109 
HR 729 RFS
Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 
(33 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.), and the Hydrographic 
Services Improvement Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892 
et seq.); 
(3) participating, pursuant to section 216 of the 
E-Government Act of 2002 (Public Law 107–347; 
44 U.S.C. 3501 note), in the establishment of such 
standards and common protocols as the Secretary 
considers necessary to assure the interoperability of 
remote sensing and other geospatial data with all 
users of such information within— 
(A) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration; 
(B) other Federal agencies; 
(C) State and local government; and 
(D) the private sector; 
(4) coordinating with, seeking assistance and 
cooperation of, and providing liaison to the Federal 
Geographic Data Committee pursuant to Office of 
Management and Budget Circular A–16 and Execu-
tive Order No. 12906 of April 11, 1994 (59 Fed. 
Reg. 17671), as amended by Executive Order No. 
13286 of February 28, 2003 (68 Fed. Reg. 10619); 
and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:16 Dec 12, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00109
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H729.RFS
H729
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
110 
HR 729 RFS
(5) developing and maintaining a best practices 
document that sets out the best practices used by 
the Secretary in carrying out the program and pro-
viding such document to the United States Geologi-
cal Survey, the Corps of Engineers, and other rel-
evant Federal agencies. 
(d) FILLING NEEDS AND GAPS.—In carrying out the 
program, the Secretary shall— 
(1) maximize the use of remote sensing and 
other geospatial data collection activities conducted 
for other purposes and under other authorities; 
(2) focus on filling data needs and gaps for 
coastal management issues, including with respect to 
areas that, as of the date of the enactment of this 
Act, were underserved by coastal data and the areas 
of the Arctic that are under the jurisdiction of the 
United States; 
(3) pursuant to the Ocean and Coastal Map-
ping Integration Act (33 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), sup-
port continue improvement in existing efforts to co-
ordinate the acquisition and integration of key data 
sets needed for coastal management and other pur-
poses, including— 
(A) coastal elevation data; 
(B) land use and land cover data; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:16 Dec 12, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00110
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H729.RFS
H729
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
111 
HR 729 RFS
(C) socioeconomic and human use data; 
(D) critical infrastructure data; 
(E) structures data; 
(F) living resources and habitat data; 
(G) cadastral data; and 
(H) aerial imagery; and 
(4) integrate the priority supporting data set 
forth under paragraph (3) with other available data 
for the benefit of the broadest measure of coastal re-
source management constituents and applications. 
(e) FINANCIAL AGREEMENTS AND CONTRACTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the program, 
the Secretary— 
(A) may enter into financial agreements to 
carry out the program, including— 
(i) support to non-Federal entities 
that participate in implementing the pro-
gram; and 
(ii) grants, cooperative agreements, 
interagency agreements, contracts, or any 
other agreement on a reimbursable or non- 
reimbursable basis, with other Federal, 
tribal, State, and local governmental and 
nongovernmental entities; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:16 Dec 12, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00111
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H729.RFS
H729
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
112 
HR 729 RFS
(B) may, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, enter into such contracts with private 
sector entities for such products and services as 
the Secretary determines may be necessary to 
collect, process, and provide remote sensing and 
other geospatial data and products for purposes 
of the program. 
(2) FEES.— 
(A) ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION.—The 
Secretary may assess and collect fees to conduct 
any planned training, workshop, or conference 
that advances the purposes of the program. 
(B) AMOUNTS.—The amount of a fee 
under this paragraph may not exceed the sum 
of costs incurred, or expected to be incurred, by 
the Secretary as a direct result of the conduct 
of the training, workshop, or conference, includ-
ing for subsistence expenses incidental to the 
training, workshop, or conference, as applicable. 
(C) USE OF FEES.—Amounts collected by 
the Secretary in the form of fees under this 
paragraph may be used to pay for— 
(i) the costs incurred for conducting 
an activity described in subparagraph (A); 
or 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:16 Dec 12, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00112
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H729.RFS
H729
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
113 
HR 729 RFS
(ii) the expenses described in subpara-
graph (B). 
