Marine Mammal Research and Response Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-3059
Sponsor: Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
Introduced: 2016-06-15 in the Senate
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Alaska
Alaska Natives and Hawaiians
Animal and plant health
Animal protection and human-animal relationships
Arctic and polar regions
Congressional oversight
Endangered and threatened species
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Government information and archives
Government liability
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Health information and medical records
Intergovernmental relations
Mammals
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine pollution
Public contracts and procurement
State and local government operations
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2016-06-15
text: 

Marine Mammal Research and Response Act of 2016

 
This bill reauthorizes through FY2022 and revises the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, including by expanding the Act and the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program to include assistance for marine mammals that are entangled in material (e.g., fishing gear) and are on U.S. beaches or shores, or in U.S. navigable waters. 
 
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must develop a program to make publicly available certain data collected under this bill.
 
The bill requires sums received for marine mammal conservation (e.g., fines for violations) and sums received from emergency declaration grants for marine mammal conservation to be deposited into the Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Event Fund.
 
The bill establishes the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Rapid Response Fund for providing emergency financial assistance for certain stranded or entangled marine mammals.
 
NOAA must: (1) establish a Marine Mammal Health Map, a national marine mammal health and stranding observing system; (2) analyze gaps in data about marine mammal rescue and response; and (3) report on the response capabilities for sick and injured marine mammals in U.S. Arctic regions.

action_date: 2016-11-28
text: 

Marine Mammal Research and Response Act of 2016

 
This bill reauthorizes through FY2022 and revises the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, including by expanding the Act and the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program to include assistance for marine mammals that are entangled in material (e.g., fishing gear) and are on U.S. beaches or shores, or in U.S. navigable waters. 
 
(Sec. 2) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must develop a program to make publicly available certain data collected under the Act.
 
(Sec. 4) The bill requires sums received for marine mammal conservation (e.g., fines for violations) and sums received from emergency declaration grants for marine mammal conservation to be deposited into the Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Event Fund.
 
(Sec. 7) The bill establishes the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Rapid Response Fund for providing emergency financial assistance for certain stranded or entangled marine mammals.
 
(Sec. 8) NOAA must: (1) establish a Marine Mammal Health Map, a national marine mammal health and stranding observing system; (2) analyze gaps in data about marine mammal rescue and response; and (3) report on the response capabilities for sick and injured marine mammals in U.S. Arctic regions.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-11-28
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 690.
action_date: 2016-11-28
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 114-386.
action_date: 2016-11-28
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 114-386.
action_date: 2016-06-29
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2016-06-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2016-06-15
text: Introduced in Senate