I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1552
To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2000 and fiscal year 2001 for
the Marine Research and related environmental research and development
program activities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion and the National Science Foundation, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 26, 1999
Mr. CALVERT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Science, and in addition to the Committee on Resources, 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 authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2000 and fiscal
year 2001 for the Marine Research and related environ-
mental research and development program activities of
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
and the National Science Foundation, and for other pur-
poses.
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 ‘‘Marine Research and
Related Environmental Research and Development Pro-
grams Authorization Act of 1999’’.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act, the term—
(1) ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Administrator
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration; and
(2) ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of Com-
merce.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL OCEAN SERVICE.
(a) OPERATIONS, RESEARCH, AND FACILITIES.—
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary
to enable the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration to carry out the Operations, Research, and Facili-
ties marine research and related environmental research
and development activities of the National Ocean Service
$200,343,000 for fiscal year 2000 and $200,343,000 for
fiscal year 2001, to remain available until expended.
(b) NAVIGATION SERVICES.—Of the amounts author-
ized under subsection (a), $82,967,000 for fiscal year
2000 and $82,967,000 for fiscal year 2001 shall be for
Navigation Services, of which—
(1) $33,335,000 for fiscal year 2000 and
$33,335,000 for fiscal year 2001 shall be for Map-
ping and Charting;
(2) $14,900,000 for fiscal year 2000 and
$14,900,000 for fiscal year 2001 shall be for Hydro-
graphic Survey Backlog;
(3) $19,849,000 for fiscal year 2000 and
$19,849,000 for fiscal year 2001 shall be for Geod-
esy; and
(4) $14,883,000 for fiscal year 2000 and
$14,883,000 for fiscal year 2001 shall be for Tide
and Current Data.
(c) OCEAN RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION ASSESS-
MENT.—Of the amounts authorized under subsection (a),
$99,650,000 for fiscal year 2000 and $99,650,000 for fis-
cal year 2001 shall be for Ocean Resources and Conserva-
tion Assessment, of which—
(1) $7,970,000 for fiscal year 2000 and
$7,970,000 for fiscal year 2001 shall be for Oceanic
and Coastal Research;
(2) $6,085,000 for fiscal year 2000 and
$6,085,000 for fiscal year 2001 shall be for the
Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory;
(3) $46,281,000 for fiscal year 2000 and
$46,281,000 for fiscal year 2001 shall be for the
Ocean Assessment Program;
(4) $19,884,000 for fiscal year 2000 and
$19,884,000 for fiscal year 2001 shall be for Re-
sponse and Restoration; and
(5) $19,430,000 for fiscal year 2000 and
$19,430,000 for fiscal year 2001 shall be for the
Coastal Ocean Program.
(d) ACQUISITION OF DATA.—Of the amounts author-
ized under subsection (a), $17,726,000 for fiscal year
2000 and $17,726,000 for fiscal year 2001 shall be for
Acquisition of Data.
SEC. 4. OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH.
(a) OPERATIONS, RESEARCH, AND FACILITIES.—
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary
to enable the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration to carry out the Operations, Research, and Facili-
ties marine research and related environmental research
and development activities of the Office of Oceanic and
Atmospheric Research $44,320,000 for fiscal year 2000
and $44,320,000 for fiscal year 2001, to remain available
until expended.
(b) MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH.—Of the
amounts authorized under subsection (a), $22,300,000 for
fiscal year 2000 and $22,300,000 for fiscal year 2001
shall be for Marine Environmental Research.
(c) NURP.—Of the amounts authorized under sub-
section (a), $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 and
$9,000,000 for fiscal year 2001 shall be for the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Undersea Re-
search Program (NURP).
(d) ACQUISITION OF DATA.—Of the amounts author-
ized under subsection (a), $13,020,000 for fiscal year
2000 and $13,020,000 for fiscal year 2001 shall be for
Acquisition of Data.
SEC. 5. PROGRAM SUPPORT.
(a) OPERATIONS, RESEARCH, AND FACILITIES.—
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary
to enable the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration to carry out the Operations, Research, and Facili-
ties marine research and related environmental research
and 
development 
activities 
of 
Program 
Support
$63,769,000 for fiscal year 2000 and $63,769,000 for fis-
cal year 2001, to remain available until expended.
(b) 
ADMINISTRATION
AND
SERVICES.—Of 
the
amounts authorized under subsection (a), $52,750,000 for
fiscal year 2000 and $52,750,000 for fiscal year 2001
shall be for Administration and Services, of which—
(1) $19,200,000 for fiscal year 2000 and
$19,200,000 for fiscal year 2001 shall be for Execu-
tive Direction and Administration;
(2) $700,000 for fiscal year 2000 and $700,000
for fiscal year 2001 shall be for Systems Acquisition
Office;
(3) $31,850,000 for fiscal year 2000 and
$31,850,000 for fiscal year 2001 shall be for Central
Administrative Support; and
(4) $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 and
$1,000,000 for fiscal year 2001 shall be for Histori-
cally Black Colleges and Universities.
(c) AIRCRAFT SERVICES.—Of the amounts author-
ized under subsection (a), $11,019,000 for fiscal year
2000 and $11,019,000 for fiscal year 2001 shall be for
Aircraft Services.
