To reauthorize the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009.
Summary
HB2294 reauthorizes the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009, which supports a national network for collecting, sharing, and using coastal and ocean data. The bill updates terminology in the existing law, replacing references to the “Council” with “Committee” and aligning the statute with the Ocean Policy Committee and related interagency structures. It also expands language to emphasize operational oceanography measurements and coordination between federal regional offices, federally funded projects, and regional coastal observing systems.
The bill further revises the act’s authorization of appropriations by setting funding at $56 million for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2030. In practical terms, it continues federal support for ocean and coastal observation infrastructure, data-sharing systems, and related scientific and operational activities used for weather, ocean, and coastal monitoring.
Impact
HB2294 amends 33 U.S.C. 3601 et seq. by updating organizational references, adding a new collaboration requirement for regional data sharing, and extending the program’s authorization of appropriations through fiscal year 2030. The bill primarily affects federal agencies involved in ocean observation, regional coastal observing systems, and recipients of federal ocean-data funding, while maintaining the statutory framework for the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System.
Sentiment
The available context suggests broad, noncontroversial support for the bill. It was reported from the House Committee on Natural Resources, discharged from the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and later received in the Senate and referred to committee. The bill’s sponsor list expanded with additional bipartisan and geographically diverse cosponsors, which indicates generally favorable sentiment toward continuing the program.
Contention
No committee transcript or recorded vote data is provided, so there is no documented floor-level controversy in the available record. The only potentially notable policy issue is the bill’s funding authorization level and the added requirement for federal and regional coordination on data sharing, but the context does not show organized opposition to either provision. The measure appears to be a routine reauthorization with technical updates rather than a disputed policy overhaul.