text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``National Sea Grant College Program 
  Amendments Act of 2015''.
  
  SEC. 2. REFERENCES TO THE NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM ACT.
  
      Except as otherwise expressly provided, wherever in this Act an 
  amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal 
  of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to 
  be made to a section or other provision of the National Sea Grant 
  College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1121 et seq.).
  
  SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF DEAN JOHN A. KNAUSS MARINE POLICY FELLOWSHIP.
  
      (a) In General.--Section 208(b) (33 U.S.C. 1127(b)) is amended by 
  striking ``may'' and inserting ``shall''.
      (b) Placements in Congress.--Such section is further amended--
              (1) in the first sentence, by striking ``The Secretary'' 
          and inserting the following:
              ``(1) In general.--The Secretary''; and
              (2) in paragraph (1), as designated by paragraph (1), in 
          the second sentence, by striking ``A fellowship'' and inserting 
          the following:
              ``(2) Placement priorities.--
                      ``(A) In general.--In each year in which the 
                  Secretary awards a legislative fellowship under this 
                  subsection, when considering the placement of fellows, 
                  the Secretary shall prioritize placement of fellows in 
                  the following:
                              ``(i) Positions in offices of, or with 
                          members on, committees of Congress that have 
                          jurisdiction over the National Oceanic and 
                          Atmospheric Administration.
                              ``(ii) Positions in offices of members of 
                          Congress that have a demonstrated interest in 
                          ocean, coastal, or Great Lakes resources.
                      ``(B) Equitable distribution.--In placing fellows 
                  in offices described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary 
                  shall ensure, to the maximum degree practicable, that 
                  placements are equitably distributed among the 
                  political parties.
              ``(3) Duration.--A fellowship''.
      (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (b) shall 
  apply with respect to the first calendar year beginning after the date 
  of enactment of this Act.
      (d) Sense of Congress Concerning Federal Hiring of Former 
  Fellows.--It is the sense of Congress that in recognition of the 
  competitive nature of the fellowship under section 208(b) of the 
  National Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1127(b)), and of the 
  exceptional qualifications of fellowship awardees, the Secretary of 
  Commerce, acting through the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 
  Atmosphere, should encourage participating Federal agencies to consider 
  opportunities for fellowship awardees at the conclusion of their 
  fellowship for workforce positions appropriate for their education and 
  experience.
  
  SEC. 4. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF COMMERCE TO ACCEPT 
                DONATIONS FOR NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM.
  
      (a) In General.--Section 204(c)(4)(E) (33 U.S.C. 1123(c)(4)(E)) is 
  amended to read as follows:
                      ``(E) accept donations of money and, 
                  notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31, United States 
                  Code, of voluntary and uncompensated services;''.
      (b) Priorities.--The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the 
  Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, shall establish 
  priorities for the use of donations accepted under section 204(c)(4)(E) 
  of the National Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 
  1123(c)(4)(E)), and shall consider among those priorities the 
  possibility of expanding the Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy 
  Fellowship's placement of additional fellows in relevant legislative 
  offices under section 208(b) of that Act (33 U.S.C. 1127(b)), in 
  accordance with the recommendations under subsection (c) of this 
  section.
      (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
  enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Sea Grant College 
  Program, in consultation with the National Sea Grant Advisory Board and 
  the Sea Grant Association, shall--
              (1) develop recommendations for the optimal use of any 
          donations accepted under section 204(c)(4)(E) of the National 
          Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1123(c)(4)(E)); and
              (2) submit to Congress a report on the recommendations 
          developed under paragraph (1).
      (d) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
  limit or otherwise affect any other amounts available for marine policy 
  fellowships under section 208(b) of the National Sea Grant College 
  Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1127(b)), including amounts--
              (1) accepted under section 204(c)(4)(F) of that Act (33 
          U.S.C. 1123(c)(4)(F)); or
              (2) appropriated under section 212 of that Act (33 U.S.C. 
          1131).
  
  SEC. 5. REPEAL OF REQUIREMENT FOR REPORT ON COORDINATION OF OCEANS AND 
                COASTAL RESEARCH ACTIVITIES.
  
      Section 9 of the National Sea Grant College Program Act Amendments 
  of 2002 (33 U.S.C. 857-20) is repealed.
  
  SEC. 6. REDUCTION IN FREQUENCY REQUIRED FOR NATIONAL SEA GRANT ADVISORY 
                BOARD REPORT.
  
      Section 209(b)(2) (33 U.S.C. 1128(b)(2)) is amended--
              (1) in the heading, by striking ``Biennial'' and inserting 
          ``Periodic''; and
              (2) in the first sentence, by striking ``The Board shall 
          report to the Congress every two years'' and inserting ``Not 
          less frequently than once every 3 years, the Board shall submit 
          to Congress a report''.
  
  SEC. 7. MODIFICATION OF ELEMENTS OF NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE PROGRAM.
  
      Section 204(b) (33 U.S.C. 1123(b)) is amended, in the matter before 
  paragraph (1), by inserting ``for research, education, extension, 
  training, technology transfer, and public service'' after ``financial 
  assistance''.
  
  SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR NATIONAL SEA GRANT COLLEGE 
                PROGRAM.
  
