Hydrographic Services Improvement Act Amendments of 2002
Public Law 107-372 · H.R. 4883 · 107th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Dec 19, 2002 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Rep. Don Young (R-AK)
Cosponsors (3): Rep. James Hansen, Rep. Wayne Gilchrest,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- 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.
Hydrographic Services Improvement Act Amendments of 2002 - Title I: NOAA Hydrographic Services Improvement - Amends the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 to direct the Secretary of Commerce to design, install, maintain, and operate real-time hydrographic monitoring systems to enhance navigation safety and efficiency. (Current law authorizes the design and installation where appropriate of Physical Oceanographic Real-Time Systems to enhance navigation safety and efficiency.) Authorizes the Secretary to use hydrographic data to support the conservation and management of coastal and ocean resources where such action does not interfere with safe and efficient navigation.
(Sec. 104) Requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator within two years of enactment (currently, authorizes and does not specify a time frame), subject to availability of appropriations, to develop and implement a quality assurance program under which hydrographic products may be certified. Directs the Administrator, to the maximum extent praticable, to assure that international organizations and agreements to which the United States is a party which affect hydrographic products and nautical charts accept or recognize hydrographic products certified by the Administrator.
(Sec. 105) Establishes the Hydrographic Services Review Panel to advise the Administrator on appropriate matters such as hydrographic data and navigation services.
(Sec. 106) Requires the Administrator to submit to Congress a plan for increasing contracting with the private sector for various geospatial reference services related to hydrographic data acquisition or hydrographic services activities performed by the National Ocean Service.
(Sec. 107) Authorizes appropriations through FY 2007.
Title II: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officers Corps Act of 2002 - Subtitle A: General Provisions - Establishes within the NOAA a commissioned officer corps (the "corps").
(Sec. 213) Requires the annual strength of the corps' officers on active duty to be prescribed by law and the Secretary to keep a list of active officers.
(Sec. 215) Authorizes appropriations through FY 2008.
Subtitle B: Appointment and Promotion of Officers - Sets forth rules for the appointment and promotion of corps officers, including temporary appointments and promotions.
Subtitle C: Separation and Retirement of Officers - Delineates rules for involuntary retirement of officers and retirement for age and length of service.
Subtitle D: Service of Officers With the Military Departments - Permits the President to transfer NOAA vessels, equipment, stations and officers to a military department in times of emergency, and prescribes rules for such cooperation.
Subtitle E: Rights and Benefits - Applies certain specified provisions of Federal law pertaining to the Armed Forces to the corps, including ones dealing with leave, retirement or separation for physical disability, and computation of retired pay. Specifies provisions under which active service corps officers shall be considered active military service for the purposes of all rights, privileges, immunities, and benefits. Provides for use of appropriated funds for: (1) transportation of the effects of deceased officers; and (2) reimbursement for supplies furnished by officers to distressed and shipwrecked persons. Prescribes that a U.S. flag be given to active commissioned officers upon retirement, except to individuals who already received a U.S. flag for retirement under this Act or any other provision of law.
Subtitle F: Repeals and Conforming Amendments - Sets forth repeals and conforming amendments.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Natural Resources Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee
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. 15 actions.
- Dec 19, 2002Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 107-372.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Dec 9, 2002PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Nov 20, 2002FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Nov 15, 2002FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
- FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Hansen asked unanimous consent to consider in the House.
- Jul 26, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Jun 26, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
- Jun 20, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Jun 11, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Jun 6, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
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.