Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-4174
Sponsor: Rep. Allen, Thomas H. [D-ME-1]
Introduced: 2007-11-14 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Animals
Arctic and polar regions
Biological diversity
Carbon dioxide
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Coastal zone
Ecological research
Ecosystem management
Endangered species
Environmental Protection
Executive reorganization
Fisheries
Government Operations and Politics
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine biology
Marine ecology
Marine pollution
Marine resources conservation
Meteorological research
Meteorology
Ocean currents
Oceanography
Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
action_date: 2007-11-14
text: 
Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2007 or FOARAM Act - Establishes the Interagency Committee on Ocean Acidification to oversee the planning, establishment, and coordination of a plan to improve the understanding of the role of increased ocean acidification on marine ecosystems and to develop adaptation techniques to effectively conserve marine ecosystems as they cope with ocean acidification. 
 
Requires a triennial report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Representatives containing a summary of federally funded ocean acidification research and monitoring activities, an analysis of the progress made toward achieving certain goals and priorities, and recommendations for future activities, including policy recommendations.
 
Requires the Committee to develop a strategic research and implementation plan for coordinated federal activities. 
 
Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish and maintain an ocean acidification program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to implement such strategic research and implementation plan.
 
Authorizes appropriations to NOAA to carry out this Act.
 
Requires that, of amounts made available to carry out this Act: (1) the Secretary of Commerce make at least 60% available to other departments and agencies; and (2) at least 50% be allocated for competitive grants.

action_date: 2008-07-09
text: 
Federal Ocean Acidification Research And Monitoring Act of 2008 or FOARAM Act - (Sec. 3) Defines &quot;ocean acidification,&quot; for this Act, as the decrease in pH of the Earth's oceans and changes in ocean chemistry caused by chemical inputs from the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide.
 
(Sec. 4) Requires that the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology of the National Science and Technology Council: (1) coordinate federal activities on ocean acidification; (2) report biennially to specified congressional committees; (3) transmit the strategic research plan developed under this Act to those committees; and (4) submit a revised plan at least once every five years.
 
(Sec. 5) Requires the Subcommittee to develop a strategic plan for federal ocean acidification research and monitoring that provides for an assessment of ocean acidification impacts on marine organisms and ecosystems and the development of adaptation and mitigation strategies to conserve marine organisms and ecosystems. Directs the Secretary of Commerce, through the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to review the plan.
 
(Sec. 6) Directs the Secretary to conduct research and monitoring and authorizes the Secretary to establish an ocean acidification program in NOAA consistent with the strategic research plan, including: (1) providing grants for critical research projects exploring the effects of ocean acidification on ecosystems and the socioeconomic impacts of increased ocean acidification that are relevant to the plan's goals and priorities; and (2) incorporating a competitive merit-based process for awarding grants that may be conducted jointly with other participating agencies or under the National Oceanographic Partnership Program.
 
(Sec. 7) Requires the NSF director to continue to carry out ocean acidification research supporting competitive, merit-based, peer-reviewed proposals for research and monitoring of ocean acidification and its impacts.
 
(Sec. 8) Requires the administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to ensure that space-based monitoring assets are used in as productive a manner as possible for monitoring of ocean acidification and its impacts.
 
(Sec. 9) Authorizes appropriations to NOAA and to NASA to carry out this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-07-10
text: Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 873.
action_date: 2008-07-09
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2008-07-09
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H6261-6263)
action_date: 2008-07-09
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H6261-6263)
action_date: 2008-07-09
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4174.
action_date: 2008-07-09
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6261-6266)
action_date: 2008-07-09
text: Mr. Baird moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2008-07-09
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 475.
action_date: 2008-07-09
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Science and Technology. H. Rept. 110-749.
action_date: 2008-07-09
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Science and Technology. H. Rept. 110-749.
action_date: 2008-06-25
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2008-06-25
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2008-06-18
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .
action_date: 2008-06-18
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2008-06-05
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2008-01-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment.
action_date: 2007-11-14
text: Referred to the House Committee on Science and Technology.
action_date: 2007-11-14
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-11-14
text: Introduced in House