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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``China Human Rights Protection Act of 
2015''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee 
                on Financial Services, the Committee on Foreign 
                Affairs, the Committee on Homeland Security, and the 
                Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
                Representatives; and
                    (B) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee 
                on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, the Committee 
                on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Homeland 
                Security and Governmental Affairs, and the Committee on 
                the Judiciary of the Senate.
            (2) Gross violations of internationally recognized human 
        rights.--The term ``gross violations of internationally 
        recognized human rights'' includes--
                    (A) extrajudicial killings;
                    (B) torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading 
                treatment or punishment;
                    (C) prolonged arbitrary detention, causing the 
                disappearance of individuals by the abduction and 
                clandestine detention of those individuals;
                    (D) forced abortion or sterilization;
                    (E) psychiatric or medical experimentation or organ 
                harvesting of individuals without consent or obtained 
                in detention; and
                    (F) other flagrant denial of the right to life, 
                liberty, or the security of an individual.
            (3) United states person.--The term ``United States 
        person'' means--
                    (A) a United States citizen or an alien lawfully 
                admitted for permanent residence to the United States; 
                or
                    (B) an entity organized under the laws of the 
                United States or of any jurisdiction within the United 
                States, including a foreign branch of such an entity.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF SANCTIONS FOR GROSS VIOLATIONS OF 
              INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED HUMAN RIGHTS.

    (a) In General.--The President shall impose the sanctions described 
in subsection (b) with respect to an individual who is a national of 
the People's Republic of China the President determines, based on 
credible information--
            (1) is responsible for gross violations of internationally 
        recognized human rights committed against other individuals in 
        the People's Republic of China, particularly those individuals 
        who seek to obtain, exercise, defend, or promote 
        internationally recognized human rights and freedoms, such as 
        the freedoms of religion, expression, association, and 
        assembly, and the rights to a fair trial and democratic 
        elections;
            (2) acted as an agent of or on behalf of another individual 
        who is a national of the People's Republic of China in a matter 
        relating to an activity described in paragraph (1); or
            (3) has materially assisted, sponsored, or provided 
        financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or 
        services in support of, an activity described in paragraph (1).
    (b) Sanctions Described.--The sanctions described in this 
subsection are the following:
            (1) Inadmissibility to united states.--
                    (A) In general.--Ineligibility of the individual to 
                receive a visa to enter the United States or to be 
                admitted to the United States.
                    (B) Revocation.--If the individual has been issued 
                a visa or other documentation, revocation, in 
                accordance with section 221(i) of the Immigration and 
                Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)), of the visa or 
                other documentation.
            (2) Blocking of property.--
                    (A) In general.--The blocking, in accordance with 
                the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 
                U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), of all transactions in all 
                property and interests in property of the individual if 
                such property and interests in property are in the 
                United States, come within the United States, or are or 
                come within the possession or control of a United 
                States person.
                    (B) Inapplicability of national emergency 
                requirement.--The requirements of section 202 of the 
                International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 
                1701) shall not apply for purposes of this section.
    (c) Regulatory Authority.--The President shall issue such 
regulations, licenses, and orders as are necessary to carry out this 
section.

SEC. 4. WAIVER AUTHORITY AND EXCEPTION TO COMPLY WITH UNITED NATIONS 
              HEADQUARTERS AGREEMENT.

    (a) Waiver Authority.--The President may waive the application of 
sanctions under section 3 with respect to an individual who is a 
national of the People's Republic of China if the President--
            (1) determines that such a waiver is in the national 
        security interests of the United States; and
            (2) not later than 30 days prior to granting such a waiver, 
        submits to the appropriate congressional committees notice of, 
        and a justification for, the waiver.
    (b) Exception To Comply With United Nations Headquarters 
Agreement.--Sanctions under sections 3(b)(1) shall not apply to an 
individual who is a national of the People's Republic of China if 
admitting the individual into the United States is necessary to permit 
the United States to comply with the Agreement regarding the 
Headquarters of the United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 
1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, between the United 
Nations and the United States, or other applicable international 
obligations of the United States.

SEC. 5. TERMINATION OF SANCTIONS.

