I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1584 
To develop and maintain an integrated system of coastal and ocean observa-
tions for the Nation’s coasts, oceans, and Great Lakes, to improve 
warnings of tsunamis and other natural hazards, to enhance homeland 
security, to support maritime operations, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 12, 2005 
Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania (for himself, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. SAXTON, Mr. INS-
LEE, Mrs. DRAKE, Mr. FARR, Mr. FITZPATRICK of Pennsylvania, Mr. 
MORAN of Virginia, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. 
ROHRABACHER, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. HUNTER, Mr. CASE, Mr. MCINTYRE, 
Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. FORTUN˜O, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. KILDEE, and 
Ms. LEE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Science, 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 com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To develop and maintain an integrated system of coastal 
and ocean observations for the Nation’s coasts, oceans, 
and Great Lakes, to improve warnings of tsunamis and 
other natural hazards, to enhance homeland security, 
to support maritime operations, 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 ‘‘Ocean and Coastal 
Observation System Act of 2005’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) Coastal and ocean observations provide vital 
information for protecting human lives and property 
from marine hazards, enhancing national and home-
land security, predicting weather and global climate 
change, improving ocean health, and providing for 
the protection, sustainable use, and enjoyment of the 
resources of the Nation’s coasts, oceans, and Great 
Lakes. 
(2) The continuing and potentially devastating 
threat posed by tsunamis, hurricanes, storm surges, 
and other marine hazards requires immediate imple-
mentation of strengthened observation and commu-
nications systems to provide timely detection, assess-
ment, and warnings to the millions of people living 
in coastal regions of the United States and through-
out the world. 
(3) The 95,000-mile coastline of the United 
States, including the Great Lakes, is vital to the Na-
tion’s 
prosperity, 
contributing 
over 
$117,000,000,000 to the national economy in 2000, 
supporting jobs for more than 200,000,000 Ameri-
cans, handling $700,000,000,000 in waterborne 
commerce, and supporting commercial and sport 
fisheries valued at more than $50,000,000,000 an-
nually. 
(4) Safeguarding homeland security, conducting 
search and rescue operations, responding to natural 
and manmade coastal hazards (such as oil spills and 
harmful algal blooms), and managing fisheries and 
other coastal activities each require improved moni-
toring of the Nation’s waters and coastline, includ-
ing the ability to track vessels and to provide rapid 
response teams with real-time environmental condi-
tions necessary for their work. 
(5) While knowledge of the coastal and ocean 
environment and processes is far from complete, ad-
vances in sensing technologies and scientific under-
standing have made possible long-term and contin-
uous observation from shore, space, and in situ of 
coastal and ocean characteristics and conditions. 
(6) Many elements of a coastal and ocean ob-
serving system are in place, but require national in-
vestment, consolidation, completion, and integration 
at Federal, regional, State, and local levels. 
(7) The Commission on Ocean Policy rec-
ommends a national commitment to a sustained and
integrated coastal and ocean observing system and 
to coordinated research programs in order to assist 
the Nation and the world in understanding the 
oceans and the global climate system, enhancing 
homeland security, improving weather and climate 
forecasts, strengthening management of coastal and 
ocean resources, improving the safety and efficiency 
of maritime operations, and mitigating marine haz-
ards. 
(8) In 2003, the United States led more than 
50 nations in affirming the vital importance of time-
ly, quality, long-term global observations as a basis 
for sound decisionmaking, recognizing the contribu-
tion of observation systems to meet national, re-
gional, and global needs, and calling for strength-
ened cooperation and coordination in establishing a 
Global Earth Observation System of Systems, of 
which an integrated coastal and ocean observing sys-
tem is an essential part. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are to pro-
vide for— 
(1) the development and maintenance of an in-
tegrated coastal and ocean observing system that 
provides data and information to ensure national se-
curity and public safety, support economic develop-
ment, sustain and restore healthy marine ecosystems 
and the resources they support, enable advances in 
scientific understanding of the oceans, and strength-
en science education and communication; 
(2) implementation of research and development 
and education programs to improve understanding 
of the oceans and Great Lakes and to achieve the 
full national benefits of an integrated coastal and 
ocean observing system; 
(3) implementation of a data and information 
management system required by all components of 
an integrated coastal and ocean observing system 
and related research to develop early warning sys-
tems; and 
(4) establishment of a system of regional coast-
al and ocean observing systems to address local 
needs for ocean information. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act, the following definitions apply: 
(1) 
COMMITTEE.—The 
term 
‘‘Committee’’ 
means the Committee on Ocean Policy established 
under Executive Order 13366 (69 Fed. Reg. 76591). 
(2) COUNCIL.—The term ‘‘Council’’ means the 
National Ocean Research Leadership Council estab-
lished under section 7902(a) of title 10, United 
States Code. 
(3) OBSERVING SYSTEM.—The term ‘‘observing 
system’’ means the integrated coastal, ocean, and 
Great Lakes observing system to be established by 
the Committee under section 4(a). 
