S. 1991: A bill to establish the National Endowment for the Oceans, and for other purposes.

112th Congress · introduced 2011-12-14 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2011-12-14 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

A bill to establish the National Endowment for the Oceans, and for other purposes.

Plain summary

Establishes in the Treasury a trust fund to be known as the National Endowment for the Oceans (NEO) to: (1) allocate funding to coastal states and affected Indian tribes, (2) make grants to regional ocean and coastal planning bodies, and (3) develop and implement a National Grant Program for Oceans and Coastal Waters. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to serve as trustee. Requires that funds be allocated by the Secretary only to fund grants for programs and activities to restore, protect, maintain, or understand living marine resources and their habitats and resources in ocean and coastal waters, including baseline scientific research, ocean observing, and other programs and activities carried out in coordination with federal and state agencies, that are consistent with federal environmental laws and that avoid environmental degradation. Directs the Secretary to allocate from the amounts to be distributed among states each fiscal year: (1) 50% equally among coastal states, (2) 25% based on tidal shoreline miles, and (3) 25% based on the coastal population density of a coastal state. Limits the percentage of total funds that a state or territory may receive in any fiscal year. Requires, upon the establishment of a Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund, that specified interest and investment proceeds from such Fund be transferred to the NEO.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), 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

A bill to establish the National Endowment for the Oceans, and for other purposes.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] reported raising $652,856 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (3)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Endowment: A fund that is invested so its earnings pay for a purpose over time, while the main amount is kept.
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112s1991.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/s>

Record fed-us-cong112-s1991 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112