(3) SURVEY AND MAPPING.—Contracts entered 
into under paragraph (1)(B) shall be considered 
‘‘surveying and mapping’’ services as such term is 
used in and as such contracts are awarded by the 
Secretary in accordance with the selection proce-
dures in chapter 11 of title 40, United States Code. 
(f) OCEAN ECONOMY.—The Secretary may establish 
publically available tools that track ocean and Great Lakes 
economy data for each coastal State. 
Subtitle B—Integrated Coastal and 
Ocean Observation System 
SEC. 311. STAGGERED TERMS FOR NATIONAL INTEGRATED 
COASTAL AND OCEAN OBSERVATION SYSTEM 
ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 
Section 12304(d)(3)(B) of the Integrated Coastal 
and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 
3603(d)(3)(B)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Members’’ and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—Except as pro-
vided in clause (ii), members’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:16 Dec 12, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00113
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H729.RFS
H729
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
114 
HR 729 RFS
‘‘(ii) STAGGERED
TERMS.—The Ad-
ministrator may appoint or reappoint a 
member for a partial term of 1 or 2 years 
in order to establish a system of staggered 
terms. The Administrator may appoint or 
reappoint a member under this clause only 
once. A member appointed or reappointed 
to a partial term under this clause may not 
serve more than one full term.’’. 
SEC. 312. INTEGRATED COASTAL AND OCEAN OBSERVA-
TION SYSTEM COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS. 
Section 12305(a) of the Integrated Coastal and 
Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 
3604(a)) is amended by inserting ‘‘disburse appropriated 
funds to,’’ after ‘‘agreements, with,’’. 
SEC. 313. REAUTHORIZATION OF INTEGRATED COASTAL 
AND OCEAN OBSERVATION SYSTEM ACT OF 
2009. 
Section 12311 of the Integrated Coastal and Ocean 
Observation System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3610) is 
amended by striking ‘‘for fiscal years 2009 through 2013 
such sums as are necessary’’ and inserting ‘‘$47,500,000 
for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:16 Dec 12, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00114
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H729.RFS
H729
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
115 
HR 729 RFS
SEC. 314. ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY– 
OCEANS. 
(a) AGREEMENT.—Not later than 45 days after the 
date of the enactment of this section, the Administrator 
shall seek to enter into an agreement with the National 
Academy of Sciences to conduct the comprehensive assess-
ment under subsection (b). 
(b) COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Under an agreement be-
tween the Administrator and the National Academy 
of Sciences under this section, the National Acad-
emy of Sciences shall conduct a comprehensive as-
sessment of the need for and feasibility of estab-
lishing an Advanced Research Projects Agency– 
Oceans (ARPA–O). 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The comprehensive assess-
ment carried out pursuant to paragraph (1) shall in-
clude— 
(A) an assessment of how an ARPA–O 
could help overcome the long-term and high-risk 
technological barriers in the development of 
ocean technologies, with the goal of enhancing 
the economic, ecological, and national security 
of the United States through the rapid develop-
ment of technologies that result in— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:16 Dec 12, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00115
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H729.RFS
H729
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
116 
HR 729 RFS
(i) improved data collection, moni-
toring, and prediction of the ocean environ-
ment, including sea ice conditions; 
(ii) overcoming barriers to the appli-
cation of new and improved technologies, 
such as high costs and scale of operational 
missions; 
(iii) improved management practices 
for protecting ecological sustainability; 
(iv) improved national security capac-
ity; 
(v) improved technology for fishery 
population assessments; 
(vi) expedited processes between and 
among Federal agencies to successfully 
identify, transition, and coordinate re-
search and development output to oper-
ations, applications, commercialization, and 
other uses; and 
(vii) ensuring that the United States 
maintains a technological lead in devel-
oping and deploying advanced ocean tech-
nologies; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:16 Dec 12, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00116
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H729.RFS
H729
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
117 
HR 729 RFS
(B) an evaluation of the organizational 
structures under which an ARPA–O could be 
organized, which takes into account— 
(i) best practices for new research 
programs; 
(ii) metrics and approaches for peri-
odic program evaluation; 
(iii) capacity to fund and manage ex-
ternal research awards; and 
(iv) options for oversight of the activ-
ity through a Federal agency, an inter-
agency organization, nongovernmental or-
ganization, or other institutional arrange-
ment; and 
(C) an estimation of the scale of invest-
ment necessary to pursue high priority ocean 
technology projects. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the 
date of the enactment of this section, the Administrator 
shall submit to Congress a report on the comprehensive 
assessment conducted under subsection (b). 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the term ‘‘Admin-
istrator’’ means the Under Secretary of Commerce for 
Oceans and Atmosphere in the Under Secretary’s capacity 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:16 Dec 12, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00117
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H729.RFS
H729
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
118 
HR 729 RFS
as Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration. 
