BLUE GLOBE Act
Bill: S.140 | Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon (D-RI)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Bolstering Long-term Understanding and Exploration of the Great Lakes, Oceans, Bays, and Estuaries Act or the BLUE GLOBE Act
This bill addresses data collection and monitoring of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts.
Specifically, it expands requirements related to a study of the scientific workforce in areas of oceanic and atmospheric research and development. For example, the bill requires the study to include an investigation on whether there is a workforce shortage in the number of individuals with technical or trade-based skillsets or credentials suited to a career in oceanic and atmospheric data collection, processing, satellite production, or satellite operations. The study must also investigate actions the federal government can take to increase diversity in the scientific workforce and shorten the hiring backlog for such workforce.
The bill also directs the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to create an Electronic Monitoring Innovation Prize, which may be awarded for the development of advanced electronic fisheries monitoring equipment and data analysis tools.
NOAA must also seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to evaluate whether there is a need for an Advanced Research Projects Agency-Oceans within NOAA.
Additionally, NOAA must establish a program to improve the collection, aggregation, and analysis of data to measure the value and impact of industries related to the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts on the U.S. economy.

To improve data collection and monitoring of the Great Lakes, oceans, 
          bays, estuaries, and coasts, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``Bolstering Long-term 
Understanding and Exploration of the Great Lakes, Oceans, Bays, and 
Estuaries Act'' or the ``BLUE GLOBE Act''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. PURPOSE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    The purpose of this Act is to promote and support--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the monitoring, understanding, and exploration 
        of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the collection, analysis, synthesis, and 
        sharing of data related to the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, 
        estuaries, and coasts to facilitate science and operational 
        decision making.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    It is the sense of Congress that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) agencies should optimize data collection, 
        management, and dissemination, to the extent practicable, to 
        maximize their impact for research, commercial, regulatory, and 
        educational benefits and to foster innovation, scientific 
        discoveries, the development of commercial products, and the 
        development of sound policy with respect to the Great Lakes, 
        oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) agencies should consider current and future 
        needs relating to supercomputing capacity, data storage 
        capacity, and public access, address gaps in those areas, and 
        coordinate across agencies as needed;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) the United States is a leading member of the 
        Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United 
        Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, a 
        founding member of the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance, and a 
        key partner in developing the United Nations Decade of Ocean 
        Science for Sustainable Development;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) the Integrated Ocean Observing System and the 
        Global Ocean Observing System are key assets and networks that 
        bolster understanding of the marine environment;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) the National Oceanographic Partnership Program 
        is a meaningful venue for collaboration and coordination among 
        Federal agencies, scientists, and ocean users;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) the National Centers for Environmental 
        Information of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration should be looked to by other Federal agencies as 
        a primary, centralized repository for Federal ocean 
        data;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) the Marine Cadastre, a joint effort of the 
        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Bureau 
        of Ocean Energy Management, provides access to data and 
        information for specific issues and activities in ocean 
        resources management to meet the needs of offshore energy and 
        planning efforts;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (8) the regional associations of the Integrated 
        Ocean Observing System, certified by the National Oceanic and 
        Atmospheric Administration for the quality and reliability of 
        their data, are important sources of observation information 
        for the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (9) the Regional Ocean Partnerships and regional 
        data portals, which provide publicly available tools such as 
        maps, data, and other information to inform decisions and 
        enhance marine development, should be supported by and viewed 
        as collaborators with Federal agencies and ocean 
        users.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 4. DEFINITION OF ADMINISTRATOR.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    In this Act, the term ``Administrator'' means the Under 
Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere in the Under 
Secretary's capacity as Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 5. INCREASED COORDINATION AMONG AGENCIES WITH RESPECT TO 
              DATA AND MONITORING.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Interagency Ocean Observation Committee.--In addition 
to its responsibilities as of the date of the enactment of this Act, 
and in consultation with the associated advisory committee authorized 
by section 12304(d) of the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation 
System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3603(d)), the Interagency Ocean 
Observation Committee shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) work with international coordinating bodies, 
        as necessary, to ensure robust, direct measurements of the 
        Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts, including 
        oceanographic data; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) support cross-agency and multi-platform 
        synergy, by coordinating overlapping data collection by 
        satellites, buoys, submarines, gliders, vessels, and other data 
        collection vehicles and technologies.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Federal Geographic Data Committee.--In addition to its 
responsibilities as of the date of the enactment of this Act, and in 
consultation with the National Geospatial Advisory Committee, the 
Federal Geographic Data Committee shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) work with international coordinating bodies, 
        as necessary, to ensure robust, continuous measurements of the 
        Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts, including 
        satellite and geospatial data; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) support new and old data and metadata 
        certification, quality assurance, quality control, integration, 
        and archiving.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Interagency Committee on Ocean and Coastal Mapping.--
In addition to its responsibilities as of the date of the enactment of 
this Act, and in consultation with its associated advisory panel 
authorized by section 12203(g) of the Ocean and Coastal Mapping 
