Bill > S2126

This bill, the Integrated Ocean Observation System Reauthorization Act of 2025, aims to update and extend the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009, which establishes a system for collecting and disseminating data about the nation's oceans and coasts. Key changes include renaming the "Council" to the "Ocean Policy Committee," expanding the system's scope to include meteorological observations and information, and emphasizing the importance of data management systems and cyber infrastructure. The bill also mandates that the Ocean Policy Committee develop requirements for regional associations and federally funded projects to collaborate on data sharing, and it requires post-storm evaluations to assess the impact of the observation system on storm forecast accuracy. Furthermore, it authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, ensuring that at least 7.5 percent of these funds are allocated to existing regional coastal observing systems, excluding disaster relief appropriations.