I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 250 
To provide for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 5, 2007 
Mr. EHLERS (for himself and Mr. GILCHREST) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Science and Technology, and in 
addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be sub-
sequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of 
such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) The term ‘‘Administration’’ means the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 
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(2) The term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Ad-
ministrator of the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration. 
(3) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of Commerce. 
SEC. 3. NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINIS-
TRATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There shall be in the Department 
of Commerce an agency known as the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration. 
(b) MISSION.—The mission of the Administration is 
to understand the systems of the Earth’s oceans and at-
mosphere and predict changes in the Earth’s oceans and 
atmosphere and the effects of such changes on the land 
environment, to conserve and manage coastal, ocean, and 
Great Lakes ecosystems to meet national economic, social, 
and environmental needs, and to educate the public about 
these topics. 
(c) FUNCTIONS.—The functions of the Administra-
tion shall include— 
(1) collecting, through observation and other 
means, communicating, analyzing, processing, and 
disseminating comprehensive scientific data and in-
formation about weather and climate, solar and geo-
physical events on the Sun and in the space environ-
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ment, and about the coasts, oceans, Great Lakes, 
upper reaches of estuaries, and hydrologic systems; 
(2) operating and maintaining a system for the 
storage, retrieval, and dissemination of data relating 
to weather and climate, solar and geophysical events 
on the Sun and in the space environment, and about 
the coasts, oceans, Great Lakes, upper reaches of es-
tuaries, and hydrologic systems; 
(3) using observational data and technologies 
developed by other Federal agencies to improve the 
Administration’s operations; 
(4) conducting and supporting basic and ap-
plied research, development, and technology transfer 
as may be necessary to carry out the mission de-
scribed in subsection (b); 
(5) issuing weather, water, climate, space 
weather, tsunami, and other forecasts and warnings 
related to Earth’s oceans and atmosphere; 
(6) coordinating efforts of Federal agencies 
with respect to meteorological services; 
(7) understanding the science of Earth’s cli-
mate and related systems, and undertaking research 
and development to enhance society’s ability to plan 
for and respond to climate variability and change; 
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