Integration Act (33 U.S.C. 3502(g)), the Interagency Committee on Ocean 
and Coastal Mapping shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) work with international coordinating bodies, 
        as necessary, to ensure robust, continuous satellite and direct 
        measurements of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and 
        coasts, including bathymetric data; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) make recommendations on how to make data, 
        metadata, and model output accessible to a broader public 
        audience, including through geographic information system 
        layers, graphics, and other visuals.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 6. TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION TO COMBAT ILLEGAL, UNREPORTED, 
              AND UNREGULATED FISHING.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Definitions.--Section 3532 of the Maritime Security 
and Fisheries Enforcement Act (16 U.S.C. 8001) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) by redesignating paragraphs (6) through (13) 
        as paragraphs (7) through (14), respectively; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by inserting after paragraph (5) the 
        following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(6) Innovative technologies.--The term 
        `innovative technologies' includes the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) Improved satellite imagery and 
                tracking.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) Advanced electronic monitoring 
                equipment.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) Vessel location data.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) Improved genetic, molecular, or 
                other biological methods of tracking sources of 
                seafood.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(E) Electronic catch documentation and 
                traceability.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(F) Such other technologies as the 
                Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                Administration considers appropriate.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Technology Programs.--Section 3546 of the Maritime 
Security and Fisheries Enforcement Act (16 U.S.C. 8016) is amended--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' after 
        the semicolon;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at 
        the end and inserting ``; and''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) coordinating the application of existing 
        innovative technologies and the development of emerging 
        innovative technologies.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 7. WORKFORCE STUDY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Section 303(a) of the America COMPETES 
Reauthorization Act of 2010 (33 U.S.C. 893c(a)) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
        striking ``Secretary of Commerce'' and inserting ``Under 
        Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``, skillsets, 
        or credentials'' after ``degrees'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``or highly 
        qualified technical professionals and tradespeople'' after 
        ``atmospheric scientists'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``, skillsets, 
        or credentials'' after ``degrees'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) in paragraph (5)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) by striking ``scientist''; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by striking ``; and'' and inserting 
                ``, observations, and monitoring;''</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) in paragraph (6), by striking ``into Federal'' 
        and all that follows and inserting ``, technical professionals, 
        and tradespeople into Federal career positions;''</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (6) as 
        paragraphs (3) through (7), respectively;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (8) by inserting after paragraph (1) the 
        following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) whether there is a shortage in the number of 
        individuals with technical or trade-based skillsets or 
        credentials suited to a career in oceanic and atmospheric data 
        collection, processing, satellite production, or satellite 
        operations;''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (9) by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(8) workforce diversity and actions the Federal 
        Government can take to increase diversity in the scientific 
        workforce; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(9) actions the Federal Government can take to 
        shorten the hiring backlog for such workforce.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Coordination.--Section 303(b) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 
893c(b)) is amended by striking ``Secretary of Commerce'' and inserting 
``Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Report.--Section 303(c) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 
893c(c)) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) by striking ``the date of enactment of this 
        Act'' and inserting ``the date of the enactment of the 
        Bolstering Long-term Understanding and Exploration of the Great 
        Lakes, Oceans, Bays, and Estuaries Act'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by striking ``Secretary of Commerce'' and 
        inserting ``Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
        Atmosphere''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) by striking ``to each committee'' and all that 
        follows through ``section 302 of this Act'' and inserting ``to 
        the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
        Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee 
        on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
        Representatives''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Program and Plan.--Section 303(d) of such Act (33 
U.S.C. 893c(d)) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) by striking ``Administrator of the National 
        Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration'' and inserting ``Under 
        Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere''; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by striking ``academic partners'' and all that 
        follows and inserting ``academic partners.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 8. ACCELERATING INNOVATION AT COOPERATIVE 
              INSTITUTES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Focus on Emerging Technologies.--The Administrator 
shall ensure that the goals of the Cooperative Institutes of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration include focusing on 
advancing or applying emerging technologies, which may include--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) applied uses and development of real-time and 
        other advanced genetic technologies and applications, including 
        such technologies and applications that derive genetic material 
        directly from environmental samples without any obvious signs 
        of biological source material;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) deployment of, and improvements to, the 
        durability, maintenance, and other lifecycle concerns of 
        advanced unmanned vehicles, regional small research vessels, 
        and other research vessels that support and launch unmanned 
        vehicles and sensors; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) supercomputing and big data management, 
        including data collected through electronic monitoring and 
        remote sensing.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Data Sharing.--Each Cooperative Institute shall ensure 
