110 
(ii) is dismissed from the recipient’s 
educational institution for disciplinary rea-
sons; or 
(iii) voluntarily terminates academic 
training before graduation from the edu-
cational program for which the scholarship 
was awarded. 
(B) PENALTY.—A recipient of a scholar-
ship who under subparagraph (A) is in breach 
of the recipient’s contractual agreement— 
(i) shall be liable to the United States 
for repayment, within 2 years after the 
date of the breach, of all amounts paid 
under the scholarship to the recipient or to 
an institution of higher education on the 
recipient’s behalf; and 
(ii) shall not be required to fulfill any 
employment obligation under such agree-
ment. 
(2) FAILURE TO FULFILL EMPLOYMENT OBLI-
GATION.— 
(A) BREACH OF OBLIGATION.—A recipient 
of a scholarship under this section shall be in 
breach of the recipient’s contractual agreement 
under this section if the recipient—
111 
(i) fails to begin or complete the re-
cipient’s employment obligation under this 
section; or 
(ii) fails to comply with the terms and 
conditions of deferment established by the 
Administrator 
pursuant 
to 
subsection 
(g)(2)(B). 
(B) PENALTY.—A recipient of a scholar-
ship who under subparagraph (A) is in breach 
of the recipient’s contractual agreement shall be 
liable for payment to the United States, within 
3 years, of an amount equal to— 
(i) the total amount of scholarships 
received by such individual under this sec-
tion; plus 
(ii) interest on the total amount of 
such scholarships at a rate that is equiva-
lent to the rate of interest that would 
apply under section 427A of the Higher 
Education Authorization Act of 1965 if the 
scholarships were loans to cover the cost of 
education (as that term is used in that sec-
tion). 
(i) CANCELLATION OR WAIVER.—
112 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Any obligation of an indi-
vidual incurred under this section for service or pay-
ment shall be canceled upon the death of the indi-
vidual. 
(2) WAIVER OR SUSPENSION OF ANY OBLIGA-
TION BY ADMINISTRATOR.—The Administrator shall 
by regulation provide for the partial or total waiver 
or suspension of any obligation of employment or 
payment incurred by an individual under this section 
(including any contractual agreement under this sec-
tion), if— 
(A) compliance by the individual is impos-
sible or would involve extreme hardship to the 
individual; or 
(B) enforcement of such obligation with re-
spect to the individual would be contrary to the 
best interests of the Government. 
(j) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 2 years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 2 
years thereafter, the Administrator shall transmit a report 
to the Congress that addresses each of the following: 
(1) The effectiveness of the National Marine 
Scholarship Program established under this section 
in increasing the number of marine science-related 
service professionals.
113 
(2) The effectiveness of such program in pre-
paring scholarship recipients for temporary jobs 
within the Administration or other marine-related 
Federal agencies. 
(k) DEADLINE FOR REGULATIONS.—The Adminis-
trator shall issue such regulations as are necessary to 
carry out this section by not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
(l) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Of the 
amounts authorized for each of fiscal years 2006 through 
2011 for programs administered by the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration, $5,000,000 shall be 
available for the National Marine Scholarship Program es-
tablished under this section. 
SEC. 604. NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMIN-
ISTRATION OFFICE OF EDUCATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall conduct, 
develop, support, promote, and coordinate national-level 
education activities described in section 602(b) that en-
hance public awareness and understanding of the science, 
service, and stewardship missions of the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration. In planning activities 
under this section, the Administrator shall consult with 
the Subcommittee and build upon the educational pro-
grams and activities of the National Sea Grant College
114 
Program, the National Marine Sanctuary Program, the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office 
of Ocean Exploration, and the National Estuarine Re-
search Reserve System. Authorized activities shall include 
education of the general public, teachers, students, and 
ocean and coastal managers, commercial fishermen, mari-
ners, and other stakeholders at the national level. The 
ocean and coastal education program should consider ex-
isting mechanisms for ocean and coastal outreach and 
education at the national, regional, State, and local levels. 
In carrying out educational activities, the Administrator 
may enter into grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, 
resource sharing agreements, or interagency financing 
with Federal, State, and regional agencies, Indian tribes, 
commercial organizations, educational institutions, non-
profit organizations, or other persons. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—As set forth in title II, the 
Administrator shall establish an Office of Education to 
provide interagency and intraagency coordination of the 
education activities of the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration and to ensure full participation in 
the ocean and coastal education program established 
under section 602. The Office of Education shall promote 
and provide oversight of agency education activities as de-
scribed in section 203 and shall—