IB 
Union Calendar No. 413 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 3228 
[Report No. 117–572, Part I] 
To direct the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Administrator of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to improve 
science, data, and services that enable sound decision making in response 
to coastal flood risk, including impacts of sea level rise, storm events, 
changing Great Lakes water levels, and land subsidence. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 13, 2021 
Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ (for herself, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Ms. TLAIB, and Mr. COHEN) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on 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 concerned 
NOVEMBER 16, 2022 
Additional sponsor: Mr. GARCI´A of Illinois 
NOVEMBER 16, 2022 
Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources with an amendment 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
NOVEMBER 16, 2022 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology discharged; committed to the 
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered 
to be printed 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on May 13, 2021] 
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A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the 
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, to improve science, data, and services 
that enable sound decision making in response to coastal 
flood risk, including impacts of sea level rise, storm 
events, changing Great Lakes water levels, and land sub-
sidence. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF NATIONAL OCEANIC AND 
ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall, in con-
sultation with other Federal agencies, develop within the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration a com-
prehensive suite of coastal flood and coastal land loss, sea 
level rise, Great Lakes bathymetry water level, and vertical 
land motion data, products, and services, and conduct the 
research and development necessary to support those prod-
ucts and services that— 
(1) augment existing capacities and combine ex-
isting observations, modeling, predictions, products 
and services into a coordinated decision-support 
framework; 
(2) produce and maintain authoritative and 
timely data, maps, and information services, includ-
ing improving existing and new information products 
and services targeted to end-user needs, that allow 
coastal communities across the United States to plan 
for present and future coastal flood and coastal land 
loss risk; and 
(3) engage with, ensure accessibility by, and pro-
vide technical assistance to, end users, with par-
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ticular attention to historically underserved and at 
risk communities and populations, and also including 
other Federal agencies, regional ocean partnerships, 
states, local governments, Tribal governments, and In-
digenous communities on the appropriate application 
of these data and tools and to better assess informa-
tion gaps, needs, and solutions relating to the risk 
posed by coastal flooding and coastal land loss, in-
cluding sea level rise. 
(b) DATA ARCHIVING.—The Administrator shall pub-
lish and maintain archives of the data and metadata gen-
erated under this Act and shall maximize distribution, ac-
cess, and use of such data and metadata. 
(c) USE OF EXISTING ADVISORY COMMITTEES.—The 
Administrator may consult with and seek input from exist-
ing agency advisory committees to provide recommenda-
tions on systems, products, and services relating to coastal 
flooding and coastal land loss, including sea level rise. 
(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
TO OTHER FEDERAL 
AGENCIES.—To assist in carrying out this Act and to fa-
cilitate collaboration, the Administrator may provide tech-
nical assistance to other Federal agencies on a reimbursable 
or non-reimbursable basis, including by entering into an 
agreement with another Federal agency to detail, for a pe-
riod of not more than 3 years, an employee of the National 
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Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to such other 
Federal agency. 
(e) INTERNATIONAL
ENGAGEMENT.—The Adminis-
trator, in consultation with the Secretary of State, may 
work with international counterparts to provide and receive 
technical assistance, data sharing, and capacity building 
on matters pertaining to coastal flooding and coastal land 
loss, sea level rise, and inundation, including participation 
in relevant international bodies. 
(f) REPORT.—The Administrator shall, not later than 
1 year after the date of enactment of this Act and every 
3 years thereafter, provide the Committee on Natural Re-
sources of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
with a report on actions taken to implement this Act and 
containing an evaluation of the need to expand and im-
prove agency observations, modeling, predictions, products, 
and services to— 
(1) improve the understanding of the processes 
that drive coastal flood and coastal land loss risk, in-
cluding sea level rise, storm events, changing Great 
Lakes water levels, and land subsidence; and 
(2) track and report how observed rates of sea 
level rise compare to the sea level rise trends and pre-
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dictions published within the quadrennial National 
Climate Assessments and related reports. 
(g) ADMINISTRATOR.—In this section, the term ‘‘Ad-
ministrator’’ means the Secretary of Commerce, acting 
through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration. 
(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 
out this Section, there are authorized to be appropriated 
$3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026. 
SEC. 2. INTERAGENCY COORDINATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Office of Science 
and Technology Policy, in consultation with the Adminis-
trator, shall— 
(1) facilitate interagency cooperation and align-
ment of Federal Government activities conducted with 
respect to coastal flooding and coastal land loss, in-
cluding sea level rise, to improve the ability of the 
United States to prepare for, avoid, mitigate, respond 
to, and recover from potentially devastating impacts; 
and 
(2) coordinate the activities of the interagency 
subcommittee established under subsection (b). 
(b) COASTAL FLOODING, COASTAL LAND LOSS, AND 
SEA LEVEL RISE SUBCOMMITTEE.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the President, act-
ing through the appropriate interagency committee or 
task force, shall establish an interagency subcommittee 
on coastal flooding, coastal land loss, and sea level 
rise (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Sub-
committee’’). 
(2) PURPOSES.—The Subcommittee shall— 
(A) examine the latest science and tech-
nologies for measuring, predicting, and deliv-
ering information related to coastal flood and 
coastal land loss risk, including sea level rise; 
(B) coordinate executive branch actions and 
activities that improve measurements, pre-
dictions, and service delivery of information re-
lated to coastal flood and coastal land loss risk, 
including sea level rise; 
(C) identify gaps in observations, data, in-
formation, and modeling relating to coastal flood 
and coastal land loss risk and ensure that agen-
cy activities relating to coastal flood and coastal 
land loss risk are complementary; 
(D) consult and coordinate with other inter-
agency climate and ocean policy efforts and bod-
ies as appropriate; 
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(E) coordinate the scientific efforts of Fed-
eral agencies and the provision of data and tech-
nical assistance from such agencies on matters 
relating to coastal flooding and coastal land loss; 
and 
(F) define and prioritize needs from other 
Federal agencies that could be addressed by en-
hancements to Federal data and services, includ-
ing National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration products and services. 
(3) LEADERSHIP.—The Subcommittee shall be 
co-chaired by the Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy and the Administrator. 
(4) MEMBERSHIP.—The Subcommittee shall be 
composed of representatives of each of the following 
agencies: 
(A) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration. 
(B) The National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration. 
(C) The United States Geological Survey. 
(D) The United States Army Corps of Engi-
neers. 
(E) The Federal Emergency Management 
Administration. 
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