that data collected from the work of the institute, other than 
classified, confidential, or proprietary data, are archived and made 
publicly accessible.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Coordination With Other Programs.--The Cooperative 
Institutes shall work with the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee, 
the regional associations of the Integrated Ocean Observing System, and 
other ocean observing programs to coordinate technology needs and the 
transition of new technologies from research to operations.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 9. OCEAN INNOVATION PRIZE AND PRIORITIZATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Ocean Innovative Prizes.--Not later than 4 years after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and under the authority provided 
by section 24 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 
(15 U.S.C. 3719), the Administrator, in consultation with the heads of 
relevant Federal agencies, including the Secretary of Defense, and in 
conjunction with nongovernmental partners, as appropriate and at the 
discretion of the Administrator, shall establish at least one Ocean 
Innovation Prize to catalyze the rapid development and deployment of 
data collection and monitoring technology related to the Great Lakes, 
oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts in at least one of the areas 
specified in subsection (b).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Areas.--The areas specified in this subsection are the 
following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Improved eDNA analytics and deployment with 
        autonomous vehicles.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Plastic pollution detection, quantification, 
        and mitigation, including with respect to used fishing gear and 
        tracking technologies to reduce or eliminate bycatch.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Advanced satellite data and other advanced 
        technology for improving scientific assessment.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) New stock assessment methods using satellite 
        data or other advanced technologies.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Advanced electronic fisheries monitoring 
        equipment and data analysis tools, including improved fish 
        species recognition software, confidential data management, 
        data analysis and visualization, and storage of electronic 
        reports, imagery, location information, and other 
        data.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) Autonomous and other advanced surface 
        vehicles, underwater vehicles, or airborne platforms for data 
        collection and monitoring.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) Artificial intelligence and machine learning 
        applications for data collection and monitoring related to the 
        Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (8) Coral reef ecosystem monitoring.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (9) Electronic equipment, chemical or biological 
        sensors, data analysis tools, and platforms to identify and 
        fill gaps in robust and shared continuous data related to the 
        Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts to inform 
        global earth system models.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (10) Means for protecting aquatic life from injury 
        or other ill effects caused, in whole or in part, by monitoring 
        or exploration activities.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (11) Discovery and dissemination of data related 
        to the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and 
        coasts.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (12) Water quality monitoring, including improved 
        detection and prediction of harmful algal blooms and 
        pollution.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (13) Enhancing blue carbon sequestration and other 
        ocean acidification mitigation opportunities.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (14) Such other areas as may be identified by the 
        Administrator.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Prioritization of Proposals.--In selecting recipients 
of Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business 
Technology Transfer (STTR) solicitations and interagency grants for 
ocean innovation, including the National Oceanographic Partnership 
Program, the Administrator shall prioritize proposals for fiscal years 
2021 and 2022 that address at least one of the areas specified in 
subsection (b).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 10. REAUTHORIZATION OF NOAA PROGRAMS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 306 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act 
of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892d) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``$70,814,000 
        for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023'' and inserting 
        ``$71,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 
        2024'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``$25,000,000 
        for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023'' and inserting 
        ``$34,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 
        2024'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) in paragraph (3), by striking ``$29,932,000 
        for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023'' and inserting 
        ``$38,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 
        2024'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) in paragraph (4), by striking ``$26,800,000 
        for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023'' and inserting 
        ``$45,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2024''; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) in paragraph (5), by striking ``$30,564,000 
        for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023'' and inserting 
        ``$35,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 
        2024''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 11. BLUE ECONOMY VALUATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Measurement of Blue Economy Industries.--The 
Administrator, the Director of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the 
Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Secretary of the 
Treasury, and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall 
prioritize the collection, aggregation, and analysis of data to measure 
the value and impact of industries related to the Great Lakes, oceans, 
bays, estuaries, and coasts on the economy of the United States, 
including living resources, marine construction, marine transportation, 
offshore mineral extraction, ship and boat building, tourism, 
recreation, subsistence, and such other industries the Administrator 
considers appropriate (known as ``Blue Economy'' industries).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Collaboration.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) work with the Director of the Bureau of 
        Economic Analysis and the heads of other relevant Federal 
        agencies to develop a Coastal and Ocean Economy Satellite 
        Account that includes national and State-level statistics to 
        measure the contribution of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, 
        estuaries, and coasts to the overall economy of the United 
        States; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) collaborate with national and international 
        organizations and governments to promote consistency of 
        methods, measurements, and definitions to ensure comparability 
        of results between countries.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Report.--Not less frequently than once every 2 years, 
the Administrator, in consultation with the Director of the Bureau of 
