Oceans Act of 2000
Public Law 106-256 · S. 2327 · 106th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Aug 7, 2000 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Sen. Fritz Hollings (D-SC)
Cosponsors (20): Sen. Ted Stevens, Sen. Olympia Snowe,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Oceans Act of 2000 - Establishes the Commission on Ocean Policy and requires it to: (1) report to Congress and the President; and (2) establish a multidisciplinary science advisory panel of experts in the sciences of living and non-living marine resources to assist the Commission. Authorizes appropriations.
Directs the President to submit to Congress: (1) after considering the Commission's report, proposals for a coordinated, comprehensive, and long range national policy for the responsible use and stewardship of ocean and coastal resources for the benefit of the United States; and (2) a biennial report on all existing Federal programs related to ocean and coastal activities.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 13 actions.
- Aug 7, 2000Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 106-256.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jul 27, 2000PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Jul 25, 2000FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Saxton moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Jun 26, 2000FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
- May 23, 2000CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Apr 13, 2000CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Mar 29, 2000CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.