(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2008 - (Sec. 4) Amends the National Sea Grant College Program Act to: (1) substitute "management" for "utilization" in the definition of "field related to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources"; (2) substitute "extension services" for "advisory services" in the definition of "project"; and (3) add a definition for "regional research and information plan."
(Sec. 5) Adds regional and national projects as elements of the national sea grant college program. Removes a reference to the sea grant review panel from provisions relating to the administration of the program. Refers to regional or national (under current law, national) strategic investments being developed with the approval of sea grant colleges and the sea grant institutes (under current law, with the approval of the sea grant review panel and the colleges and institutes). Revises the program director's duties.
Requires that sea grants or contracts be responsive to the needs or problems of the nation, as well as to individual states and regions.
(Sec. 6) Limits the special grant and graduate fellowship amounts that may be provided to 5% (under current law, 1%) of the amount appropriated for the National Sea Grant College Program.
(Sec. 7) Requires that sea grant colleges provide extension (under current law, advisory) services.
(Sec. 8) Exempts marine policy fellowships from federal cost sharing requirements.
(Sec. 9) Redesignates the sea grant review panel as the National Sea Grant Advisory Board and modifies it's duties and powers and various administrative matters.
(Sec. 10) Authorizes appropriations to carry out the Act. Allows any appropriated amounts exceeding the amounts appropriated for FY2003 to be distributed (among other places) to certain regional or national (under current law, national) strategic investments.
(Sec. 11) Repeals a National Sea Grant College Program Act Amendments of 2002 provision requiring an annual report to the House Committee on Resources and Science and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on coordination of oceans and coastal research activities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including the Coastal Ocean Program and the National Sea Grant College Program, and the National Science Foundation.