Economic Analysis, the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 
the Secretary of the Treasury, and the heads of other relevant Federal 
agencies, shall publish a report that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) defines the Blue Economy, in coordination with 
        Tribal governments, academia, industry, nongovernmental 
        organizations, and other relevant experts;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) makes recommendations for updating North 
        American Industry Classification System (NAICS) reporting codes 
        to reflect the Blue Economy; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) provides a comprehensive estimate of the value 
        and impact of the Blue Economy with respect to each State and 
        territory of the United States, including--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the value and impact of--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) economic activities that are 
                        dependent upon the resources of the Great 
                        Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and 
                        coasts;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) the population and 
                        demographic characteristics of the population 
                        along the coasts;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) port and shoreline 
                        infrastructure;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) the volume and value of cargo 
                        shipped by sea or across the Great Lakes; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (v) data collected from the Great 
                        Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts, 
                        including such data collected by businesses 
                        that purchase and commodify the data, including 
                        weather prediction and seasonal agricultural 
                        forecasting; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) to the extent possible, the qualified 
                value and impact of the natural capital of the Great 
                Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts with respect 
                to tourism, recreation, natural resources, and cultural 
                heritage, including other indirect values.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 12. ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY-OCEANS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Agreement.--Not later than 45 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall seek to enter into 
an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct the 
comprehensive assessment under subsection (b).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Comprehensive Assessment.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Under an agreement between the 
        Administrator and the National Academy of Sciences under this 
        section, the National Academy of Sciences shall conduct a 
        comprehensive assessment of the need for and feasibility of 
        establishing an Advanced Research Projects Agency-Oceans (ARPA-
        O) that operates in coordination with and with nonduplication 
        of existing Federal oceanic research programs, including 
        programs of the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research of 
        the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Elements.--The comprehensive assessment 
        carried out pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (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 development of technologies that result in--
                </DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) improved data collection, 
                        monitoring, and prediction of the ocean 
                        environment, including sea ice 
                        conditions;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) overcoming barriers to the 
                        application of new and improved technologies, 
                        such as high costs and scale of operational 
                        missions;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) improved management 
                        practices for protecting ecological 
                        sustainability;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) improved national security 
                        capacity;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (v) improved technology for 
                        fishery population assessments;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (vi) expedited processes between 
                        and among Federal agencies to successfully 
                        identify, transition, and coordinate research 
                        and development output to operations, 
                        applications, commercialization, and other 
                        uses; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (vii) ensuring that the United 
                        States maintains a technological lead in 
                        developing and deploying advanced ocean 
                        technologies;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) an evaluation of the organizational 
                structures under which an ARPA-O could be organized, 
                which takes into account--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) best practices for new 
                        research programs;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) consolidation and 
                        reorganization of existing Federal oceanic 
                        programs to effectuate coordination and 
                        nonduplication of such programs;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) metrics and approaches for 
                        periodic program evaluation;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) capacity to fund and manage 
                        external research awards; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (v) options for oversight of the 
                        activity through a Federal agency, an 
                        interagency organization, nongovernmental 
                        organization, or other institutional 
                        arrangement; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) an estimation of the scale of 
                investment necessary to pursue high priority ocean 
                technology projects.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a 
report on the comprehensive assessment conducted under subsection 
(b).</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Bolstering Long-term Understanding 
and Exploration of the Great Lakes, Oceans, Bays, and Estuaries Act'' 
or the ``BLUE GLOBE Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to promote and support--
            (1) the monitoring, understanding, and exploration of the 
        Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts; and
            (2) the collection, analysis, synthesis, and sharing of 
        data related to the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and 
        coasts to facilitate science and operational decision making.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that Federal agencies should optimize 
data collection, management, and dissemination, to the extent 
practicable, to maximize their impact for research, conservation, 
commercial, regulatory, and educational benefits and to foster 
innovation, scientific discoveries, the development of commercial 
products, and the development of sound policy with respect to the Great 
Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere in the 
        Under Secretary's capacity as Administrator of the National 
        Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
            (2) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).

