreach and education 
programs to improve public understanding of ocean and 
coastal resources, and development and transfer of tech-
nologies to facilitate ocean and undersea research and ex-
ploration. 
SEC. 103. AUTHORITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the program au-
thorized under section 102, the Administrator of the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (in this 
title referred to as the ‘‘Administrator’’) shall—
(1) conduct interdisciplinary voyages or other 
scientific activities of discovery in conjunction with 
other Federal agencies or academic or educational 
institutions, to explore and survey little known areas 
of the marine environment, inventory, observe, and 
assess living and nonliving marine resources, and re-
port such findings; 
(2) give priority attention to deep ocean re-
gions, with a focus on deep water marine systems 
that hold potential for important scientific discov-
eries, such as hydrothermal vent communities and 
seamounts; 
(3) conduct scientific voyages to locate, define, 
and document historic shipwrecks, submerged sites, 
and other ocean exploration activities that combine 
archaeology and oceanographic sciences; 
(4) develop and implement, in consultation with 
the National Science Foundation, a transparent, 
competitive process for merit-based peer-review and 
approval of proposals for activities to be conducted 
under this program, taking into consideration advice 
of the Board established under section 104; 
(5) enhance the technical capability of the 
United States marine science community by pro-
moting the development of improved oceanographic
research, communication, navigation, and data col-
lection systems, as well as underwater platforms and 
sensors and autonomous vehicles; and 
(6) establish an ocean exploration forum to en-
courage partnerships and promote communication 
among experts and other stakeholders in order to 
enhance the scientific and technical expertise and 
relevance of the national program. 
(b) DONATIONS.—In carrying out the program au-
thorized under section 102, the Administrator may accept 
donations of property, data, and equipment to be applied 
for the purpose of exploring the oceans or increasing 
knowledge of the oceans. 
SEC. 104. OCEAN EXPLORATION ADVISORY BOARD. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Administrator shall ap-
point an Ocean Exploration Advisory Board composed of 
experts in relevant fields to— 
(1) advise the Administrator on priority areas 
for survey and discovery; 
(2) assist the program in the development of a 
five-year strategic plan for the fields of ocean, ma-
rine, and Great Lakes science, exploration, and dis-
covery;
(3) annually review the quality and effectiveness 
of the proposal review process established under sec-
tion 103(4); and 
(4) provide other assistance and advice as re-
quested by the Administrator. 
(b) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—Section 
14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 
App.) shall not apply to the Board appointed under sub-
section (a). 
SEC. 105. APPLICATION WITH OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF 
LANDS ACT. 
Nothing in this Act supersedes, or limits the author-
ity of the Secretary of the Interior under the Outer Conti-
nental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.). 
SEC. 106. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to carry 
out this title— 
(1) $30,500,000 for fiscal year 2008; 
(2) $33,550,000 for fiscal year 2009; 
(3) $36,905,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
(4) $40,596,000 for fiscal year 2011; 
(5) $44,655,000 for fiscal year 2012; 
(6) $49,121,000 for fiscal year 2013; and 
(7) $54,033,000 for fiscal year 2014.
TITLE II—UNDERSEA RESEARCH 
PROGRAM 
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘National Undersea 
Research Program Act of 2007’’. 
SEC. 202. AUTHORIZATION. 
The Administrator of the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration shall conduct an undersea re-
search, exploration, education, and technology develop-
ment program and shall designate a Director of that pro-
gram. 
SEC. 203. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of the program authorized under section 
202 is to increase scientific knowledge essential for the 
informed management, use, and preservation of oceanic, 
marine, coastal, and Great Lakes resources. The Director, 
in carrying out the program authorized in section 202, 
shall cooperate with institutions of higher education and 
other educational marine and ocean science organizations, 
and shall make available undersea research facilities, 
equipment, technologies, information, and expertise to 
support undersea research efforts by these organizations. 
The Director may also enter into partnerships, using exist-
ing authorities, with the private sector to achieve the goals
of the program and to promote technological advancement 
of the marine industry. 
SEC. 204. PROGRAM. 
The program authorized under section 202 shall be 
conducted through a national headquarters, a network of 
extramural regional undersea research centers that rep-
resent all relevant National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-
ministration regions, and the National Institute for Un-
dersea Science and Technology. Overall direction of the 
program will be developed by the program director with 
a Council of Center Directors comprised of the directors 
of the extramural regional centers and the National Insti-
tute for Undersea Science and Technology. Draft program 
direction shall be published not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act. The draft program di-
rection shall be published in the Federal Register for a 
public comment period of not less than 120 days. Final 
program direction with Agency responses to the comments 
received shall be published in the Federal Register within 
90 days after the close of the comment period. The pro-
gram director shall update the program direction, with op-
portunity for public comment, at least every five years. 
SEC. 205. REGIONAL CENTERS AND INSTITUTE. 
(a) PROGRAMS.—The following research, exploration, 
education, and technology programs shall be conducted
through the network of extramural regional centers and 
the National Institute for Undersea Science and Tech-
nology: 
(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) 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. 
(4) Undersea science-based education and out-
reach programs to enrich ocean science education 
and public awareness of the oceans and Great 
Lakes. 
(5) Discovery, study, and development of nat-
ural products from ocean and aquatic systems. 
(b) OPERATIONS.—Operation of the extramural re-
gional centers and the National Institute for Undersea 
Science and Technology shall leverage partnerships and 
cooperative research with academia and private industry.
SEC. 206. COMPETITION. 
(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 required in 
section 204 and every five 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 to carry 
out this title— 
(1) $17,500,000 for fiscal year 2008; 
(2) $19,500,000 for fiscal year 2009; 
(3) $21,500,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
(4) $23,500,000 for fiscal year 2011; 
(5) $25,500,000 for fiscal year 2012; 
(6) $27,500,000 for fiscal year 2013; and
(7) $29,500,000 for fiscal year 2014. 
TITLE III—INTERAGENCY 
PLANNING AND COORDINATION 
SEC. 301. OCEAN EXPLORATION AND UNDERSEA RESEARCH 
TECHNOLOGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE TASK 
FORCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in coordi-
nation with the National Science Foundation, the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration, the United States 
Geological Survey, the Department of the Navy, the Min-
eral Management Service, and relevant governmental, 
non-governmental, academic, industry, and other experts, 
shall convene an ocean exploration and undersea research 
technology and infrastructure task force to develop and 
implement a strategy— 
(1) to facilitate transfer of new exploration and 
undersea research technology to the programs au-
thorized under titles I and II of this Act; 
(2) to improve availability of communications 
infrastructure, including satellite capabilities, to 
such programs; 
(3) to develop an integrated, workable, and 
comprehensive data management information proc-
essing system that will make information on unique
and significant features obtained by such programs 
available for research and management purposes; 
(4) to conduct public outreach activities that 
improve the public understanding of ocean science, 
resources, and processes, in conjunction with rel-
evant programs of the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration, the National Science Founda-
tion, and other agencies; and 
(5) to encourage cost-sharing partnerships with 
governmental and nongovernmental entities that will 
assist in transferring exploration and undersea re-
search technology and technical expertise to the pro-
grams. 
(b) BUDGET COORDINATION.—The task force shall 
coordinate the development of agency budgets and identify 
the items in their annual budget that support the activities 
identified in the strategy developed under subsection (a). 
Passed the House of Representatives February 14, 
2008. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 1834 
AN ACT 
To authorize the national ocean exploration pro-
gram and the national undersea research pro-
gram within the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration.