[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 190 Reported in Senate (RS)]

<DOC>





                                                       Calendar No. 189
119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 190

                          [Report No. 119-80]

     To enhance the operations of the North Pacific Research Board.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 22, 2025

 Mr. Sullivan (for himself and Ms. Murkowski) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

                            October 14, 2025

                Reported by Mr. Cruz, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To enhance the operations of the North Pacific Research Board.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``North Pacific Research 
Board Enhancement Act''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. NORTH PACIFIC RESEARCH BOARD ENHANCEMENT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Amendments.--Section 401(e) of the Department of the 
Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1998 (43 U.S.C. 
1474d(e)) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in paragraph (3)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in subparagraph (L), by striking 
                ``and'' after the semicolon;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in subparagraph (M), by striking the 
                period at the end and inserting a semicolon;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) in subparagraph (N), by striking the 
                period at the end and inserting ``; and'';</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) by inserting after subparagraph (N) 
                the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(O) one member who shall represent 
                Alaska Natives and possesses personal knowledge of, and 
                direct experience with, subsistence uses and shall be 
                nominated by the Board and appointed by the 
                Secretary.''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) by adding at the end the following: 
                ``Board members appointed under subparagraphs (N) and 
                (O) shall serve for 3-year terms, and may be 
                reappointed once.'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in paragraph (4)(B), by striking ``Not more 
        than 15 percent'' and inserting ``Except as provided in 
        paragraph (5), not more than 15 percent'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph 
        (6); and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) by inserting after paragraph (4) the 
        following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) If the amount made available for a fiscal 
        year under subsection (c)(2) is less than the amount made 
        available for the previous fiscal year, the Administrator of 
        the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may 
        increase the 15 percent cap on administrative expenses provided 
        under paragraph (4)(B) for that fiscal year to prioritize--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) continuing operation of the 
                Board;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) maximizing the percentage of funds 
                directed to research; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) maintaining the highest quality 
                standards in administering grants under this 
                subsection.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Waiver.--Beginning on the date of enactment of this 
Act and ending on the date that is 5 years after such date of 
enactment, the 15 percent cap on funds to provide support for the North 
Pacific Research Board and administer grants under section 401(e)(4)(B) 
of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations 
Act, 1998 (43 U.S.C. 1474d(e)(4)(B)) shall be waived.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``North Pacific Research Board 
Enhancement Act''.

SEC. 2. NORTH PACIFIC RESEARCH BOARD ENHANCEMENT.

    (a) Amendments.--Section 401(e) of the Department of the Interior 
and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1998 (43 U.S.C. 1474d(e)) is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``Funds available under 
        subsection (c)(2) shall be used'' and inserting ``Not later 
        than 14 days after the start of each fiscal year, funds shall 
        be made available under subsection (c)(2)'';
            (2) in paragraph (3)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (L), by striking ``and'' after 
                the semicolon;
                    (B) in subparagraph (M), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting a semicolon;
                    (C) in subparagraph (N), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and'';
                    (D) by inserting after subparagraph (N) the 
                following:
                    ``(O) one member who shall represent Alaska Natives 
                and possesses personal knowledge of, and direct 
                experience with, subsistence uses and shall be 
                nominated by the Board and appointed by the 
                Secretary.''; and
                    (E) by adding at the end the following: ``Board 
                members appointed under subparagraphs (N) and (O) shall 
                serve for 3-year terms, and may be reappointed once.'';
            (3) in paragraph (4)(B), by striking ``Not more than 15 
        percent'' and inserting ``Except as provided in paragraph (5), 
        not more than 15 percent'';
            (4) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (6); and
            (5) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
            ``(5) If the amount made available for a fiscal year under 
        subsection (c)(2) is less than the amount made available for 
        the previous fiscal year, the Administrator of the National 
        Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may increase the 15 
        percent cap on administrative expenses provided under paragraph 
        (4)(B) for that fiscal year to prioritize--
                    ``(A) continuing operation of the Board;
                    ``(B) maximizing the percentage of funds directed 
                to research; and
                    ``(C) maintaining the highest quality standards in 
                administering grants under this subsection.''.
    (b) Waiver.--Beginning on the date of enactment of this Act and 
ending on the date that is 4 years after such date of enactment, the 15 
percent cap on funds to provide support for the North Pacific Research 
Board and administer grants under section 401(e)(4)(B) of the 
Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 
1998 (43 U.S.C. 1474d(e)(4)(B)) shall be waived.
                                                       Calendar No. 189

119th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                                 S. 190

                          [Report No. 119-80]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

     To enhance the operations of the North Pacific Research Board.

_______________________________________________________________________

                            October 14, 2025

                       Reported with an amendment