Ocean, Coastal, and Watershed Education Act
Latest action · Mar 22, 2010 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedSep 24, 2009
- Passed HouseMar 19, 2010
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Ocean, Coastal, and Watershed Education Act - (Sec. 4) Directs the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish the Environmental Literacy Grant Program, a competitive grant program that provides financial assistance to: (1) expand the adoption of coastal, ocean, Great Lakes, and climate on all time scales education; (2) build administrative and technical capacity with coastal, ocean, and watershed communities and stakeholder groups to enhance their effectiveness; (3) encourage water- and wildlife-dependent and other outdoor recreation, experiential learning, and hands-on involvement with coastal and watershed resources as a method of promoting stewardship and sustainable economic development of those resources; and (4) develop and implement new approaches to advance coastal, ocean, Great Lakes, and climate on all time scales and education and environmental literacy.
Requires the Administrator to: (1) give priority, in awarding environmental literacy grants, to innovative, strategic, high-leverage projects that demonstrate strong potential for being sustained; and (2) publish guidelines regarding implementation of the Environmental Literacy Grant Program.
(Sec. 5) Directs the Administrator to conduct the Bay-Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program, including each of the regional programs conducted or under active consideration for creation under the B-WET Program. Authorizes the Administrator to create new regional programs under the B-WET Program. Requires the Administrator to issue and report to Congress on a strategy for establishing such new regional programs. Requires the Administrator, in creating new regional programs, to give priority to the needs of U.S. territories, the Great Lakes states, Alaska, and the mid-Atlantic region.
Authorizes the Administrator to modify or realign regional B-WET programs, based on specified factors. Makes the Administrator responsible for the selection, appointment, and replacement of regional program managers. Establishes managers' duties.
Requires the Administrator to create B-WET Program guidelines through which managers may: (1) enter into contracts to support projects to design, demonstrate, evaluate, or disseminate practices, methods, or techniques related to bay-watershed education and training; and (2) provide grants or a cooperative agreement to support projects that advance environmental literacy, develop public awareness and appreciation of the economic, social, recreational, and environmental benefits of coastal watersheds, and emphasize stewardship of critical coastal and marine resources.
Requires managers, in awarding grants under the B-WET Program, to give priority to projects that will: (1) promote bay-watershed education throughout the region concerned; (2) advance strategic initiatives to incorporate bay-watershed education into education systems; (3) build capacity within bay-watershed education communities and stakeholder groups for expanding and strengthening their work; (4) build bay-watershed education into professional development or training activities for educators; (5) broadly replicate existing, proven bay-watershed education programs; (6) be conducted by or benefit under-served communities and any community that has an inability to draw on other funding sources because of its small population or low income; and (7) require a federal share not exceeding 75% of the aggregate cost of such project.
Requires NOAA's Office of Education to work with managers on the following regional B-WET Program functions: (1) strategic planning efforts; (2) integration and coordination of programs; (3) coordination of national evaluation efforts; (4) promotion of network-wide communications; (5) selection of new managers; and (6) management, tracking, and oversight of the B-WET Program.
(Sec. 6) Requires the Administrator to report biennially to Congress on grant programs.
(Sec. 7) Authorizes appropriations for FY2011-FY2015 for the Environmental Literacy Grant Program and the B-WET Program. Prohibits such appropriated funds from being used for congressional earmarks.
Recorded votes 4
Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.
| Roll call | Question | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House 142 | On Passage | Passed244–170 | Mar 19, 2010 |
| House 141 | On Motion to Recommit with Instructions | Failed200–215 | Mar 19, 2010 |
| House 140 | On Agreeing to the Amendment | Agreed to233–178 | Mar 19, 2010 |
| House 139 | On Agreeing to the Amendment | Agreed to376–37 | Mar 19, 2010 |
Cosponsors 30
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Sep 24, 2009 to Nov 18, 2009; 2 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-CA | Sam Farr | Original | Sep 24, 2009 |
| R-MI | Vernon J. Ehlers | Original | Sep 24, 2009 |
| D-GU | Madeleine Z. Bordallo | Sep 29, 2009 | |
| D-MI | Carolyn C. Kilpatrick | Oct 6, 2009 | |
| D-VI | Donna M. Christensen | Oct 6, 2009 | |
| D-OR | Earl Blumenauer | Oct 6, 2009 | |
| D-CA | Laura Richardson | Oct 6, 2009 | |
| D-AZ | Raúl M. Grijalva | Oct 6, 2009 | |
| D-CA | Mike Thompson | Oct 13, 2009 | |
| D-CA | Barbara Lee | Oct 14, 2009 | |
| D-MP | Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan | Oct 14, 2009 | |
| D-ME | Chellie Pingree | Oct 15, 2009 | |
| D-PR | Pedro R. Pierluisi | Oct 15, 2009 | |
| D-VA | Gerald E. Connolly | Oct 20, 2009 | |
| D-NH | Carol Shea-Porter | Oct 29, 2009 |
Committees 2
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Natural Resources Committee | Referred Sep 24, 2009Markup Nov 18, 2009Reported Jan 12, 2010 |
| Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans, and Insular Affairs Subcommittee | Referred Sep 28, 2009Hearings Oct 15, 2009Discharged Nov 18, 2009 | |
| Senate | Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee | Referred Mar 22, 2010 |
Actions 23
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Mar 22, 2010Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Mar 19, 2010Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1192. (consideration: CR H1669-1674, H1675-1676, H1676-1686; text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H1669-1671)
- Mar 19, 2010Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 3644 and H.R. 1612. It shall be in order to consider in the House, H.R. 3644 and H.R. 1612. All points of order against consideration of each bill are waived except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule XXI. The amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Natural Resources now printed in each bill shall be considered as adopted. The bills, as amended, shall be considered read. Further amendments are in order. Each bill shall be debatable for one hour.
