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H.R. 9647House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

To prohibit the National Science Foundation from obligating or expending Federal funds to descope or decommission the Ocean Observatories Initiative instruments, and for other purposes.

Sponsored by Suzanne BonamiciRep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)
Introduced July 13, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated July 14, 2026 at 4:45 PM UTC

The bill bars the National Science Foundation (NSF) from using federal money to shut down or scale back the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) instruments located off Oregon, Washington, Alaska, North Carolina, and in the Irminger Sea. It requires NSF to conduct a comprehensive review of the OOI’s national value with input from scientific and coastal stakeholders before any decommissioning can occur. Until that review is finished, NSF must keep the OOI fully operational.

Key Provisions

  • NSF may not obligate or spend federal funds to decommission or descope OOI instruments until a thorough review is completed.
  • NSF must conduct a detailed review of the OOI’s assets, involving robust stakeholder engagement from the scientific and coastal communities.
  • The NSF Director must maintain full and consistent OOI operations, including monitoring in all states where instruments were decommissioned, until the review is finished.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

Science, Space, and Technology Committee

July 13, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

July 13, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

Science, Space, and Technology Committee

July 13, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued July 13, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 9647

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 13, 2026

Ms. Bonamici (for herself, Mr. Moylan, Ms. Lofgren, Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania, Ms. Castor of Florida, Ms. Ross, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Levin, Mr. Amo, Ms. Garcia of Texas, and Ms. Pingree) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

A BILL

To prohibit the National Science Foundation from obligating or expending Federal funds to descope or decommission the Ocean Observatories Initiative instruments, and for other purposes.

1.

Prohibition on NSF funding to descope or decommission the Ocean Observatories Initiative instruments; maintenance of operations

(a)

In general

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the National Science Foundation may not obligate or expend 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.