In the Senate of the United States,
September 26 (legislative day, September 17), 2008.
Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representa-
tives (H.R. 5618) entitled ‘‘An Act to reauthorize and amend
the National Sea Grant College Program Act, and for other
purposes.’’, do pass with the following
AMENDMENT:
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Sea Grant Col-
lege Program Amendments Act of 2008’’.
SEC. 2. REFERENCES.
Except as otherwise expressly provided therein, when-
ever in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in
terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other
provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to
a section or other provision of the National Sea Grant Col-
lege Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1121 et seq.).
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SEC. 3. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) FINDINGS.—Section 202(a) (33 U.S.C. 1121(a)) is
amended—
(1) by striking subparagraphs (D) and (E) of
paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
‘‘(D) encourage the development of prepara-
tion, forecast, analysis, mitigation, response, and
recovery systems for coastal hazards;
‘‘(E) understand global environmental proc-
esses and their impacts on ocean, coastal, and
Great Lakes resources; and’’;
(2) by striking ‘‘program of research, education,’’
in paragraph (2) and inserting ‘‘program of inte-
grated research, education, extension,’’; and
(3) by striking paragraph (6) and inserting the
following:
‘‘(6) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-
ministration, through the national sea grant college
program, offers the most suitable locus and means for
such commitment and engagement through the pro-
motion of activities that will result in greater such
understanding, assessment, development, manage-
ment, utilization, and conservation of ocean, coastal,
and Great Lakes resources. The most cost-effective
way to promote such activities is through continued
and increased Federal support of the establishment,
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development, and operation of programs and projects
by sea grant colleges, sea grant institutes, and other
institutions, including strong collaborations between
Administration scientists and research and outreach
personnel at academic institutions.’’.
(b) PURPOSE.—Section 202(c) (33 U.S.C. 1121(c)) is
amended by striking ‘‘to promote research, education, train-
ing, and advisory service activities’’ and inserting ‘‘to pro-
mote integrated research, education, training, and extension
services and activities’’.
(c) TERMINOLOGY.—Subsections (a) and (b) of section
202 (15 U.S.C. 1121(a) and (b)) are amended by inserting
‘‘management,’’ after ‘‘development,’’ each place it appears.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 203 (33 U.S.C. 1122) is
amended—
(1) in paragraph (4) by inserting ‘‘manage-
ment,’’ after ‘‘development,’’;
(2) in paragraph (11) by striking ‘‘advisory
services’’ and inserting ‘‘extension services’’; and
(3) in each of paragraphs (12) and (13) by strik-
ing ‘‘(33 U.S.C. 1126)’’.
(b) REPEAL.—Section 307 of the Act entitled ‘‘An Act
to provide for the designation of the Flower Garden Banks
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National Marine Sanctuary’’ (Public Law 102–251; 106
Stat. 66) is repealed.
SEC. 5. NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM.
(a) PROGRAM ELEMENTS.—Section 204(b) (33 U.S.C.
1123(b)) is amended—
(1) by amending paragraph (1) to read as fol-
lows:
‘‘(1) sea grant programs that comprise a na-
tional sea grant college program network, including
international projects conducted within such pro-
grams and regional and national projects conducted
among such programs;’’;
(2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as fol-
lows:
‘‘(2) administration of the national sea grant
college program and this title by the national sea
grant office and the Administration;’’; and
(3) by amending paragraph (4) to read as fol-
lows:
‘‘(4) any regional or national strategic invest-
ments in fields relating to ocean, coastal, and Great
Lakes resources developed in consultation with the
Board and with the approval of the sea grant colleges
and the sea grant institutes.’’.
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(b) TECHNICAL CORRECTION.—Section 204(c)(2) (33
U.S.C. 1123(c)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘Within 6
months of the date of enactment of the National Sea Grant
College Program Reauthorization Act of 1998, the’’ and in-
serting ‘‘The’’.
(c) FUNCTIONS
OF DIRECTOR
OF NATIONAL SEA
GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM.—Section 204(d) (33 U.S.C.
1123(d)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ‘‘long
range’’;
(2) in paragraph (3)(A)—
(A) by striking ‘‘(A)(i) evaluate’’ and in-
serting ‘‘(A) evaluate and assess’’;
(B) by striking ‘‘activities; and’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘activities;’’; and
(C) by striking clause (ii); and
(3) in paragraph (3)(B)—
(A) by redesignating clauses (ii) through
(iv) as clauses (iii) through (v), respectively, and
by inserting after clause (i) the following:
‘‘(ii) encourage collaborations among
sea grant colleges and sea grant institutes to
address regional and national priorities es-
tablished under subsection (c)(1);’’;
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(B) in clause (iii) (as so redesignated) by
striking ‘‘encourage’’ and inserting ‘‘ensure’’;
(C) in clause (iv) (as so redesignated) by
striking ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon;
(D) by inserting after clause (v) (as so re-
designated) the following:
‘‘(vi) encourage cooperation with Minority
Serving Institutions to enhance collaborative re-
search opportunities and increase the number of
such students graduating in NOAA science areas;
and’’.
SEC. 6. PROGRAM OR PROJECT GRANTS AND CONTRACTS.
