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(1) integrate agency science into high-quality 
educational materials; 
(2) improve access to National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration educational resources; 
(3) consider existing mechanisms for ocean and 
coastal outreach and education at the national, re-
gional, State, and local levels; 
(4) support educator professional development 
programs to improve understanding and use of agen-
cy sciences; 
(5) promote participation in agency-related 
sciences and careers, particularly by members of 
underrepresented groups; 
(6) leverage partnerships to enhance formal and 
informal environmental science education; 
(7) build capability within the agency for edu-
cational excellence; 
(8) support professional development and a pro-
gram for certification of individuals engaged in com-
mercial fishing, including safe use of fishing gear, 
fishery and ocean law, fish identification and behav-
ior, care of fish catch, marine ecology, and safety at 
sea; 
(9) develop recreational fishing education pro-
grams; and
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(10) create and implement effective approaches 
to disseminate agency products and ocean informa-
tion to the general public. 
(c) EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.—The 
Administrator shall establish an educational partnership 
with minority-serving institutions to provide support for 
cooperative science centers, an environmental entrepre-
neurship program, a graduate sciences program, an under-
graduate scholarship program, and other activities as re-
quired to meet program objectives. 
SEC. 605. AMENDMENT TO THE NATIONAL SEA GRANT COL-
LEGE PROGRAM ACT. 
Section 212(a) of the National Sea Grant College 
Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1131(a)) is amended by adding 
at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) MARINE
AND
AQUATIC
SCIENCE
EDU-
CATION.—In addition to the amounts authorized for 
each fiscal year under paragraphs (1) and (2), there 
are authorized to be appropriated for marine and 
aquatic science education for each of fiscal years 
2006 through 2011— 
‘‘(A) $6,000,000 in increased funding for 
the educational activities of sea grant programs;
117 
‘‘(B) $4,000,000 for competitive grants for 
projects and research that target national and 
regional marine and aquatic science literacy; 
‘‘(C) $4,000,000 for competitive grants to 
support educational partnerships under the 
ocean and coastal education program estab-
lished under section 602 of the Oceans Con-
servation, Education, and National Strategy for 
the 21st Century Act or other appropriate 
mechanism; and 
‘‘(D) $11,000,000 for graduate fellowships 
and competitive distinguished professorships in 
Marine Studies.’’. 
SEC. 606. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) NATIONAL OCEAN
AND COASTAL EDUCATION 
PROGRAM.—In addition to the amounts authorized annu-
ally to the Department of the Navy, the National Science 
Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-
ministration, and the National Aeronautics and Space Ad-
ministration for fiscal year 2006 through fiscal year 2011, 
$25,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated for each 
agency for the ocean and coastal education program under 
section 602. 
(b) SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.—Of the amounts au-
thorized annually to the Department of the Navy, the Na-
118 
tional Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration, and the National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration for fiscal year 2006 through fis-
cal year 2011, $15,000,000 shall be available for National 
Ocean Science and Technology Scholarships under section 
603. 
(c) NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMIN-
ISTRATION.—(1) In addition to the amounts authorized 
under subsections (a) and (b) and under the National Sea 
Grant College Program Act, there is authorized to be ap-
propriated to the Administrator $25,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2006 through 2011 for education activities 
under section 604(b). 
(2) There is authorized to be appropriated to the Ad-
ministrator $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 
through 2011 for education activities under section 
604(c). 
(d) AVAILABILITY.—Sums appropriated under this 
section shall remain available until expended. 
TITLE VII—OCEAN 
EXPLORATION 
SEC. 701. NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMIN-
ISTRATION OFFICE OF OCEAN EXPLORATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall—