Arctic Research, Monitoring, and Observing Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-1344
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK]
Introduced: 2013-07-23
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Alaska

Arctic Ocean

Arctic and polar regions

Ecology

Environmental assessment, monitoring, research

Marine and coastal resources, fisheries

Pacific Ocean

Research administration and funding

Research ethics
Latest action: action_date: 2013-11-06
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 237.

Summaries:
action_date: 2013-07-23
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>Arctic Research, Monitoring, and Observing Act of 2013 - Amends the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 to direct the Arctic Research Commission to award merit-based grants to federal, state, local, or tribal governments and academic and private organizations to conduct research on or related to the Arctic in accordance with the national Arctic research program plan.</p> <p>Authorizes the Commission to enter into agreements with appropriate agencies or organizations to administer grants made pursuant to this Act for Arctic research, including reimbursement from funds of the Commission to administer such grants. </p> <p>Instructs the Commission to adopt conflict of interest and recusal requirements that apply to decisions of the Commission and to all Commission members as if each member is an affected individual within the meaning of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Requires disclosure of any financial interest in or relationship to a party that is applying for funding from the Commission held by the Commission member. </p> <p>Amends the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1998, with respect to the North Pacific Research Board, to: (1) authorize the Board to adopt rules of procedure and establish committees as necessary to carry out the purposes of the Environmental Improvement and Restoration Fund, (2) require all of the Board's decisions to be made by majority vote of the full board in regular session, (3) direct the Board to adopt the same conflict of interest requirements as those for the Commission, and (4) allow the Secretary of Commerce to accept funds from a source other than the federal government for use by the Board to carry out its functions.</p>

action_date: 2013-11-06
action_desc: Reported to Senate with amendment(s)
text: <p>Arctic Research, Monitoring, and Observing Act of 2013 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 to direct the Arctic Research Commission to establish (under current law, assist in establishing) a national Arctic research program plan to implement the Arctic research policy.</p> <p> Directs the Commission to award merit-based grants to federal, state, local, or tribal governments and academic and private organizations to conduct research on or related to the Arctic in accordance with the national Arctic research program plan. </p> <p>Authorizes the Commission to enter into agreements with appropriate agencies or organizations to administer grants made pursuant to this Act for Arctic research, including reimbursement from funds of the Commission to administer such grants. </p> <p>Instructs the Commission to adopt conflict of interest and recusal requirements which shall apply to decisions of the Commission and to all Commission members which at a minimum are substantially equivalent to those requirements set forth in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act as if each member is an affected individual within the meaning of such Act. Requires disclosure of any financial interest in or relationship to a party that is applying for funding from the Commission held by the Commission member. </p> <p>(Sec. 3) Amends the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1998, with respect to the North Pacific Research Board, to: (1) authorize the Board to adopt rules of procedure and establish committees as necessary to carry out the purposes of the Environmental Improvement and Restoration Fund, (2) require all of the Board's decisions to be made by majority vote of the full board in regular session, (3) direct the Board to adopt the same conflict of interest requirements as those for the Commission, and (4) allow the Secretary of Commerce to accept funds from a source other than the federal government for use by the Board to carry out its functions.</p>

tv_txt: II 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1344 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 23, 2013 Mr. Begich introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation A BILL To promote research, monitoring, and observation of the Arctic and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Arctic Research, Monitoring, and Observing Act of 2013 . 2. Arctic Research Commission (a) Duties of the Arctic Research Commission Section 104(a) of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 ( 15 U.S.C. 4103(a) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (2), by striking assist in establishing and inserting establish ; (2) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (10) as paragraphs (4) through (11), respectively; and (3) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: (3) award— (A) grants to Federal, State, local, or tribal governments and academic and private organizations to conduct research on or related to the Arctic, including to the marine environment of the Arctic Ocean, its adjacent seas or associated lesser bodies of water; and (B) such grants on the basis of merit in accordance with the national Arctic research program plan; . (b) Administration of the Commission Section 106 of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 ( 15 U.S.C. 4105 ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (4), by striking and at the end; (2) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (6) enter into agreements with appropriate agencies or organizations to administer grants made pursuant to this title for Arctic research including reimbursement from funds of the Commission to administer such grants. . (c) Conflicts of interest; Arctic Research Commission Section 103 of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 ( 15 U.S.C. 4102 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (e) Conflict of interest The Commission shall adopt conflict of interest and recusal provisions that apply to any decision by the Commission and to all members of the Commission as if each member of the Commission is an affected individual within the meaning of section 302(j) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1852(j) ), except that in addition to the disclosure requirements of paragraph (2) of such section 302(j), each member of the Commission shall disclose any financial interest or relationship in an organization or with an individual that is applying for funding from the Commission held by the member of the Commission, including an interest as an officer, director, trustee, partner, employee, contractor, agent, or other representative. . 3. North Pacific Research Board Subsection (e) of section 401 of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1998 ( 43 U.S.C. 1474d(e) ) is amended by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the following: (5) The Board may adopt such rules of procedure and establish such committees as it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this title, including the conduct of administrative duties between meetings. (6) All decisions of the Board shall be by majority vote of the full board in regular session. (7) The Board shall adopt conflict of interest and recusal provisions that apply to any decision by the Board and to all members of the Board as if each member of the Board is an affected individual within the meaning of section 302(j) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1852(j) ), except that in addition to the disclosure requirements of paragraph (2) of such section 302(j), each member of the Board shall disclose any financial interest or relationship in an organization or with an individual that is applying for funding from the Board, including an interest as an officer, director, trustee, partner, employee, contractor, agent, or other representative. (8) The Secretary of Commerce may accept funds from a source other than the Government of the United States to be used by the Board to carry out the Board’s functions. .

