Coordinated Ocean Observations and Research Act of 2020
Public Law 116-271 · S. 914 · 116th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Donald Trump (R) on Dec 31, 2020 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS)
Cosponsors (3): Sen. Maria Cantwell, Sen. Dan Sullivan,
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.
Coordinated Ocean Observations and Research Act of 2020
This bill reauthorizes through FY2025 and revises the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System (IOOS), which is a network of federal and regional entities that provide information about the nation's coasts, oceans, and Great Lakes, as well as new tools and forecasts to improve safety, enhance the economy, and protect the environment.
The bill revises the authority of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to conduct scientific assessments related to storms, including to (1) direct NOAA to seek public input before the Named Storm Event Model (the official meteorological and oceanographic computerized model which utilizes data to replicate the magnitude, timing, and spatial variations of winds, rainfall, and storm surges associated with named storms for which post-storm assessments are conducted) takes effect, and (2) allow NOAA to deploy sensors to areas in coastal states that are at the highest risk of experiencing geophysical events that would cause indeterminate losses.
The bill provides statutory authority for NOAA's National Water Center. (The center currently exists at NOAA as the research and operational center of excellence for hydrologic analyses, forecasting, and related decision support services.)
Additionally, the bill directs the National Weather Service (NWS) to make a policy directive for the National Water Center publicly available. The NWS must also (1) initiate and lead all research and development activities to develop operational water resource prediction and related decision support products, (2) collaborate with relevant state and federal agencies regarding total water prediction, and (3) collaboratively develop capabilities necessary for total water predictive capacity.
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.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
S. 810Related bill
COASTAL Implementation Act of 2019
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 23 actions.
- Dec 31, 2020Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 116-271.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Dec 21, 2020FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Dec 17, 2020FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Dec 16, 2020Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendment to S. 914 by Unanimous Consent.
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to the House amendment to S. 914 by Unanimous Consent.
- Dec 7, 2020FloorFloor · Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill.
- Dec 3, 2020FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 914.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Case moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Sep 24, 2020CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Science, Space, and Technology, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdicti…
- Aug 7, 2020FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
- FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- Aug 4, 2020FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Jul 30, 2020FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Dec 5, 2019CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 318.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Wicker without amendment. With written report No. 116-168.
- Apr 3, 2019CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- Mar 27, 2019CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 2501SenateSen. Roger WickerR-MS· offered Jul 30, 2020Agreed to
In the nature of a substitute.
Jul 30, 2020: Amendment SA 2501 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.