S2126FEDERAL

Integrated Ocean Observation System Reauthorization Act of 2025

June 18, 2025

oceanography climate meteorology data infrastructure coastal management federal funding

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The Frame

What this does

The bill authorizes $56 million in annual federal spending from 2026 through 2030 to maintain and improve the national network of ocean and coastal sensors used for weather forecasting and disaster management.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Regional coastal observing systems

These entities are guaranteed a minimum of 7.5% of the annual appropriated funds.

Interagency Ocean Observation Committee

The body is renamed and tasked with new requirements for data sharing and regional collaboration.

What changed

Last recorded activity June 18, 2025.

What's next

Introduced.

Summary

This bill updates and reauthorizes the federal program responsible for monitoring ocean, coastal, and weather conditions. It expands the program's scope to include and meteorological data, while setting a funding level of $56 million annually through 2030.

Key Facts

Authorizes $56,000,000 in annual appropriations for the Integrated Ocean Observation System for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
Mandates that at least 7.5% of annual appropriations be allocated to each regional coastal observing system that existed as of January 1, 2025.
Renames the governing body from 'Council' to 'Committee' throughout the original 2009 Act.
Expands the program's focus to include meteorological observations and cyber infrastructure.
Requires the program to include a post-storm evaluation for all major U.S. storms in annual reports to Congress to assess forecast accuracy.
Adds 'resource and coastal management' to the list of forecasting priorities.
Explicitly includes 'data management systems and cyber infrastructure' as part of the program's data gap mitigation efforts.
Requires the Committee to develop processes for regional associations to collaborate with federal agencies on data sharing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this bill actually do?

It updates the legal framework for the national ocean observation network, changes the name of the oversight body to the 'Committee,' and guarantees funding for the next five years.

How much money is being spent?

$56 million per year for five years, starting in 2026.

Will this affect local weather forecasting?

The bill explicitly adds meteorological and ocean observation requirements to the system, which is intended to support improved forecasting and storm evaluation.

Why It Matters

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Increased focus on cyber infrastructure

The bill explicitly adds 'cyber infrastructure' to the program's mandate, reflecting a shift toward prioritizing digital data management alongside physical sensor maintenance.

Interagency Ocean Observation Committee

Connected Entities

organizationInteragency Ocean Observation Committee“The governing body renamed from 'Council' to 'Committee' throughout the act.”Map →

personMaria Cantwell“U.S. Senator who co-sponsored the bill.”Map →

organizationCommittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation“Senate committee to which the bill was referred.”Map →

personRoger Wicker“U.S. Senator who introduced the bill.”Map →

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy10
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz15
Current news / social attention level

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