SEC. 5. WORKFORCE STUDY.

    (a) In General.--Section 303(a) of the America COMPETES 
Reauthorization Act of 2010 (33 U.S.C. 893c(a)) is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
        ``Secretary of Commerce'' and inserting ``Under Secretary of 
        Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere'';
            (2) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``, skillsets, or 
        credentials'' after ``degrees'';
            (3) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``or highly qualified 
        technical professionals and tradespeople'' after ``atmospheric 
        scientists'';
            (4) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``, skillsets, or 
        credentials'' after ``degrees'';
            (5) in paragraph (5)--
                    (A) by striking ``scientist''; and
                    (B) by striking ``; and'' and inserting ``, 
                observations, and monitoring;''
            (6) in paragraph (6), by striking ``into Federal'' and all 
        that follows and inserting ``, technical professionals, and 
        tradespeople into Federal career positions;''
            (7) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (6) as 
        paragraphs (3) through (7), respectively;
            (8) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
            ``(2) whether there is a shortage in the number of 
        individuals with technical or trade-based skillsets or 
        credentials suited to a career in oceanic and atmospheric data 
        collection, processing, satellite production, or satellite 
        operations;''; and
            (9) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(8) workforce diversity and actions the Federal 
        Government can take to increase diversity in the scientific 
        workforce; and
            ``(9) actions the Federal Government can take to shorten 
        the hiring backlog for such workforce.''.
    (b) Coordination.--Section 303(b) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 893c(b)) 
is amended by striking ``Secretary of Commerce'' and inserting ``Under 
Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere''.
    (c) Report.--Section 303(c) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 893c(c)) is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``the date of enactment of this Act'' and 
        inserting ``the date of the enactment of the Bolstering Long-
        term Understanding and Exploration of the Great Lakes, Oceans, 
        Bays, and Estuaries Act'';
            (2) by striking ``Secretary of Commerce'' and inserting 
        ``Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere''; and
            (3) by striking ``to each committee'' and all that follows 
        through ``section 302 of this Act'' and inserting ``to the 
        Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
        Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee 
        on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
        Representatives''.
    (d) Program and Plan.--Section 303(d) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 
893c(d)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
        Atmospheric Administration'' and inserting ``Under Secretary of 
        Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere''; and
            (2) by striking ``academic partners'' and all that follows 
        and inserting ``academic partners.''.

