Sponsors (26)
The bill provides predictable federal funding and clearer, more coordinated regional ocean observation and data-sharing structures to benefit scientists and coastal communities, but does so at the cost of higher federal spending and some added administrative and transitional burdens for government offices.
Scientists, regional observing systems, and ocean researchers will get stable, predictable funding: the bill authorizes $47.5M per year (FY2026–FY2030) for integrated ocean observations to support equipment, operations, and research.
Regional coastal communities, state governments, and federally funded projects will have improved data sharing and coordination because the bill requires an Interagency Ocean Observation Committee process for collaboration with regional coastal observing systems.
Federal agencies and ocean science programs will have clearer governance: renaming and standardizing the Council to a Committee clarifies roles and may streamline interagency coordination for ocean observation programs.
Taxpayers and federal budget-makers face higher spending: the $47.5M/year authorization increases federal outlays and could add budget pressure or require offsets elsewhere.
State, local, and federal offices and federally funded projects may incur additional administrative and compliance burdens to satisfy the new data-sharing and collaboration requirements.
Federal and state officials could face short-term legal or operational confusion because renaming the Council to Committee changes a defined term and may require implementing guidance to reconcile statutory references.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Renames a council to a committee, mandates regional data-sharing collaboration requirements, and authorizes $47.5M annually for FY2026–FY2030 for the ocean observing system.
Official title: To reauthorize the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009.
Introduced March 24, 2025 by Mike Ezell · Last progress March 17, 2026
Revises the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act to rename a governing body, add a new interagency requirement for regional data-sharing collaboration, and authorize $47.5 million per year for fiscal years 2026–2030 to support the national ocean observing system. It updates defined terms and makes minor stylistic edits across the statute. The changes require the Interagency Ocean Observation Committee to set requirements and processes so regional offices and federally funded agency projects work with regional coastal observing systems to share data at the regional level, and it renames the National Ocean Research Leadership Council as the Ocean Policy Committee to reflect that defined term change.