      (a) In General.--Section 212(a) (33 U.S.C. 1131(a)) is amended--
              (1) in paragraph (1)--
                      (A) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``and'' at the 
                  end;
                      (B) in subparagraph (F), by striking the period at 
                  the end and inserting ``;''; and
                      (C) by adding at the end the following:
                      ``(G) $72,000,000 for fiscal year 2015;
                      ``(H) $75,600,000 for fiscal year 2016;
                      ``(I) $79,380,000 for fiscal year 2017;
                      ``(J) $83,350,000 for fiscal year 2018;
                      ``(K) $87,520,000 for fiscal year 2019;
                      ``(L) $91,900,000 for fiscal year 2020; and
                      ``(M) $96,500,000 for fiscal year 2021.'';
              (2) in the heading for paragraph (2), by inserting ``for 
          fiscal years 2009 through 2014'' after ``Priority activities''; 
          and
              (3) by adding at the end the following:
              ``(3) Priority activities for fiscal years 2015 through 
          2020.--In addition to the amounts authorized under paragraph 
          (1), there is authorized to be appropriated $6,000,000 for each 
          of fiscal years 2015 through 2020 for competitive grants for 
          the following:
                      ``(A) University research on the biology, 
                  prevention, and control of aquatic nonnative species.
                      ``(B) University research on oyster diseases, 
                  oyster restoration, and oyster-related human health 
                  risks.
                      ``(C) University research on the biology, 
                  prevention, and forecasting of harmful algal blooms.
                      ``(D) University research, education, training, and 
                  extension services and activities focused on coastal 
                  resilience and U.S. working waterfronts and other 
                  regional or national priority issues identified in the 
                  strategic plan under section 204(c)(1).
                      ``(E) University research on sustainable 
                  aquaculture techniques and technologies.
                      ``(F) Fishery extension activities conducted by sea 
                  grant colleges or sea grant institutes to enhance, and 
                  not supplant, existing core program funding.''.
      (b) Modification of Limitations on Amounts for Administration.--
  Paragraph (1) of section 212(b) (33 U.S.C. 1131(b)) is amended to read 
  as follows:
              ``(1) Administration.--
                      ``(A) In general.--There may not be used for 
                  administration of programs under this title in a fiscal 
                  year more than 5.5 percent of the lesser of--
                              ``(i) the amount authorized to be 
                          appropriated under this title for the fiscal 
                          year; or
                              ``(ii) the amount appropriated under this 
                          title for the fiscal year.
                      ``(B) Critical staffing requirements.--
                              ``(i) In general.--The Director shall use 
                          the authority under subchapter VI of chapter 33 
                          of title 5, United States Code, to meet any 
                          critical staffing requirement while carrying 
                          out the activities authorized in this title.
                              ``(ii) Exception from cap.--For purposes of 
                          subparagraph (A), any costs incurred as a 
                          result of an exercise of authority as described 
                          in clause (i) shall not be considered an amount 
                          used for administration of programs under this 
                          title in a fiscal year.''.
      (c) Allocation of Funding.--
              (1) In general.--Section 204(d)(3) (33 U.S.C. 1123(d)(3)) 
          is amended--
                      (A) in the matter before subparagraph (A), by 
                  striking ``With respect to sea grant colleges and sea 
                  grant institutes'' and inserting ``With respect to sea 
                  grant colleges, sea grant institutes, sea grant 
                  programs, and sea grant projects''; and
                      (B) in subparagraph (B), in the matter before 
                  clause (i), by striking ``funding among sea grant 
                  colleges and sea grant institutes'' and inserting 
                  ``funding among sea grant colleges, sea grant 
                  institutes, sea grant programs, and sea grant 
                  projects''.
              (2) Repeal of requirements concerning distribution of 
          excess amounts.--Section 212 (33 U.S.C. 1131) is amended--
                      (A) by striking subsection (c); and
                      (B) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as 
                  subsections (c) and (d), respectively.
  
  SEC. 9. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.
  
      The National Sea Grant College Program Act (33 U.S.C. 1121 et seq.) 
  is amended--
              (1) in section 204(d)(3)(B) (33 U.S.C. 1123(d)(3)(B)), by 
          moving clause (vi) two ems to the right; and
              (2) in section 209(b)(2) (33 U.S.C. 1128(b)(2)), as amended 
          by section 6, in the third sentence, by striking ``The 
          Secretary shall'' and inserting the following:
              ``(3) Availability of resources of department of 
          commerce.--The Secretary shall''.
target: National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2015   This bill amends the National Sea Grant College Program Act to reauthorize through FY2021 the National Sea Grant College Program. The bill requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to award Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowships. Currently, NOAA may give fellowships. Those fellowships support graduate students in fields related to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources in positions with the executive and legislative branches.  NOAA must give priority placement of those fellows placed in the legislative branch in: (1) offices or committees of Congress that have jurisdiction over NOAA; and (2) offices of Members of Congress that have a demonstrated interest in ocean, coastal, or Great Lakes resources. NOAA must attempt to ensure that placements are equitably distributed among political parties. NOAA must establish priorities for the use of donations given for the National Sea Grant College Program.  The bill authorizes through FY2020 grants for university research on: (1) the biology, prevention, and control of aquatic nonnative species; (2) oyster diseases, oyster restoration, and oyster-related human health risks; (3) the biology, prevention, and forecasting of harmful algal blooms; and (4) sustainable aquaculture techniques and technologies. The bill also authorizes through FY2020 grants for: (1) fishery extension activities conducted by sea grant colleges or sea grant institutes to enhance existing core program funding, and (2) priority issues identified in the National Sea Grant College Program's strategic plan.
feat_title: National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2015