(d) INDEPENDENT AUDIT OF AIRCRAFT SERVICES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary
shall, using available funds, enter into appropriate
arrangements with an independent external auditor
capable of providing an audit to determine whether
outsourcing of aircraft services is a more cost-effec-
tive alternative to in-house operation of aircraft in
meeting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-
ministration’s aircraft requirements of the conduct
of marine and atmospheric research and related en-
vironmental research and development activities, and
for other data and mission needs.
(2) AUDITING PROCEDURES.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The audit under para-
graph (1) shall be conducted in accordance with
generally accepted government auditing stand-
ards.
(B) ACCESS TO INFORMATION.—The Sec-
retary shall provide the independent external
auditor the information such auditor requires to
conduct the audit under paragraph (1). The
independent external auditor may inspect any
records of and have access to personnel of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion to obtain such information.
(3) REPORT
OF
THE
RESULTS
OF
THE
AUDIT.—Not later than 180 days after the initiation
of the audit required by this subsection, the inde-
pendent external auditor shall submit a report con-
cerning the results of the audit to the Committee on
Science of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Science, Commerce, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate.
SEC. 6. FACILITIES.
(a) OPERATIONS, RESEARCH, AND FACILITIES.—
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary
to enable the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration to carry out the Operations, Research, and Facili-
ties marine research and related environmental research
and development activities required to carry out Facilities
Maintenance and Repairs and Environmental Compliance
$5,717,000 for fiscal year 2000 and $5,717,000 for fiscal
year 2001, to remain available until expended.
(b) FACILITIES MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS.—Of
the amounts authorized under subsection (a), $1,818,000
for fiscal year 2000 and $1,818,000 for fiscal year 2001
shall be for Facilities Maintenance and Repairs.
(c) ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE.—Of the amounts
authorized under subsection (a), $3,899,000 for fiscal
year 2000 and $3,899,000 for fiscal year 2001 shall be
for Facilities Environmental Compliance.
SEC. 7. FLEET MAINTENANCE, PLANNING AND REPLACE-
MENT.
(a) FLEET MAINTENANCE AND PLANNING.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to en-
able the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion to carry out the Operations, Research, and Facilities
marine research and related environmental research and
development activities of Fleet Maintenance and Planning
$9,243,000 for fiscal year 2000 and $9,243,000 for fiscal
year 2001, to remain available until expended.
(b) FLEET REPLACEMENT.—There are authorized to
be appropriated to the National Science Foundation
$50,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 and $50,000,000 for fis-
cal year 2001, to remain available to expended, to meet
the marine research and related environmental research
and development data requirements of the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration set forth in the
‘‘NOAA Fisheries Data Acquisition Plan’’, dated Sep-
tember 1998, and that could also help meet the Nation’s
marine research and related environmental research and
development needs. The National Science Foundation, in
consultation with the Department of the Navy, the Univer-
sity-National Oceanic Laboratory System, academia, the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the
private sector, and any other parties it considers appro-
priate, shall develop a strategy for meeting such require-
ments and other Federal marine research and related envi-
ronmental research and development requirements, using
funds appropriated under this subsection and at the lowest
possible cost. The National Science Foundation shall con-
sider all options, including various methods of acquiring
vessel services, remote sensing, and any other possible
means.
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Director of the National
Science Foundation shall submit to the Committee on
Science of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate a report detailing the strategy developed pursuant
to subsection (b) and a plan for implementing such strat-
egy.
(d) NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENT FOR REDUCTION
IN AUTHORIZED NUMBER
OF NOAA CORPS COMMIS-
SIONED OFFICERS.—Section 2(a)(3) of the Coast and
Geodetic Survey Commissioned Officers’ Act of 1948 (33
U.S.C. 853a(a)(3)) is amended by inserting ‘‘and the
Committee on Science’’ after ‘‘Committee on Resources’’.
SEC. 8. MARINE SERVICES.
(a) SERVICE
CONTRACTS.—Notwithstanding any
other provision of law and subject to the availability of
appropriations, the Secretary shall enter into contracts,
including multiyear contracts, subject to subsection (c),
for the use of vessels to conduct marine research and re-
lated environmental research and development activities,
monitoring, enforcement, and management, and to acquire
other data necessary to carry out the missions of the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Sec-
retary shall enter into these contracts unless—
(1) the cost of the contract is more than the
cost (including the cost of vessel operation, mainte-
nance, and all personnel) to the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration of obtaining those
services on vessels of the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration;
(2) the contract is for more than 7 years; or
(3) the data is acquired through a vessel agree-
ment pursuant to subsection (d).
(b) VESSELS.—The Secretary may not enter into any
contract under this section for the construction, lease-pur-
chase, upgrade, or service life extension of any vessel.
(c) MULTIYEAR CONTRACTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraphs (2)
and (3), and notwithstanding section 1341 of title
31, United States Code, and section 11 of title 41,
United States Code, the Secretary may acquire data,
including marine research and related environmental
research and development data, under multiyear
contracts.
(2) REQUIRED FINDINGS.—The Secretary may
not enter into a contract pursuant to this subsection
unless the Secretary finds with respect to that con-
tract that there is a reasonable expectation that
throughout the contemplated contract period the