TITLE IV—NATIONAL SEA GRANT 
COLLEGE PROGRAM AMEND-
MENTS 
SEC. 401. REFERENCES TO THE NATIONAL SEA GRANT COL-
LEGE PROGRAM ACT. 
Except as otherwise expressly provided, wherever in 
this title an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms 
of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provi-
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. 402. MODIFICATION OF DEAN JOHN A. KNAUSS MA-
RINE 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 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:16 Dec 12, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00118
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H729.RFS
H729
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
119 
HR 729 RFS
(2) in paragraph (1), as designated by para-
graph (1) of this section, in the second sentence, by 
striking ‘‘A fellowship’’ 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 committees 
of Congress that have jurisdiction over the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin-
istration. 
‘‘(ii) Positions in offices of Members 
of Congress who are on such committees. 
‘‘(iii) Positions in offices of Members 
of Congress that have a demonstrated in-
terest in ocean, coastal, or Great Lakes re-
sources. 
‘‘(B) EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION.— 
‘‘(i) FINDING
AND
RECOGNITION.— 
Congress— 
‘‘(I) finds that both host offices 
and fellows benefit when fellows have 
the opportunity to choose from a 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:16 Dec 12, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00119
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H729.RFS
H729
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
120 
HR 729 RFS
range of host offices from different 
States and regions, both chambers of 
Congress, and both political parties; 
and 
‘‘(II) recognizes the steps taken 
by the National Sea Grant College 
Program to facilitate an equitable dis-
tribution of fellows among the political 
parties. 
‘‘(ii) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary 
shall ensure, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, that fellows have the opportunity 
to choose from offices that are described in 
clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) of subparagraph 
(A) and that are equitably distributed 
among— 
‘‘(I) the political parties; and 
‘‘(II) the Senate and the House 
of Representatives. 
‘‘(iii) POLITICAL
AND
CAMERAL
EQ-
UITY.—The Secretary shall ensure that 
placements are equitably distributed be-
tween— 
‘‘(I) the political parties; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:16 Dec 12, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00120
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H729.RFS
H729
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
121 
HR 729 RFS
‘‘(II) the Senate and the House 
of Representatives. 
‘‘(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 the enactment of this Act 
and each fiscal year thereafter. 
(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— 
(1) the Secretary of Commerce, acting through 
the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
Atmosphere, should encourage participating Federal 
agencies to consider opportunities for fellowship 
awardees at the conclusion of their fellowships for 
workforce positions appropriate for their education 
and experience; and 
(2) Members and committees of Congress 
should consider opportunities for such awardees for 
such positions. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:16 Dec 12, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00121
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H729.RFS
H729
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
122 
HR 729 RFS
SEC. 403. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF 
COMMERCE TO ACCEPT DONATIONS FOR NA-
TIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 204(c)(4)(E) (33 U.S.C. 
1123(c)(4)(E)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(E) accept donations of money and, not-
withstanding section 1342 of title 31, United 
States Code, of voluntary and uncompensated 
services;’’. 
(b) PRIORITIES.—The Secretary of Commerce, acting 
through the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
Atmosphere, shall establish priorities for the use of dona-
tions accepted under section 204(c)(4)(E) of the National 
Sea 
Grant 
College 
Program 
Act 
(33 
U.S.C. 
