Saving the OOI Act of 2026

Lisa Murkowski

Republican · AK · Senator

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

• Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)Original· 2026-06-17
• Dan Sullivan (R-AK)Original· 2026-06-17
• Edward J. Markey (D-MA)Original· 2026-06-17
• Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)Original· 2026-06-17
• Jack Reed (D-RI)Original· 2026-06-17
• Jeff Merkley (D-OR)Original· 2026-06-17
• Maria Cantwell (D-WA)Original· 2026-06-17
• Patty Murray (D-WA)Original· 2026-06-17
• Ron Wyden (D-OR)Original· 2026-06-17
• Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)Original· 2026-06-17
• Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)Original· 2026-06-17

Held at the desk.

2026-06-18

Source: Congress.gov

Saving the OOI Act of 2026 This bill prohibits the National Science Foundation (NSF) from using federal funds to decommission or descope Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) instruments until a thorough review of OOI is completed. OOI measures and observes ocean conditions using a series of in-water instruments that gather physical, chemical, geological, and biological data. On May 21, 2026, NSF announced that it would remove all in-water infrastructure from four of the five active OOI arrays. Under the bill, NSF must conduct a thorough review of OOI with engagement from the scientific and coastal communities before decommissioning or descoping specified OOI instruments. This includes OOI instruments anchored off of Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and North Carolina, as well as instruments anchored in the Irminger Sea. NSF is required to maintain full and consistent OOI operations, including monitoring in states where instruments have already been decommissioned, until the review is complete.

Plain-English rewrite of the Congressional Research Service summary published on Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 4822 Engrossed in Senate (ES)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4822 _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To prohibit the National Science Foundation from using Federal funds to descope or decommission the Ocean Observatories Initiative instruments. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Saving the OOI Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. NO NSF FUNDING TO DESCOPE OR DECOMMISSION THE OCEAN OBSERVATORIES INITIATIVE INSTRUMENTS; RESTORATION. (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the National Science Foundation shall not use any Federal funds to decommission or descope the Ocean Observatories Initiative instruments anchored off the States of Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and North Carolina, and in the Irminger Sea, until the National Science Foundation conducts a thorough review of the initiative, and the national assets that it provides, with robust stakeholder engagement from the scientific and coastal communities. (b) Maintenance of Operations.--The Director of the National Science Foundation shall maintain the Ocean Observatories Initiative with full and consistent operations, including monitoring in all States that had instruments decommissioned, until the full review described in subsection (a) has been completed. Passed the Senate June 17, 2026. Attest: Secretary. 119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4822 _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To prohibit the National Science Foundation from using Federal funds to descope or decommission the Ocean Observatories Initiative instruments.

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