BLUE GLOBE Act

Bill: 117-s-140
Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
Introduced: 2021-01-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Air quality
Aquatic ecology
Atmospheric science and weather
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Computers and information technology
Congressional oversight
Economic development
Economic performance and conditions
Employee hiring
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental technology
Fishes
Genetics
Geography and mapping
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Great Lakes
International organizations and cooperation
Lakes and rivers
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine and inland water transportation
Marine pollution
Mining
Navigation, waterways, harbors
Outdoor recreation
Performance measurement
Research administration and funding
Solid waste and recycling
Spacecraft and satellites
Technology transfer and commercialization
Travel and tourism
Water quality

Summary:
action_date: 2021-01-28
text: 

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.
 
The bill increases domestic and international coordination to enhance data management and monitoring of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts. 
 
It adds programs for the application and development of innovative technology to the list of technology programs used to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.
 
It also modifies requirements related to the scientific workforce in areas of oceanic and atmospheric research and development to include investigating whether there is a workforce shortage, workforce diversity, actions the federal government can take to increase diversity in the scientific workforce, and actions it can take to shorten the hiring backlog for such workforce.
 
The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must (1) ensure that a goal of its cooperative institutes is to advance or apply emerging technologies, (2) create an ocean innovation prize to catalyze the rapid development and deployment of data collection and monitoring technology, and (3) seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to assess the potential for an Advanced Research Projects Agency-Oceans.
 
The bill also reauthorizes through FY2024 various NOAA hydrographic programs, including nautical mapping and charting.
 
Additionally, relevant federal agencies must measure the value and impact of industries related to the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts on the U.S. economy.

action_date: 2021-12-17
text: 

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.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2022-02-15
text: By Senator Cantwell from Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation filed written report. Report No. 117-74.
action_date: 2022-02-15
text: By Senator Cantwell from Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation filed written report. Report No. 117-74.
action_date: 2021-12-17
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 206.
action_date: 2021-12-17
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cantwell with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2021-12-17
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cantwell with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2021-05-12
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2021-01-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2021-01-28
text: Introduced in Senate