SEC. 6. ACCELERATING INNOVATION AT COOPERATIVE INSTITUTES.

    (a) Focus on Emerging Technologies.--The Administrator shall 
consider evaluating the goals of one or more Cooperative Institutes of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to include focusing 
on advancing or applying emerging technologies, which may include--
            (1) applied uses and development of real-time and other 
        advanced genetic technologies and applications, including such 
        technologies and applications that derive genetic material 
        directly from environmental samples without any obvious signs 
        of biological source material;
            (2) deployment of, and improvements to, the durability, 
        maintenance, and other lifecycle concerns of advanced unmanned 
        vehicles, regional small research vessels, and other research 
        vessels that support and launch unmanned vehicles and sensors; 
        and
            (3) supercomputing and big data management, including data 
        collected through model outputs, electronic monitoring, and 
        remote sensing.
    (b) Coordination With Other Programs.--If appropriate, the 
Cooperative Institutes shall work with the Interagency Ocean 
Observation Committee, the regional associations of the Integrated 
Ocean Observing System, and other ocean observing programs to 
coordinate technology needs and the transition of new technologies from 
research to operations.

SEC. 7. ELECTRONIC MONITORING INNOVATION PRIZE.

    Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
and under the authority provided by section 24 of the Stevenson-Wydler 
Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719), the Administrator, 
in consultation with the heads of relevant Federal agencies and 
nongovernmental partners, as appropriate, shall establish an Electronic 
Monitoring Innovation Prize, which may be awarded for the development 
of advanced electronic fisheries monitoring equipment and data analysis 
tools, including improved fish species recognition software.

SEC. 8. BLUE ECONOMY VALUATION.