tv_txt: II Calendar No. 237 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1344 [Report No. 113–117] IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 23, 2013 Mr. Begich introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation November 6, 2013 Reported by Mr. Rockefeller , with an amendment Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic A BILL To promote research, monitoring, and observation of the Arctic and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Arctic Research, Monitoring, and Observing Act of 2013 . 2. Arctic Research Commission (a) Duties of the Arctic Research Commission Section 104(a) of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 ( 15 U.S.C. 4103(a) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (2), by striking assist in establishing and inserting establish ; (2) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (10) as paragraphs (4) through (11), respectively; and (3) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: (3) award— (A) grants to Federal, State, local, or tribal governments and academic and private organizations to conduct research on or related to the Arctic, including to the marine environment of the Arctic Ocean, its adjacent seas or associated lesser bodies of water; and (B) such grants on the basis of merit in accordance with the national Arctic research program plan; . (b) Administration of the Commission Section 106 of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 ( 15 U.S.C. 4105 ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (4), by striking and at the end; (2) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (6) enter into agreements with appropriate agencies or organizations to administer grants made pursuant to this title for Arctic research including reimbursement from funds of the Commission to administer such grants. . (c) Conflicts of interest; Arctic Research Commission Section 103 of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 ( 15 U.S.C. 4102 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (e) Conflict of interest The Commission shall adopt conflict of interest and recusal provisions that apply to any decision by the Commission and to all members of the Commission as if each member of the Commission is an affected individual within the meaning of section 302(j) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1852(j) ), except that in addition to the disclosure requirements of paragraph (2) of such section 302(j), each member of the Commission shall disclose any financial interest or relationship in an organization or with an individual that is applying for funding from the Commission held by the member of the Commission, including an interest as an officer, director, trustee, partner, employee, contractor, agent, or other representative. . 3. North Pacific Research Board Subsection (e) of section 401 of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1998 ( 43 U.S.C. 1474d(e) ) is amended by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the following: (5) The Board may adopt such rules of procedure and establish such committees as it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this title, including the conduct of administrative duties between meetings. (6) All decisions of the Board shall be by majority vote of the full board in regular session. (7) The Board shall adopt conflict of interest and recusal provisions that apply to any decision by the Board and to all members of the Board as if each member of the Board is an affected individual within the meaning of section 302(j) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1852(j) ), except that in addition to the disclosure requirements of paragraph (2) of such section 302(j), each member of the Board shall disclose any financial interest or relationship in an organization or with an individual that is applying for funding from the Board, including an interest as an officer, director, trustee, partner, employee, contractor, agent, or other representative. (8) The Secretary of Commerce may accept funds from a source other than the Government of the United States to be used by the Board to carry out the Board’s functions. .

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Arctic Research, Monitoring, and Observing Act of 2013 . 2. Arctic Research Commission (a) Duties of the Arctic Research Commission Section 104(a) of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 ( 15 U.S.C. 4103(a) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (2), by striking assist in establishing and inserting establish ; (2) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (10) as paragraphs (4) through (11), respectively; and (3) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following: (3) award— (A) grants to Federal, State, local, or tribal governments and academic and private organizations to conduct research on or related to the Arctic, including to the marine environment of the Arctic Ocean, its adjacent seas or associated lesser bodies of water; and (B) such grants on the basis of merit in accordance with the national Arctic research program plan; . (b) Administration of the Commission Section 106 of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 ( 15 U.S.C. 4105 ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (4), by striking and at the end; (2) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (6) enter into agreements with appropriate agencies or organizations to administer grants made pursuant to this title for Arctic research including reimbursement from funds of the Commission to administer such grants. . (c) Conflicts of interest; Arctic Research Commission Section 103 of the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 ( 15 U.S.C. 4102 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (e) Conflict of interest The Commission shall adopt conflict of interest and recusal provisions which shall apply to any decision by the Commission and to all members of the Commission which at a minimum are substantially equivalent to conflict of interest and recusal provisions set forth in section 302(j) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1852(j)) as if each member of the Commission is an affected individual within the meaning of such section 302(j), except that in addition to the disclosure requirements of such section 302(j), each Commission member shall disclose any financial interest or relationship in an organization or with an individual that is applying for funding from the Commission held by the Commission member, including an interest as an officer, director, trustee, partner, employee, contractor, agent, or other representative. . 3. North Pacific Research Board Subsection (e) of section 401 of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1998 ( 43 U.S.C. 1474d(e) ) is amended by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the following: (5) The Board may adopt such rules of procedure and establish such committees as it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this title, including the conduct of administrative duties between meetings. (6) All decisions of the Board shall be by majority vote of the full board in regular session. (7) The Board shall adopt conflict of interest and recusal provisions which at a minimum are substantially equivalent to conflict of interest and recusal provisions set forth in section 302(j) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1852(j) ) shall apply to any decision by the Board and to all members of the Board as if each member of the Board is an affected individual within the meaning of such section 302(j), except that in addition to the disclosure requirements of such section 302(j), each Board member shall disclose any financial interest or relationship in an organization or with an individual that is applying for funding from the Board, including an interest as an officer, director, trustee, partner, employee, contractor, agent, or other representative. (8) The Secretary of Commerce may accept funds from a source other than the Government of the United States to be used by the Board to carry out the Board’s functions. .

November 6, 2013 Reported with an amendment