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S. 3160: National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2008

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S. 3160: National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2008

110th Congress · introduced 2008-06-19 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 1091.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2008-06-19 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 1091. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2008

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.) National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2008 - (Sec. 4) Amends the National Sea Grant College Program Act to: (1) substitute "management" for "utilization" in the definition of "field related to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources"; (2) substitute "extension services" for "advisory services" in the definition of "project"; and (3) add a definition for "regional research and information plan." (Sec. 5) Adds regional and national projects as elements of the national sea grant college program. Removes a reference to the sea grant review panel from provisions relating to the administration of the program. Refers to regional or national (under current law, national) strategic investments being developed with the approval of sea grant colleges and the sea grant institutes (under current law, with the approval of the sea grant review panel and the colleges and institutes). Revises the program director's duties. Requires that sea grants or contracts be responsive to the needs or problems of the nation, as well as to individual states and regions. (Sec. 6) Limits the special grant and graduate fellowship amounts that may be provided to 5% (under current law, 1%) of the amount appropriated for the National Sea Grant College Program. (Sec. 7) Requires that sea grant colleges provide extension (under current law, advisory) services. (Sec. 8) Exempts marine policy fellowships from federal cost sharing requirements. (Sec. 9) Redesignates the sea grant review panel as the National Sea Grant Advisory Board and modifies it's duties and powers and various administrative matters. (Sec. 10) Authorizes appropriations to carry out the Act. Allows any appropriated amounts exceeding the amounts appropriated for FY2003 to be distributed (among other places) to certain regional or national (under current law, national) strategic investments. (Sec. 11) Repeals a National Sea Grant College Program Act Amendments of 2002 provision requiring an annual report to the House Committee on Resources and Science and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on coordination of oceans and coastal research activities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including the Coastal Ocean Program and the National Sea Grant College Program, and the National Science Foundation.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate without amendment), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2008

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate without amendment)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI] · 5 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 3160, National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2008 (2008-07-01); CBO cost estimate: S. 3160, National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2008 (2008-07-01)

Cosponsors on this site

Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Jack Reed (D-RI)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong110-s3160 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110