Sponsors (12)
The bill secures multi-year funding, continuity, and clearer reporting for regional ocean partnerships, at the cost of increased federal spending and the risk that some previously authorized activities could lose support, plus modest administrative updates.
Local governments, nonprofits, and rural communities receive dedicated funding increases of about $11.57M–$11.92M per year for FY2028–FY2031 to support continued coordination and on-the-ground ocean projects.
Regional ocean partnership programs remain authorized through 2031, preserving eligibility and a multi-year planning horizon for partners.
Reporting language is clarified to require each report, strengthening recurring accountability and transparency for funded partnerships.
Some previously authorized activities may be removed due to narrowing or redesignating prior subparagraphs, potentially reducing support for certain projects run by local governments and nonprofits.
Taxpayers indirectly fund roughly $46.99 million in additional federal outlays across FY2028–FY2031 to finance the program increases.
Textual edits to reporting punctuation and plurality create a modest short-term administrative burden for partners and agencies to update guidance, contracts, and reporting templates.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Introduced February 5, 2026 by Roger F. Wicker · Last progress February 5, 2026
Revises federal law for regional ocean partnerships by updating reporting language, extending the statutory authorization period through 2031, and specifying authorized funding levels for fiscal years 2028–2031. The measure deletes and redesignates certain statutory subparagraphs and sets exact dollar authorizations for each year 2028–2031. The change is procedural and budget-authorizing in nature: it does not appropriate funds directly but modifies the statutory authorization of appropriations and minor reporting wording for the partnerships.