    The President may terminate the application of sanctions under 
section 3 with respect to an individual who is a national of the 
People's Republic of China if the President determines and reports to 
the appropriate congressional committees not later than 15 days before 
the termination of the sanctions that--
            (1) credible information exists that the individual did not 
        engage in the activity for which sanctions were imposed;
            (2) the individual has been prosecuted appropriately for 
        the activity for which sanctions were imposed; or
            (3) the individual has credibly demonstrated a significant 
        change in behavior, has paid an appropriate consequence for the 
        activity for which sanctions were imposed, and has credibly 
        committed to not engage in an activity described in section 3 
        in the future.

SEC. 6. ESTABLISHMENT OF CHINA HUMAN RIGHTS DOCUMENTATION CENTER.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of State shall seek to provide for 
the establishment of and provide funding for an independent, 
nongovernmental organization, to be referred to as the China Human 
Rights Documentation Center, to--
            (1) compile, publish, and archive credible evidence of 
        nationals of the People's Republic of China who commit gross 
        violations of internationally recognized human rights against 
        individuals in the People's Republic of China;
            (2) receive evidence of such violations from 
        nongovernmental organizations and governmental entities;
            (3) establish an online and searchable database, in English 
        and in Chinese, and establish other multi-media information 
        platforms, in English and in Chinese, of credible evidence of 
        such violations for research and educational purposes; and
            (4) compile, publish, and archive credible evidence of 
        individuals who are nationals of the People's Republic of China 
        who are engaged in--
                    (A) censorship of the Internet, restrictions on the 
                freedom of expression, the free flow of news and 
                information, and the silencing of peaceful dissent 
                against government policy or practice;
                    (B) threats, surveillance, censorship, detention, 
                beatings, or the denials or delays of visas of United 
                States or other foreign journalists working in China;
                    (C) threats, beatings, surveillance, detention, or 
                threats to the loss of jobs or professional status made 
                against--
                            (i) individuals who are human rights 
                        lawyers seeking to represent clients detained 
                        in extra-legal detention centers;
                            (ii) individuals considered by the United 
                        Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to 
                        be detained arbitrarily in China, including 
                        Tibetans, Uyghurs, and individuals who are 
                        members of the Falun Gong;
                            (iii) individuals who are democracy, labor, 
                        environmental, or free speech advocates;
                            (iv) individuals who are petitioners or 
                        bloggers;
                            (v) individuals accused in governmental 
                        anti-corruption campaigns; and
                            (vi) individuals from religious communities 
                        that are independent of government-approved 
                        religious organizations;
                    (D) restrictions on the right to freedom of 
                religion and the ability to exercise peaceful religious 
                practice, in public and private, independent of 
                government restrictions or oversight of religious 
                teachings or choice of religious leaders, particularly 
                the arrest and detention of religious leaders, the 
                destruction of property or heavy fines, and the 
                ``patriotic education'' of religious leaders;
                    (E) implementing China's population control 
                policies, including through the coercive and persistent 
                monitoring of fertility, the issuing of heavy fines, 
                and threats made for the loss of employment or the 
                denial of residency and other government benefits to 
                children born beyond the government-prescribed limit;
                    (F) profiting from or overseeing slave labor, 
                particularly in detention facilities, or from sex or 
                bride trafficking or those engaged in beating, 
                threatening, or detaining individuals seeking to 
                disrupt trafficking in persons networks;
                    (G) profiting from the sale of organs harvested 
                from an individual without consent or while an 
                individual is in detention;
                    (H) disrupting or prohibiting, through violence, 
                intimidation, discrimination, or threats, attempts to 
                organize independent trade unions or to engage in 
                efforts of collective bargaining; or
                    (I) prosecuting, sentencing, or those involved in 
                the continued detention of individuals determined by 
                the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention 
                to have been detained arbitrarily.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Of the funds authorized to be 
appropriated to the Department of State for each fiscal year beginning 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, such funds as may be 
necessary to carry out this section are authorized to be appropriated 
to carry out this section for such fiscal year.
    (c) Regulatory Authority.--The President shall issue such 
regulations, licenses, and orders as are necessary to carry out this 
section.