(4) NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PARTNERSHIP 
PROGRAM.—The 
term 
‘‘National 
Oceanographic 
Partnership Program’’ means the program estab-
lished under section 7901 of title 10, United States 
Code. 
(5) INTERAGENCY
PROGRAM
OFFICE.—The 
term ‘‘interagency program office’’ means the office 
established under section 4(d). 
SEC. 4. INTEGRATED COASTAL AND OCEAN OBSERVING 
SYSTEM. 
(a) 
ESTABLISHMENT.—The 
Committee, 
acting 
through the Council, shall establish and maintain an inte-
grated system of coastal and ocean observations, data 
communication and management, analysis, modeling, re-
search, and education designed to provide data and infor-
mation for the timely detection and prediction of changes 
occurring in the coastal and ocean environment that im-
pact the Nation’s social, economic, and ecological systems. 
The observing system shall provide for long-term, contin-
uous, and quality-controlled observations of the Nation’s 
coasts, oceans, and Great Lakes for the following pur-
poses: 
(1) Improving the health of the Nation’s coasts, 
oceans, and Great Lakes. 
(2) Protecting human lives and livelihoods from 
hazards such as tsunamis, hurricanes, coastal ero-
sion, and fluctuating Great Lakes water levels. 
(3) Supporting national defense and homeland 
security efforts. 
(4) Understanding the effects of human activi-
ties and natural variability on the state of the coasts 
and oceans and the Nation’s socioeconomic well- 
being. 
(5) Measuring, explaining, and predicting envi-
ronmental changes. 
(6) Providing for the sustainable use, protec-
tion, and enjoyment of coastal and ocean resources. 
(7) Providing a scientific basis for implementa-
tion and refinement of ecosystem-based manage-
ment. 
(8) Educating the public about the role and im-
portance of the oceans and Great Lakes in daily life. 
(9) Tracking and understanding climate change 
and the ocean’s and Great Lake’s roles in it.
(10) Supplying critical information to marine- 
related businesses such as marine transportation, 
aquaculture, fisheries, and offshore energy produc-
tion. 
(11) Supporting research and development to 
ensure continuous improvement to coastal and ocean 
observation measurements and to enhance under-
standing of the Nation’s coastal and ocean re-
sources. 
(b) SYSTEM ELEMENTS.—In order to fulfill the pur-
poses of this Act, the observing system shall consist of the 
following program elements: 
(1) A national program to fulfill national obser-
vation priorities, including the Nation’s ocean con-
tribution to the Global Earth Observation System of 
Systems and the Global Ocean Observing System. 
(2) A network of regional associations to man-
age the regional coastal and ocean observing and in-
formation programs that collect, measure, and dis-
seminate data and information products to meet re-
gional needs. 
(3) A data management and communication 
system for the timely integration and dissemination 
of data and information products from the national 
and regional systems.
(4) A research and development program con-
ducted under the guidance of the Council. 
(5) An outreach, education, and training pro-
gram that augments existing programs (such as the 
National Sea Grant College Program and the Cen-
ters for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence pro-
gram) to ensure the use of data and information for 
improving public education and awareness of the 
Nation’s oceans and building the technical expertise 
required to operate and improve the observing sys-
tem. 
(c) COUNCIL FUNCTIONS.—In carrying out respon-
sibilities under this section, the Council shall— 
(1) serve as the oversight body for the design 
and implementation of all aspects of the observing 
system; 
(2) adopt plans, budgets, and standards that 
are developed and maintained by the interagency 
program office in consultation with the regional as-
sociations; 
(3) coordinate the observing system with other 
earth observing activities, including the Global 
Ocean Observing System and the Global Earth Ob-
serving System of Systems;
(4) coordinate and administer programs of re-
search and development and education to support 
improvements to and the operation of an integrated 
ocean and coastal observing system and to advance 
the understanding of the oceans; 
(5) establish pilot projects to develop technology 
and methods for advancing the development of the 
observing system; 
(6) support the development of institutional 
mechanisms to further the goals of the program and 
provide for the capitalization of the required infra-
structure; 
(7) provide, as appropriate, support for and 
representation on United States delegations to inter-
national meetings on coastal and ocean observing 
programs, including those under the jurisdiction of 
the International Joint Commission involving Cana-
dian waters; and 
(8) in consultation with the Secretary of State, 
coordinate relevant Federal activities with those of 
other nations. 
(d) INTERAGENCY PROGRAM OFFICE.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Council shall estab-
lish an interagency program office to be known as 
‘‘Oceanus’’.
(2) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The interagency pro-
gram office shall be responsible for program plan-
ning and coordination of the observing system. 
(3) DUTIES.—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 
global and national observing systems, including 
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; 
(D) develop a process for the certification 
of the regional associations and their periodic 
review and recertification; and
(E) establish an external technical com-
mittee to provide biennial review of the observ-
ing system. 
