157 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Council shall establish 
an interagency program office to be known as ‘‘Oce-
anUS’’. 
(2) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The interagency pro-
gram office shall be responsible for program plan-
ning and coordination of the observing system. 
(3) REQUIREMENTS.—The interagency program 
office shall— 
(A) prepare annual and long-term plans 
for consideration by the Council for the design 
and implementation of the observing system 
that promote collaboration among Federal 
agencies and regional associations in developing 
the global and national observing systems, in-
cluding identification and refinement of a core 
set of variables to be measured by all systems; 
(B) coordinate the development of agency 
priorities and budgets for implementation of the 
observing system, including budgets for the re-
gional associations; 
(C) establish and refine standards and pro-
tocols for data management and communica-
tions, including quality standards, in consulta-
tion with participating Federal agencies and re-
gional associations; 
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(D) develop a process for the certification 
and periodic review and recertification of the re-
gional associations; 
(E) establish an external technical com-
mittee to provide biennial review of the observ-
ing system; and 
(F) provide for opportunities to partner or 
contract with private sector companies in de-
ploying ocean observation system elements. 
(e) LEAD FEDERAL AGENCY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration shall be the lead Fed-
eral agency for implementation and operation of the 
observing system. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—Based on the plans pre-
pared by the interagency program office and adopted 
by the Council, the Administrator of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall— 
(A) coordinate implementation, operation, 
and improvement of the observing system; 
(B) establish efficient and effective admin-
istrative procedures for allocation of funds 
among Federal agencies and regional associa-
tions in a timely manner and according to the 
budget adopted by the Council; 
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159 
(C) implement and maintain appropriate 
elements of the observing system; 
(D) provide for the migration of scientific 
and technological advances from research and 
development to operational deployment; 
(E) integrate and extend existing programs 
and pilot projects into the operational observa-
tion system; 
(F) certify regional associations that meet 
the requirements of subsection (f); and 
(G) integrate the capabilities of the Na-
tional Coastal Data Development Center and 
the Coastal Services Center of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and 
other appropriate centers, into the observing 
system to assimilate, manage, disseminate, and 
archive data from regional observation systems 
and other observation systems. 
(f) REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS OF OCEAN AND COAST-
AL OBSERVING SYSTEMS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Administrator of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
may certify 1 or more regional associations to be re-
sponsible for the development and operation of re-
gional ocean and coastal observing systems to meet 
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the information needs of user groups in the region 
while adhering to national standards. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—To be certifiable by the 
Administrator, a regional association shall— 
(A) demonstrate an organizational struc-
ture capable of supporting and integrating all 
aspects of ocean and coastal observing and in-
formation programs within a region; 
(B) operate under a strategic operations 
and business plan that details the operation and 
support of regional ocean and coastal observing 
systems in accordance with the standards estab-
lished by the Council; 
(C) provide information products for mul-
tiple users in the region; 
(D) work with governmental entities and 
programs at all levels within the region to pro-
vide timely warnings and outreach to protect 
the public; and 
(E) meet certification standards developed 
by the interagency program office in conjunc-
tion with the regional associations and approved 
by the Council. 
(g) PROHIBITION ON LOBBYING.—Nothing in this 
Act authorizes a regional association to engage in lobbying 
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