SEC. 7. USE OF CREDIBLE EVIDENCE FOR SANCTIONS DETERMINATIONS AND 
              REPORTS.

    In making determinations to impose sanctions under section 3 and 
for purposes of preparing and submitting reports to Congress under 
sections 8 and 9, the President should use any credible evidence--
            (1) compiled and published by the China Human Rights 
        Documentation Center established under section 6;
            (2) compiled and published by the Department of State and 
        other appropriate Federal departments and agencies; and
            (3) submitted to the President by the chairperson and 
        ranking member of appropriate congressional committees.

SEC. 8. REPORTS BY PRESIDENT TO CONGRESS.

    (a) Report Required.--
            (1) In general.--The President shall submit to the 
        appropriate congressional committees on an annual basis a 
        report that includes--
                    (A) a list of individuals who are nationals of the 
                People's Republic of China with respect to which the 
                President imposed sanctions pursuant to section 3 
                during the calendar year preceding the submission of 
                the report;
                    (B) a description of the type of sanctions imposed 
                with respect to each individual;
                    (C) the number of individuals with respect to which 
                the President imposed sanctions under section 3(a) 
                during that year;
                    (D) the dates on which such sanctions were imposed 
                or terminated, as the case may be;
                    (E) the reasons for imposing or terminating such 
                sanctions; and
                    (F) a description of the efforts of the President 
                to encourage the governments of other countries to 
                impose sanctions that are similar to the sanctions 
                authorized by section 3.
            (2) Dates for submission.--
                    (A) Initial report.--The President shall submit the 
                initial report required by this subsection not later 
                than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
                Act.
                    (B) Subsequent reports.--
                            (i) In general.--The President shall submit 
                        each subsequent report required by this 
                        subsection on December 10, or the first day 
                        thereafter on which both Houses of Congress are 
                        in session, of--
                                    (I) the calendar year in which the 
                                initial report is submitted if the 
                                initial report is submitted before 
                                December 10 of such calendar year; and
                                    (II) each subsequent calendar year.
                            (ii) Congressional statement.--Congress 
                        notes that December 10 of each calendar year 
                        has been recognized in the United States and 
                        internationally since 1950 as ``Human Rights 
                        Day'' and thus the importance of December 10 of 
                        each calendar year as the date of submission of 
                        the subsequent reports required by this 
                        subsection.
    (b) Form of Report.--
            (1) In general.--The report required by subsection (a) 
        shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a 
        classified annex.
            (2) Exception.--The name of an individual who is a national 
        of the People's Republic of China to be included in the list 
        required by subsection (a)(1) by reason of the imposition of 
        sanctions pursuant to section 3 may be submitted in the 
        classified annex authorized by paragraph (1) only if the 
        President--
                    (A) determines that it is vital for the national 
                security interests of the United States to do so; and
                    (B) uses the annex in a manner consistent with 
                congressional intent and the purposes of this Act.
    (c) Public Availability.--
            (1) In general.--The unclassified portion of the report 
        required by subsection (a) shall be made available to the 
        public, including through publication in the Federal Register.
            (2) Nonapplicability of confidentiality requirement with 
        respect to visa records.--The President shall publish the list 
        required by subsection (a)(1) without regard to the 
        requirements of section 222(f) of the Immigration and 
        Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1202(f)) with respect to 
        confidentiality of records pertaining to the issuance or 
        refusal of visas or permits to enter the United States.

