Title: Coral Sustainability Through Innovation Act of 2019
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Coral Sustainability Through Innovation Act of 2019
This bill authorizes the federal agencies on the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, which includes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to carry out prize competitions that promote coral reef research and conservation. The prize competitions must be designed to help the United States achieve its goal of developing new and effective ways to advance the understanding, monitoring, and sustainability of coral reef ecosystems.
Priority is given to establish programs that address communities, environments, or industries that are in distress due to the decline or degradation of coral reef ecosystems.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1922 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1922

   To authorize Federal agencies to establish prize competitions for 
innovation or adaptation management development relating to coral reef 
                  ecosystems, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 20, 2019

 Ms. Hirono (for herself, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Carper, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. 
 Booker, and Mr. Markey) introduced the following bill; which was read 
     twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                             Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To authorize Federal agencies to establish prize competitions for 
innovation or adaptation management development relating to coral reef 
                  ecosystems, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Coral Sustainability Through 
Innovation Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. PRIZE COMPETITIONS TO PROMOTE INNOVATION IN CORAL REEF RESEARCH 
              AND CONSERVATION.

    The Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 6401 et seq.) is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating sections 208, 209, and 210 (16 U.S.C. 
        6407, 6408, and 6409) as sections 209, 210, and 211, 
        respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after section 207 the following:

``SEC. 208. CORAL REEF PRIZE COMPETITIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--The head of any Federal agency with a 
representative serving on the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force established 
under Executive Order 13089 issued on June 11, 1998 (16 U.S.C. 6401 
note), may, either individually or in cooperation with one or more 
agencies, carry out a program to award prizes competitively under 
section 24 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 
(15 U.S.C. 3719).
    ``(b) Purposes.--Any program carried out under this section shall 
be for the purpose of stimulating innovation to advance the ability of 
the United States to understand, research, or monitor coral reef 
ecosystems, or to develop management or adaptation options to preserve, 
sustain, and restore coral reef ecosystems.
    ``(c) Priority Programs.--Priority shall be given to establish 
programs under this section that address communities, environments, or 
industries that are in distress due to the decline or degradation of 
coral reef ecosystems, including--
            ``(1) scientific research and monitoring that furthers the 
        understanding of causes behind coral reef decline and 
        degradation and the generally slow recovery following 
        disturbances, including ocean acidification and its impacts on 
        coral reproduction;
            ``(2) the development of monitoring or management options 
        for communities or industries that are experiencing significant 
        financial hardship;
            ``(3) the development of adaptation options to alleviate 
        economic harm and job loss caused by damage to coral reef 
        ecosystems;
            ``(4) the development of measures to help vulnerable 
        communities or industries, with an emphasis on rural 
        communities and businesses; and
            ``(5) the development of adaptation and management options 
        for impacted tourism industries.''.
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