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; 2 are original cosponsors, there from 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 |
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 Mar 27, 2025Markup Jul 15, 2026Reported Aug 20, 2026 |
| Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee | Referred May 29, 2026Hearings Jun 3, 2026Discharged Jul 15, 2026 | |
| Senate | Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee | Referred Sep 15, 2026 |
Actions 15
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. (consideration: CR H5571-5574)
- Sep 14, 2026Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Sep 14, 2026DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2406.
- Sep 14, 2026Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5571-5573)
- Sep 14, 2026Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Aug 20, 2026Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-761.
- Aug 20, 2026Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 662.
- Jul 15, 2026Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Discharged
- Jul 15, 2026Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Jul 15, 2026Ordered to be Reported by Unanimous Consent.
- Jun 3, 2026Subcommittee Hearings Held
- May 29, 2026Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.
- Mar 27, 2025Introduced in House
- Mar 27, 2025Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extensions | Debate and remarks E937 | Zoe Lofgren D-CA | Sep 16, 2026 |
| House | Debate and remarks H5571–H5574Text printed H5571–H5573 | Bruce Westerman R-AR, Sarah Elfreth D-MD, Suzanne Bonamici D-OR | Sep 14, 2026 |
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
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 171, no. 56, March 27, 2025, page H1338.
Titles 6
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To amend the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 to address sexual harassment and sexual assault involving National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration personnel, and for other purposes.
- Short Title(s) as Introduced
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Improvements Act of 2025
- Short Title(s) as Reported to House
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Improvements Act of 2025
- Short Title(s) as Passed House
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Improvements Act of 2025
- Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Improvements Act of 2025
- Official Title from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text
- To amend the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 to address sexual harassment and sexual assault involving National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration personnel, and for other purposes.
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; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