SEC. 9. REPORT BY COMPTROLLER GENERAL TO CONGRESS ON IMPLEMENTATION OF 
              THIS ACT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of submission 
of the initial report to Congress under section 8, the Comptroller 
General of the United States shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a report on the following:
            (1) A description and assessment of the process--
                    (A) to determine whether an individual who is a 
                national of the People's Republic of China has engaged 
                in an activity described in section 3 and whether 
                sanctions under section 3 should be imposed with 
                respect to the individual;
                    (B) to determine whether the identity of an 
                individual who is a national of the People's Republic 
                of China with respect to which the President has 
                imposed sanctions pursuant to section 3 should be 
                classified; and
                    (C) whether the inclusion of the identity of an 
                individual who is a national of the People's Republic 
                of China in the unclassified version of the report has 
                had any noticeable positive benefits in curtailing 
                gross violations of internationally recognized human 
                rights in the People's Republic of China.
            (2) An assessment of the implementation of this Act.
    (b) Consultation.--The Comptroller General shall consult with the 
appropriate congressional committees and nongovernmental organizations 
for purposes of preparing the report required by subsection (a).
China Human Rights Protection Act of 2015  Directs the President to impose U.S. entry and property sanctions against a national of China who:   is responsible for gross violations of internationally recognized human rights committed against individuals in China, particularly those who seek to exercise, defend, or promote internationally recognized human rights and freedoms;  acted as an agent of or on behalf of a national of China in such activities; or  has materially assisted or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services in support of, such activities.  Authorizes the President, with regard to such sanctions, to:   waive their application, with prior congressional notification, if in U.S. national security interests; and  terminate them under specified conditions.   States that sanctions shall not apply if necessary to comply with the Agreement between the United Nations (U.N.) and the United States regarding the U.N. Headquarters, or other applicable international obligations of the United States.   Declares that the Secretary of State shall seek to provide for the establishment of, and provide funding for, a nongovernmental China Human Rights Documentation Center to:   compile, publish, and archive evidence of nationals of China who commit gross violations of internationally recognized human rights against individuals in China, and against others seeking to expand freedoms in China; and  establish an online and searchable database, in English and in Chinese of evidence of such violations for research and educational purposes.  Directs the President to report to Congress annually regarding each foreign person sanctioned, the type of sanctions imposed, and the reason for their imposition.  Directs the Government Accountability Office to assess for Congress:    the process to determine whether a foreign person has engaged in a sanctionable activity, whether sanctions should be imposed, and whether the identity of a sanctioned foreign person should be classified; and   implementation of this Act. 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Student Loan Refinancing 
Act''.

SEC. 2. STUDENT LOAN CONSOLIDATION.