    (a) Measurement of Blue Economy Industries.--The Administrator, in 
consultation with the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall 
establish a program to improve the collection, aggregation, and 
analysis of data to measure the value and impact of industries related 
to the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts on the economy 
of the United States, including living resources, marine construction, 
marine transportation, offshore energy development and siting including 
for renewable energy, offshore mineral production, ship and boat 
building, tourism, recreation, subsistence, commercial, recreational, 
and charter fishing, seafood processing, and other fishery-related 
businesses, aquaculture such as kelp and shellfish, and other 
industries the Administrator considers appropriate (known as ``Blue 
Economy'' industries).
    (b) Collaboration.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall--
            (1) work with the Director of the Bureau of Economic 
        Analysis and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies to 
        develop a Coastal and Ocean Economy Satellite Account that 
        includes national, Tribal, and State-level statistics to 
        measure the contribution of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, 
        estuaries, and coasts to the overall economy of the United 
        States; and
            (2) collaborate with national and international 
        organizations and governments to promote consistency of 
        methods, measurements, and definitions to ensure comparability 
        of results between countries.
    (c) Report.--Not less frequently than once every 2 years until the 
date that is 20 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Administrator, in consultation with the heads of other relevant Federal 
agencies, shall publish a report that--
            (1) defines the Blue Economy, in coordination with Indian 
        Tribes, academia, the private sector, nongovernmental 
        organizations, and other relevant experts;
            (2) makes recommendations for updating North American 
        Industry Classification System (NAICS) reporting codes to 
        reflect the Blue Economy; and
            (3) provides a comprehensive estimate of the value and 
        impact of the Blue Economy with respect to each State and 
        territory of the United States, including--
                    (A) the value and impact of--
                            (i) economic activities that are dependent 
                        upon the resources of the Great Lakes, oceans, 
                        bays, estuaries, and coasts;
                            (ii) the population and demographic 
                        characteristics of the population along the 
                        coasts;
                            (iii) port and shoreline infrastructure;
                            (iv) the volume and value of cargo shipped 
                        by sea or across the Great Lakes; and
                            (v) data collected from the Great Lakes, 
                        oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts, including 
                        such data collected by businesses that purchase 
                        and commodify the data, including weather 
                        prediction and seasonal agricultural 
                        forecasting; and
                    (B) to the extent possible, the qualified value and 
                impact of the natural capital of the Great Lakes, 
                oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts with respect to 
                tourism, recreation, natural resources, and cultural 
                heritage, including other indirect values.

SEC. 9. ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY-OCEANS.

    (a) Agreement.--Not later than 45 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall seek to enter into an 
agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct the 
comprehensive assessment under subsection (b).
    (b) Comprehensive Assessment.--
            (1) In general.--Under an agreement between the 
        Administrator and the National Academy of Sciences under this 
        section, the National Academy of Sciences shall conduct a 
        comprehensive assessment to evaluate--
                    (A) whether there is a need for an Advanced 
                Research Projects Agency-Oceans (ARPA-O) that operates 
                within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                Administration in coordination with, but not 
                duplicative of, existing Federal research programs 
                relating to oceanic, coastal, Great Lakes, estuarine, 
                and related systems, including programs of the Office 
                of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research of the National 
                Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and
                    (B) if there is such a need, the feasibility of 
                establishing such an ARPA-O.
            (2) Elements.--The comprehensive assessment conducted under 
        paragraph (1) shall include--
                    (A) an assessment of how an ARPA-O may 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 development of technologies that result in--
                            (i) improved data collection, monitoring, 
                        and prediction of the ocean environment, 
                        including sea ice conditions;
                            (ii) overcoming barriers to the application 
                        of new and improved technologies, such as high 
                        costs and scale of operational missions;
                            (iii) improved technology for fishery stock 
                        assessments and surveys; and
                            (iv) ensuring that the United States 
                        maintains a technological lead in developing 
                        and deploying advanced ocean technologies;
                    (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 periodic 
                        program evaluation;
                            (iii) capacity to fund and manage external 
                        research awards; and
                            (iv) options for oversight of the activity 
                        through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                        Administration;
                    (C) an estimation of the scale of investment 
                necessary to pursue high priority ocean technology 
                projects; and
                    (D) in a case in which an ARPA-O is not recommended 
                as an independent office, recommendations to improve 
                the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research of the 
                National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to 
                achieve the goals described in subparagraph (A).
    (c) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to 
        the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the 
        comprehensive assessment conducted under subsection (b).
            (2) Definition of appropriate committees of congress.--In 
        this section, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 
        means--
                    (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation of the Senate;
                    (B) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
                    (C) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House 
                of Representatives;
                    (D) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
                of the House of Representatives; and
                    (E) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
                Representatives.

SEC. 10. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.

    No additional funds are to be authorized to carry out this Act.

SEC. 11. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.

    No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this Act.
                                                       Calendar No. 206

117th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                                 S. 140

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