I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1900 
To reauthorize and amend the National Sea Grant College Program Act, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 21, 2015 
Mrs. LAWRENCE (for herself and Mr. CONYERS) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To reauthorize and amend the National Sea Grant College 
Program Act, 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 Sea Grant 
College Program Amendments Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. REFERENCES TO THE NATIONAL SEA GRANT COL-
LEGE PROGRAM ACT. 
Except as otherwise expressly provided, wherever in 
this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms 
of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provi-
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sion, 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.). 
SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF DEAN JOHN A. KNAUSS MARINE 
POLICY FELLOWSHIP. 
(a) IN
GENERAL.—Section 208(b) (33 U.S.C. 
1127(b)) is amended by striking ‘‘may’’ and inserting 
‘‘shall’’. 
(b) PLACEMENTS
IN CONGRESS.—Such section is 
further amended— 
(1) in the first sentence, by striking ‘‘The Sec-
retary’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (1), as designated by para-
graph (1), in the second sentence, by striking ‘‘A fel-
lowship’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(2) PLACEMENT PRIORITIES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In each year in which 
the Secretary awards a legislative fellowship 
under this subsection, when considering the 
placement of fellows, the Secretary shall 
prioritize placement of fellows in the following: 
‘‘(i) Positions in offices of, or with 
members on, committees of Congress that 
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have jurisdiction over the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration. 
‘‘(ii) Positions in offices of members 
of Congress that have a demonstrated in-
terest in ocean, coastal, or Great Lakes re-
sources. 
‘‘(B) EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION.—In plac-
ing fellows in offices described in subparagraph 
(A), the Secretary shall ensure, to the max-
imum degree practicable, that placements are 
equitably distributed among the political par-
ties. 
‘‘(3) DURATION.—A fellowship’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
subsection (b) shall apply with respect to the first calendar 
year beginning after the date of enactment of this Act. 
(d) SENSE OF CONGRESS CONCERNING FEDERAL 
HIRING OF FORMER FELLOWS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that in recognition of the competitive nature of the 
fellowship under section 208(b) of the National Sea Grant 
College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1127(b)), and of the ex-
ceptional qualifications of fellowship awardees, the Sec-
retary of Commerce, acting through the Under Secretary 
of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, should encour-
age participating Federal agencies to consider opportuni-
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