    Section 459B of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087i-
2) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(3), by striking ``section'' and 
        inserting ``subsection'';
            (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``this section'' and 
        inserting ``subsection (a)'' each place the term appears; and
            (3) by inserting at the end the following:
    ``(c) Temporary Loan Consolidation Authority for Certain Loans Made 
After July 1, 2006.--
            ``(1) Loan consolidation authority.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A borrower who has 1 or more 
                loans in a category described in subparagraph (B) may 
                consolidate all of the loans of the borrower that are 
                described in subparagraph (B) into a Federal Direct 
                Consolidation Loan during the period described in 
                subparagraph (C).
                    ``(B) Categories of loans that may be 
                consolidated.--The categories of loans that may be 
                consolidated under subparagraph (A) are loans made on 
                or after July 1, 2006, that are--
                            ``(i) loans made under this part;
                            ``(ii) loans purchased by the Secretary 
                        pursuant to section 459A; and
                            ``(iii) loans made under part B that are 
                        held by an eligible lender, as such term is 
                        defined in section 435(d).
                    ``(C) Time period in which loans may be 
                consolidated.--
                            ``(i) Federal direct loans.--In the case of 
                        a borrower who has 1 or more loans described 
                        under subparagraph (B)(i), the Secretary 
                        shall--
                                    ``(I) consolidate the loans 
                                described under subparagraph (B)(i) not 
                                later than 90 days after the date of 
                                enactment of the Federal Student Loan 
                                Refinancing Act; and
                                    ``(II) notify the borrower, in 
                                writing, prior to such consolidation 
                                that--
                                            ``(aa) the borrower's loans 
                                        under this part have been 
                                        consolidated at a lower 
                                        interest rate; and
                                            ``(bb) the borrower's 
                                        repayment plan and the other 
                                        terms and conditions of the 
                                        borrower's loan remain 
                                        unchanged.
                            ``(ii) Other loans.--In the case of a 
                        borrower who has 1 or more loans described 
                        under clause (ii) or (iii) of subparagraph (B), 
                        the Secretary shall--
                                    ``(I) initiate the loan 
                                consolidation process for the loans 
                                described under clause (ii) or (iii) of 
                                subparagraph (B), not later than 90 
                                days after the date of enactment of the 
                                Federal Student Loan Refinancing Act, 
                                by sending a completed loan 
                                consolidation application to the 
                                borrower;
                                    ``(II) notify the borrower, as part 
                                of such application, that a fee will be 
                                assessed and that the interest rate of 
                                the Federal Direct Consolidation Loan 
                                will be set in accordance with 
                                paragraph (2); and
                                    ``(III) notify the borrower, as 
                                part of such application, that if the 
                                borrower wishes to consolidate in 
                                accordance with the completed 
                                application, the borrower must endorse 
                                the application and submit the 
                                application to the Secretary not more 
                                than 6 months after receipt of the 
                                application.
            ``(2) Terms of loans.--The following terms and conditions 
        shall apply to a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan made under 
        this subsection:
                    ``(A) The applicable rate of interest on a Federal 
                Direct Consolidation Loan made under this subsection 
                shall be--
                            ``(i) 4 percent; or
                            ``(ii) in a case in which the weighted 
                        average of the interest rates on the 
                        outstanding loans of a borrower that will be 
                        consolidated is less than 4 percent, the lesser 
                        of--
                                    ``(I) the weighted average of the 
                                interest rates on the outstanding loans 
                                of a borrower that will be 
                                consolidated; or
                                    ``(II) a rate of interest equal 
                                to--
                                            ``(aa) 4 percent; minus
                                            ``(bb) 0.4 percent of the 
                                        principal balance of the 
                                        consolidation loan, at the time 
                                        of consolidation.
                    ``(B) In the case of a loan consolidated under 
                paragraph (1)(C)(ii), an origination fee equal to 0.4 
                percent of the principal balance of the consolidation 
                loan, at the time of consolidation, will be added to 
                the principal balance of the loan, and the Secretary 
                shall use the fee to cover the cost of making and 
                servicing the loan.
                    ``(C) If 1 or more of the loans being consolidated 
                is a loan described under paragraph (1)(B)(iii), the 
                interest rate on the Federal Direct Consolidation Loan 
                under this subsection shall be reduced by 0.25 percent.
                    ``(D) Any benefit a borrower is receiving or 
                earning at the time a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan 
                is issued under this subsection shall not be affected 
                by consolidation under this section, including benefits 
                such as a deferment or forbearance, accumulation of 
                monthly payments as part of the public service loan 
                forgiveness program under section 455(m), accumulation 
                of monthly payments toward a loan discharge under the 
                income-based repayment plan under section 493C, 
                participation in a particular repayment plan, and other 
                benefits to the borrower.''.

SEC. 3. EXEMPTIONS FROM OTHER LAWS.

    (a) Exemption From the Paperwork Reduction Act.--Chapter 35 of 
title 44, United States Code, shall not apply to this Act.
    (b) Inapplicability of Rulemaking Requirements.--Sections 482(c) 
and 492 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1089(c), 1098a) 
and section 553 of title 5, United States Code, shall not apply to the 
amendments made by this Act, or to any regulations promulgated under 
such amendments.
Federal Student Loan Refinancing Act This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to allow borrowers that received loans under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (DL) or Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program on or after July 1, 2006, to consolidate those loans as Federal Direct Consolidation Loans.  It directs the Department of Education (ED) to consolidate DLs, and send a completed loan consolidation application to FFEL borrowers, within 90 days of this bill's enactment. It gives FFEL borrowers six months after their receipt of such application to endorse it and submit it to ED if they wish to consolidate their loans. The bill sets the interest rate on Federal Direct Consolidation Loans at 4% or, if the weighted average of the interest rates of the loans being consolidated is less than 4%, the lesser of: (1) that weighted average, or (2) an interest rate equal to 0.4% of the principal balance of the consolidation loan at the time of consolidation. It adds an origination fee equal to 0.4% of the principal balance of the consolidation loan at the time of consolidation if an FFEL is being consolidated. It reduces the interest rate on a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan by 0.25% if one or more of the loans being consolidated is an FFEL held by an eligible lender. The bill prohibits any benefit a borrower is receiving or earning when issued a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan from being affected by the consolidation.

SECTION. 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Hydrographic Services Improvement 
Act Amendments of 2008''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 303 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 
(33 U.S.C. 892) is amended by striking paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) and 
inserting the following:
        ``(3) Hydrographic data.--The term `hydrographic data' means 
    information that--
            ``(A) is acquired through--
                ``(i) hydrographic, bathymetric, photogrammetric, 
            lidar, radar, remote sensing, or shoreline and other ocean- 
            and coastal-related surveying;
                ``(ii) geodetic, geospatial, or geomagnetic 
            measurements;
                ``(iii) tide, water level, and current observations; or
                ``(iv) other methods; and
            ``(B) is used in providing hydrographic services.
        ``(4) Hydrographic services.--The term `hydrographic services' 
    means--
            ``(A) the management, maintenance, interpretation, 
        certification, and dissemination of bathymetric, hydrographic, 
        shoreline, geodetic, geospatial, geomagnetic, and tide, water 
        level, and current information, including the production of 
        nautical charts, nautical information databases, and other 
        products derived from hydrographic data;
            ``(B) the development of nautical information systems; and
            ``(C) related activities.
        ``(5) Coast and geodetic survey act.--The term `Coast and 
    Geodetic Survey Act' means the Act entitled `An Act to define the 
    functions and duties of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, and for 
    other purposes', approved August 6, 1947 (33 U.S.C. 883a et 
    seq.).''.

SEC. 3. FUNCTIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATOR.

    Section 303 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 
(33 U.S.C. 892a) is amended--
        (1) by striking ``the Act of 1947,'' in subsection (a) and 
    inserting ``the Coast and Geodetic Survey Act, promote safe, 
    efficient and environmentally sound marine transportation, and 
    otherwise fulfill the purposes of this Act,'';
        (2) by striking ``data;'' in subsection (a)(1) and inserting 
    ``data and provide hydrographic services;'' and
        (3) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
    ``(b) Authorities.--To fulfill the data gathering and dissemination 
duties of the Administration under the Coast and Geodetic Survey Act, 
promote safe, efficient, and environmentally sound marine 
transportation, and otherwise fulfill the purposes of this Act, subject 
to the availability of appropriations, the Administrator--
        ``(1) may procure, lease, evaluate, test, develop, and operate 
    vessels, equipment, and technologies necessary to ensure safe 
    navigation and maintain operational expertise in hydrographic data 
    acquisition and hydrographic services;
        ``(2) shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, 
    design, install, maintain, and operate real-time hydrographic 
    monitoring systems to enhance navigation safety and efficiency; and
        ``(3) where appropriate and to the extent that it does not 
    detract from the promotion of safe and efficient navigation, may 
    acquire hydrographic data and provide hydrographic services to 
    support the conservation and management of coastal and ocean 
    resources;
        ``(4) where appropriate, may acquire hydrographic data and 
    provide hydrographic services to save and protect life and property 
    and support the resumption of commerce in response to emergencies, 
    natural and man-made disasters, and homeland security and maritime 
    domain awareness needs, including obtaining mission assignments (as 
    defined in section 641 of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management 
    Reform Act of 2006 (6 U.S.C. 741));
        ``(5) may create, support, and maintain such joint centers with 
    other Federal agencies and other entities as the Administrator 
    deems appropriate or necessary to carry out the purposes of this 
    Act; and
        ``(6) notwithstanding the existence of such joint centers, 
    shall award contracts for the acquisition of hydrographic data in 
    accordance with subchapter VI of chapter 10 of title 40, United 
    States Code.''.

SEC. 4. HYDROGRAPHIC SERVICES REVIEW PANEL.

