National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Improvements Act of 2025
Latest action · Sep 15, 2026 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.
- IntroducedMar 27, 2025
- Passed HouseSep 14, 2026
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Improvements Act of 2025
This bill expands requirements for addressing sexual harassment and sexual assault involving personnel of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The bill specifies that NOAA's sexual harassment prevention and response policy applies to personnel such as observers, at-sea monitors, and voting members and staff of regional fishery management councils.
The bill removes the requirement that certain acts, such as assault, intimidation, and sexual harassment of an observer or a data collector, be forcible in nature to be unlawful.
The bill also requires NOAA's Office of Marine and Aviation Operations to establish a policy for reporting to the Coast Guard the names of NOAA personnel involved in a sexual harassment or sexual assault claim. Specifically, such reports must identify employees or contractors who are the subject of such claim, the time and date of the incident, and the location of the vessel when the incident occurred.
The bill prohibits a person convicted of certain sexual offenses from enlisting with or being commissioned by NOAA.
Additionally, the bill directs NOAA to update its policies to develop a restricted reporting system that allows employees and other personnel to confidentially report sexual harassment or assault and receive services without triggering an investigation.
Finally, the bill also expands reporting requirements on sexual harassment, sexual assault, and equal employment.
Cosponsors 3
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Mar 27, 2025 to Mar 31, 2025, with 2 there on the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-CA | Jared Huffman | Original | Mar 27, 2025 |
| R-FL | Maria Elvira Salazar | Original | Mar 27, 2025 |
| R-PA | Brian K. Fitzpatrick | Mar 31, 2025 |
Actions 18
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Sep 15, 2026Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Sep 14, 2026Considered under suspension of the rules.
- Sep 14, 2026Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5571-5574)
- Sep 14, 2026DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2406.
- Sep 14, 2026Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources.
- Assault and harassment offenses
- Crime victims
- Criminal justice information and records
- Data collection, sharing, protection
- Department of Commerce
- Employee performance
- Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
- Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
- Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
- Personnel records
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
Text 4
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Sep 15, 2026Referred in Senate
- Sep 14, 2026Engrossed in House
- Aug 20, 2026Reported in House
- Mar 27, 2025Introduced 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.