1123(c)(4)(E)), and shall consider among those priorities 
the possibility of expanding the Dean John A. Knauss Ma-
rine Policy Fellowship’s placement of additional fellows in 
relevant legislative offices under section 208(b) of such 
Act (33 U.S.C. 1127(b)), in accordance with the rec-
ommendations under subsection (c) of this section. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the National 
Sea Grant College Program, in consultation with the Na-
tional Sea Grant Advisory Board and the Sea Grant Asso-
ciation, shall— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:16 Dec 12, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00122
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H729.RFS
H729
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
123 
HR 729 RFS
(1) develop recommendations for the optimal 
use of any donations accepted under section 
204(c)(4)(E) of the National Sea Grant College Pro-
gram Act (33 U.S.C. 1123(c)(4)(E)); and 
(2) submit to Congress a report on the rec-
ommendations developed under paragraph (1). 
(d) CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to limit or otherwise affect any other amounts 
available for marine policy fellowships under section 
208(b) of the National Sea Grant College Program Act 
(33 U.S.C. 1127(b)), including amounts— 
(1) accepted under section 204(c)(4)(F) of such 
Act (33 U.S.C. 1123(c)(4)(F)); or 
(2) appropriated under section 212 of such Act 
(33 U.S.C. 1131). 
SEC. 404. REPEAL OF REQUIREMENT FOR REPORT ON CO-
ORDINATION OF OCEANS AND COASTAL RE-
SEARCH ACTIVITIES. 
Section 9 of the National Sea Grant College Program 
Act Amendments of 2002 (33 U.S.C. 857–20) is repealed. 
SEC. 405. REDUCTION IN FREQUENCY REQUIRED FOR NA-
TIONAL SEA GRANT ADVISORY BOARD RE-
PORT. 
Section 209(b)(2) (33 U.S.C. 1128(b)(2)) is amend-
ed— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:16 Dec 12, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00123
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H729.RFS
H729
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
124 
HR 729 RFS
(1) in the heading, by striking ‘‘BIENNIAL’’ and 
inserting ‘‘PERIODIC’’; and 
(2) in the first sentence, by striking ‘‘The 
Board shall report to the Congress every two years’’ 
and inserting ‘‘Not less frequently than once every 
4 years, the Board shall submit to Congress a re-
port’’. 
SEC. 406. MODIFICATION OF ELEMENTS OF NATIONAL SEA 
GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM. 
Section 204(b) (33 U.S.C. 1123(b)) is amended by 
inserting ‘‘for research, education, extension, training, 
technology transfer, public service,’’ after ‘‘financial as-
sistance’’. 
SEC. 407. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY; DEAN JOHN A. KNAUSS 
MARINE POLICY FELLOWSHIP. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—During fiscal year 2019 and any 
fiscal year thereafter, the head of any Federal agency may 
appoint, without regard to the provisions of subchapter I 
of chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code, other than 
sections 3303 and 3328 of such title, a qualified candidate 
described in subsection (b) directly to a position with the 
Federal agency for which the candidate meets Office of 
Personnel Management qualification standards. 
(b) QUALIFIED CANDIDATE.—Subsection (a) applies 
with respect to a former recipient of a Dean John A. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:16 Dec 12, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00124
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H729.RFS
H729
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
125 
HR 729 RFS
Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship under section 208(b) of 
the National Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 
1127(b)) who— 
(1) earned a graduate or post-graduate degree 
in a field related to ocean, coastal, or Great Lakes 
resources or policy from an institution of higher edu-
cation accredited by an agency or association recog-
nized by the Secretary of Education pursuant to sec-
tion 496(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1099b(a)); 
(2) received a Dean John A. Knauss Marine 
Policy Fellowship under section 208(b) of the Na-
tional Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 
1127(b)) within 5 years before the date the indi-
vidual is appointed under this section; and 
(3) successfully fulfilled the requirements of the 
fellowship within the executive or legislative branch 
of the United States Government. 
SEC. 408. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR NA-
TIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM. 
(a) IN
GENERAL.—Section 212(a) (33 U.S.C. 
1131(a)) is amended— 
(1) by amending paragraph (1) to read as fol-
lows: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:16 Dec 12, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00125
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H729.RFS
H729
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS