Bill > S216

This bill amends the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act and the Marine Debris Act to improve the administration of the Marine Debris Program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Marine Debris Foundation. The bill makes several key changes, including restructuring the Act's organization by creating new subtitles, expanding the Foundation's purposes to explicitly include Indian Tribes, modifying the Board of Directors' appointment process, and adding provisions for a Chief Executive Officer. It also updates definitions to include terms like "coastal shoreline community" and "Tribal Government" and expands the Foundation's ability to develop best practices for outreach to Tribal Governments. The bill increases authorization of appropriations, adding $2 million for fiscal year 2025 and broadening the list of potential funding recipients to include Indian Tribes, regional organizations, and foreign governments. Additionally, the bill makes technical changes such as replacing references to "Administrator" with "Under Secretary" and ensuring consistent terminology throughout the Act. These modifications aim to enhance the effectiveness of marine debris prevention, research, and mitigation efforts while improving collaboration with Tribal Governments and other stakeholders.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/216/all-info