    Section 305(c)(1)(A) of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act 
of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 892c(c)(1)(A)) is amended to read as follows: ``(A) 
The panel shall consist of 15 voting members who shall be appointed by 
the Administrator. The Co-directors of the Center for Coastal and Ocean 
Mapping/Joint Hydrographic Center and no more than 2 employees of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration appointed by the 
Administrator shall serve as nonvoting members of the panel. The voting 
members of the panel shall be individuals who, by reason of knowledge, 
experience, or training, are especially qualified in 1 or more of the 
disciplines and fields relating to hydrographic data and hydrographic 
services, marine transportation, port administration, vessel pilotage, 
coastal and fishery management, and other disciplines as determined 
appropriate by the Administrator.''.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 306 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 
(33 U.S.C. 892d) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 306. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator the 
following:
        ``(1) To carry out nautical mapping and charting functions 
    under sections 304 and 305, except for conducting hydrographic 
    surveys--
            ``(A) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
            ``(B) $56,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
            ``(C) $57,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and
            ``(D) $58,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.
        ``(2) To contract for hydrographic surveys under section 
    304(b)(1), including the leasing or time chartering of vessels--
            ``(A) $32,130,000 for fiscal year 2009;
            ``(B) $32,760,000 for fiscal year 2010;
            ``(C) $33,390,000 for fiscal year 2011; and
            ``(D) $34,020,000 for fiscal year 2012.
        ``(3) To operate hydrographic survey vessels owned by the 
    United States and operated by the Administration--
            ``(A) $25,900,000 for fiscal year 2009;
            ``(B) $26,400,000 for fiscal year 2010;
            ``(C) $26,900,000 for fiscal year 2011; and
            ``(D) $27,400,000 for fiscal year 2012.
        ``(4) To carry out geodetic functions under this title--
            ``(A) $32,640,000 for fiscal year 2009;
            ``(B) $33,280,000 for fiscal year 2010;
            ``(C) $33,920,000 for fiscal year 2011; and
            ``(D) $34,560,000 for fiscal year 2012.
        ``(5) To carry out tide and current measurement functions under 
    this title--
            ``(A) $27,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
            ``(B) $27,500,000 for fiscal year 2010;
            ``(C) $28,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and
            ``(D) $28,500,000 for fiscal year 2012.
        ``(6) To acquire a replacement hydrographic survey vessel 
    capable of staying at sea continuously for at least 30 days 
    $75,000,000.''.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZED NOAA CORPS STRENGTH.

    Section 215 of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
Commissioned Officer Corps Act of 2002 (33 U.S.C. 3005) is amended to 
read as follows:

``SEC. 215. NUMBER OF AUTHORIZED COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

    ``Effective October 1, 2009, the total number of authorized 
commissioned officers on the lineal list of the commissioned corps of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall be increased 
from 321 to 379 if--
        ``(1) the Secretary has submitted to the Congress--
            ``(A) the Administration's ship recapitalization plan for 
        fiscal years 2010 through 2024;
            ``(B) the Administration's aircraft remodernization plan; 
        and
            ``(C) supporting workforce management plans;
        ``(2) appropriated funding is available; and
        ``(3) the Secretary has justified organizational needs for the 
    commissioned corps for each such fiscal year.''

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.

Hydrographic Services Improvement Act Amendments of 2008 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 to revise the definitions of: (1) "hydrographic data" to include lidar, radar, remote sensing, shoreline and other ocean- and coastal-related surveying, and water level observations; and (2) "hydrographic services" to include references to shoreline and water level information.

(Sec. 3) Requires the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to promote safe, efficient, and environmentally sound marine transportation and to acquire and disseminate hydrographic data and provide hydrographic services.

Revises the Administrator's authorities concerning the acquisition of hydrographic data and provision of hydrographic servicesincluding to permit: (1) support for the conservation and management of coastal and ocean resources; (2) saving and protecting life and property and supporting the resumption of commerce in response to emergencies, natural and man-made disasters, and homeland security and maritime domain awareness needs; and (3) the creation and maintenance of joint centers with other federal agencies.

(Sec. 4) Modifies membership provisions regarding the Hydrographic Services Review Panel.

(Sec. 5) Authorizations appropriations: (1) through FY2012 for specified hydrographic services; and (2) to acquire a replacement hydrographic survey vessel capable of staying at sea continuously for at least 30 days.

(Sec. 6) Amends the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps Act of 2002 to increase by 58 the number authorized commissioned officers on the NOAA lineal list if: (1) the Secretary of Commerce has submitted to Congress plans for ship recapitalization, aircraft remodernization, and supporting workforce management plans; (2) appropriated funding is available; and (3) the Secretary has justified organizational needs.