Posted by Elaine on June 17, 2005 at 11:10:01:
I located the text of S. 1224, the "National Oceans Preservation Act of 2005" introduced last week by Senator Barbara Boxer. I haven't had time to read all of it to check for porkbarrels (legislative spam) but it looks like some logical ocean proactive legislation which strengthens NOAA. Barbara Boxer was asking for letters from citizens to Senators to co-sponsor the bill.
I can't get a direct link to work, but if you go to the Thomas Legislative Information Site , type in S1224, click the "enter bill number" box and hit the search button it will take you directly to the text.
Stated Purposes include:
(a) IN GENERAL- NOAA shall be responsible for the following functions, through which it shall carry out the policy of this Act in a coordinated, integrated, and ecosystem-based manner for the benefit of the United States:
(1) Management, conservation, protection, and restoration of ocean resources, including living marine resources, habitats and ocean ecosystems.
(2) Observation, monitoring, assessment, forecasting, prediction, operations and exploration for ocean and atmospheric environments including weather, climate, navigation and marine resources.
(3) Research, education and outreach, technical assistance, and technology development and innovation activities relating to ocean and atmospheric environments including basic scientific research and activities that support other agency functions and missions.
(b) TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS- There shall be transferred to the Administrator any authority established by law that, before the date of enactment of this Act, was vested in the Secretary of Commerce and pertains to the functions, responsibilities, or duties of NOAA under subsection (a).
The Origional Diver.net post with the request from Barbara Boxer to support this bill is at this link