(e) LEAD FEDERAL AGENCY.—The National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration shall be the lead Federal 
agency for implementation and operation of the observing 
system. Based on the plans prepared by the interagency 
program office and adopted by the Council, the Adminis-
trator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration shall— 
(1) coordinate implementation, operation, and 
improvement of the observing system; 
(2) establish efficient and effective administra-
tive procedures for allocation of funds among Fed-
eral agencies and regional associations in a timely 
manner and according to the budget adopted by the 
Council; 
(3) implement and maintain appropriate ele-
ments of the observing system; 
(4) provide for the migration of scientific and 
technological advances from research and develop-
ment to operational deployment; 
(5) integrate and extend existing programs and 
pilot projects into the operational observation sys-
tem; and
(6) certify regional associations that meet the 
requirements of subsection (f). 
(f) REGIONAL
ASSOCIATIONS
OF
COASTAL
AND 
OCEAN
OBSERVING
SYSTEMS.—Regional associations 
shall be responsible for the development and operation of 
regional coastal and ocean observing systems to meet the 
information needs of user groups in the region while ad-
hering to national standards. A regional association 
shall— 
(1) demonstrate an organizational structure ca-
pable of supporting and integrating all aspects of 
coastal and ocean observing and information pro-
grams within a region; 
(2) operate under a strategic operations and 
business plan that details the operation and support 
of regional coastal and ocean observing systems pur-
suant to the standards established by the Council; 
(3) provide information products for multiple 
users in the region; 
(4) work with governmental entities and pro-
grams at all levels within the region to provide time-
ly warnings and outreach and education to protect 
the public; and 
(5) be certified by the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration according to certification
standards developed by the interagency program of-
fice in conjunction with the regional associations and 
approved by the Council. 
(g) CIVIL
LIABILITY.—For purposes of section 
1346(b)(1) and chapter 171 of title 28, United States 
Code, the Act of March 9, 1920 (46 U.S.C. App. 741 et 
seq., popularly known as the ‘‘Suits in Admiralty Act’’), 
and the Act of March 3, 1925 (46 U.S.C. App. 781 et 
seq., popularly known as the ‘‘Public Vessels Act’’), any 
regional coastal and ocean observing system that is a des-
ignated part of a certified regional association under this 
section shall, in carrying out the purposes of this Act, be 
deemed to be part of the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration, and any employee of such system, 
while acting within the scope of his or her employment 
in carrying out such purposes, shall be deemed to be an 
employee of the Government. 
SEC. 5. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION. 
The Council shall establish programs for research 
and development and education for the coastal and ocean 
observing system, including projects under the National 
Oceanographic Partnership Program, and consisting of 
the following: 
(1) Basic research to advance knowledge of 
coastal and ocean systems and ensure continued im-
provement of operational products, including related 
infrastructure and observing technology. 
(2) Focused research projects to improve under-
standing of the relationship between the coasts and 
oceans and human activities. 
(3) Large scale computing resources and re-
search to advance modeling of ocean and coastal 
processes. 
(4) A coordinated effort to build public edu-
cation and awareness of the coastal and ocean envi-
ronment and functions that integrates ongoing ac-
tivities (such as the National Sea Grant College Pro-
gram and the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education 
Excellence program). 
SEC. 6. INTERAGENCY FINANCING. 
The departments and agencies represented on the 
Council are authorized to participate in interagency fi-
nancing and to share, transfer, receive, obligate, and ex-
pend funds appropriated to any member of the Council 
for the purposes of carrying out any administrative or pro-
grammatic project or activity under this Act or under the 
National Oceanographic Partnership Program, including 
support for the interagency program office, a common in-
frastructure, and system integration for a coastal and 
ocean observing system. Funds may be transferred among
such departments and agencies through an appropriate in-
strument that specifies the goods, services, or space being 
acquired from another Council member and the costs of 
the same. 
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary of Commerce for the implementation of an inte-
grated coastal and ocean observing system under section 
4, and the research and development program under sec-
tion 5, including financial assistance to the interagency 
program office, the regional associations for the implemen-
tation of regional coastal and ocean observing systems, 
and the departments and agencies represented on the 
Council, such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal 
years 2006 through 2010. At least 50 percent of the sums 
appropriated for the implementation of the integrated 
coastal and ocean observing system under section 4 shall 
be allocated to the regional associations for the implemen-
tation of the regional coastal and ocean observing systems. 
Sums appropriated pursuant to this section shall remain 
available until expended. 
SEC. 8. REPORTING REQUIREMENT. 
Not later than March 31, 2010, the President, acting 
through the Council, shall transmit to Congress a report 
on the programs established under sections 4 and 5. The
report shall include a description of activities carried out 
under the programs, an evaluation of the effectiveness of 
the programs, and recommendations concerning reauthor-
ization of the programs and funding levels for the pro-
grams in succeeding fiscal years. 
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