Section 205 (33 U.S.C. 1124) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘204(c)(4)(F).’’ in subsection (a)
and inserting ‘‘204(c)(4)(F) or that are appropriated
under section 208(b).’’; and
(2) by striking the matter following paragraph
(3) in subsection (b) and inserting the following:
‘‘The total amount that may be provided for grants
under this subsection during any fiscal year shall not exceed
an amount equal to 5 percent of the total funds appro-
priated for such year under section 212.’’.
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redesignated as the National Sea Grant Advisory
Board.
(2) MEMBERSHIP
NOT
AFFECTED.—An indi-
vidual serving as a member of the sea grant review
panel immediately before date of the enactment of this
Act may continue to serve as a member of the Na-
tional Sea Grant Advisory Board until the expiration
of such member’s term under section 209(c) of such
Act (33 U.S.C. 1128(c)).
(3) REFERENCES.—Any reference in a law, map,
regulation, document, paper, or other record of the
United States to such sea grant review panel is
deemed to be a reference to the National Sea Grant
Advisory Board.
(4) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—Section 209 (33 U.S.C.
1128) is amended by striking so much as pre-
cedes subsection (b) and inserting the following:
‘‘SEC. 209. NATIONAL SEA GRANT ADVISORY BOARD.
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There shall be an independent
committee to be known as the National Sea Grant Advisory
Board.’’.
(B) 
DEFINITION.—Section 
203(9) 
(33
U.S.C. 1122(9)) is amended to read as follows:
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‘‘(9) The term ‘Board’ means the National Sea
Grant Advisory Board established under section
209.’’;
(C) OTHER
PROVISIONS.—The following
provisions are each amended by striking ‘‘panel’’
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘Board’’:
(i) Section 204 (33 U.S.C. 1123).
(ii) Section 207 (33 U.S.C. 1126).
(iii) Section 209 (33 U.S.C. 1128).
(b) DUTIES.—Section 209(b) (33 U.S.C. 1128(b)) is
amended to read as follows:
‘‘(b) DUTIES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Board shall advise the
Secretary and the Director concerning—
‘‘(A) strategies for utilizing the sea grant
college program to address the Nation’s highest
priorities regarding the understanding, assess-
ment, development, management, utilization,
and conservation of ocean, coastal, and Great
Lakes resources;
‘‘(B) the designation of sea grant colleges
and sea grant institutes; and
‘‘(C) such other matters as the Secretary re-
fers to the Board for review and advice.
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‘‘(2) BIENNIAL REPORT.—The Board shall report
to the Congress every two years on the state of the na-
tional sea grant college program. The Board shall in-
dicate in each such report the progress made toward
meeting the priorities identified in the strategic plan
in effect under section 204(c). The Secretary shall
make available to the Board such information, per-
sonnel, and administrative services and assistance as
it may reasonably require to carry out its duties
under this title.’’.
(c) MEMBERSHIP, TERMS, AND POWERS.—Section
209(c)(1) (33 U.S.C. 1128(c)(1)) is amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘coastal management,’’ after
‘‘resource management,’’; and
(2) by inserting ‘‘management,’’ after ‘‘develop-
ment,’’.
(d) EXTENSION
OF TERM.—Section 209(c)(3) (33
U.S.C. 1128(c)(3)) is amended by striking the second sen-
tence and inserting the following: ‘‘The Director may extend
the term of office of a voting member of the Board once
by up to 1 year.’’.
(e) ESTABLISHMENT
OF SUBCOMMITTEES.—Section
209(c) (33 U.S.C. 1128(c)) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
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‘‘(8) The Board may establish such subcommittees as
are reasonably necessary to carry out its duties under sub-
section (b). Such subcommittees may include individuals
who are not Board members.’’.
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 212 of the National Sea Grant College Pro-
gram Act (33 U.S.C. 1131) is amended—
(1) by striking subsection (a)(1) and inserting
the following: ‘‘
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this title—
‘‘(A) $72,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
‘‘(B) $75,600,000 for fiscal year 2010;
‘‘(C) $79,380,000 for fiscal year 2011;
‘‘(D) $83,350,000 for fiscal year 2012;
‘‘(E) $87,520,000 for fiscal year 2013; and
‘‘(F) $91,900,000 for fiscal year 2014.’’;
(2) in subsection (a)(2)—
(A) by striking ‘‘fiscal years 2003 through
2008—’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal years 2009
through 2014—’’;
(B) by striking ‘‘biology and control of
zebra mussels and other important aquatic’’ in
subparagraph (A) and inserting ‘‘biology, pre-
vention, and control of aquatic’’; and
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(C) 
by 
striking 
‘‘blooms, 
including
Pfiesteria piscicida; and’’ in subparagraph (C)
and inserting ‘‘blooms; and’’;
(3) in subsection (c)(1) by striking ‘‘rating under
section 204(d)(3)(A)’’ and inserting ‘‘performance as-
sessments’’; and
(4) by striking subsection (c)(2) and inserting
the following:
‘‘(2) regional or national strategic investments author-
ized under section 204(b)(4);’’.
Attest:
Secretary.