- Mar 19, 2010DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 3644.
- Mar 19, 2010DEBATE - The House proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Capps amendment in the nature of a substitute.
In the Congressional Record 2
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | Debate and remarks H1661–H1665, H1669–H1686Text printed H1661, H1669–H1671Amendments H1677, H1681Motions H1684Recorded votes H1667, H1683, H1684, H1685, H1686Capps amendment (substitute)Chaffetz motion to recommit (freeze funding, prohibit entities suing the Government from receiving grants, and expand areas which grants may be offered)enactFlake amendment (prohibit use of education and watershed programs funds for earmarks)Declaratory Statements H1745 | Chaka Fattah D-PA, Chellie Pingree D-ME, Daniel E. Lungren R-CA, Donna F. Edwards D-MD, Gerald E. Connolly D-VA, James P. McGovern D-MA, Jared Polis D-CO, Jason Chaffetz R-UT (motion), Jay Inslee D-WA, Jeff Flake R-AZ (amendment), John P. Sarbanes D-MD, Keith Ellison D-MN, Lincoln Diaz-Balart R-FL, Lois Capps D-CA (amendment), Rush Holt D-NJ, Sam Farr D-CA, Sheila Jackson Lee D-TX, Steve Scalise R-LA | Mar 19, 2010 |
| House | Declaratory Statements H1657 | — | Mar 18, 2010 |
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Committee report
Congressional Budget Office cost estimates 2
- Dec 4, 2009H.R. 3644, Ocean, Coastal, and Watershed Education Act<p>Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on November 18, 2009</p>
- Dec 4, 2009H.R. 3644, Ocean, Coastal, and Watershed Education ActCost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on November 18, 2009
Printed hearings 2
Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.
| Number | Hearing | Committee | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serial No. 111-61 | DISCUSSION DRAFT, AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE TO H.R. 3534, DATED JUNE 22, 2010 (5:25 P.M.)123 pages | Natural Resources Committee | Jun 22, 2010–Jun 30, 2010 |
| — | COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FOR 2011525 pages | Appropriations Committee | Apr 14, 2010 |
CRS reports 1
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
Cite it 1
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| RL33603 | Ocean Commissions: Ocean Policy Review and Outlook Archived | Report | Jul 20, 2010 |
Amendments 2
Amendments offered to this bill.
| Amendment | Description | Offered by | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HAmdt 588 | An amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in Part A of House Report 111-445 to reflect changes to the bill that address concerns raised by the minorit y during Committee consideration of the bill. In particular the ANS makes several changes to reflect the significant economic importance of coastal areas and resources to the overall economy of the United States and also authorizes specific increases in authorized appropriation levels. | Lois Capps D-CA | On agreeing to the Capps amendment (A001) as amended Agreed to by recorded vote: 233 - 178 (Roll no. 140). |
| HAmdt 589 | An amendment to the Capps amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in Part B of House Report 111-445 to prohibit earmarking in the funds authorized for appropriations in the legislation. | Jeff Flake R-AZ | On agreeing to the Flake amendment to the Capps Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 376 - 37, 1 Present (Roll no. 139). |
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
Titles 4
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish education and watershed programs which advance environmental literacy, including preparedness and adaptability for the likely impacts of climate change in coastal watershed regions.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- Bay-Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Regional Program and National Environmental Literacy Grant Program Act
- Short Titles as Reported to House
- Ocean, Coastal, and Watershed Education Act
- Short Titles as Passed House
- Ocean, Coastal, and Watershed Education Act
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources.
- Administrative law and regulatory procedures
- Alaska
- Atlantic Coast (U.S.)
- Atlantic Ocean
- Climate change and greenhouse gases
- Education programs funding
- Elementary and secondary education
- Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Great Lakes
- Higher education
- Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
- Outdoor recreation
- Performance measurement
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Teaching, teachers, curricula
- Watersheds
- Wildlife conservation and habitat protection
Text 4
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Mar 22, 2010Referred in Senate
- Mar 19, 2010Engrossed in House
- Jan 12, 2010Reported in House
- Sep 24, 2009Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.