Saving the OOI Act of 2026 passed the Senate 0 days after introduction and awaits a vote in the House
Written by the Congressional Research Service [2]. 149 words.
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.
- Policy area
- Science, Technology, Communications: 52 of 2,109 bills became law, 113th–118th (2.5%)
- Sponsor
- 9 of 355 bills enacted since 2013
- Text versions
- 2, from considered and passed senate to engrossed in senate · 146 words
- Subjects
- Arctic OceanAtlantic OceanEarth sciencesEnvironmental assessment, monitoring, researchNational Science FoundationPacific Ocean +1 more
- Latest action
- Jun 18, 2026: Held at the desk.
- Records
- Congress.gov · Bill text
Each bill appears once, under its strongest link. 1 in all.
Related, per CRS or House · 1
- 119th H.R. 9647 To prohibit the National Science Foundation from obligating or expending Federal funds to descope or decommission the Ocean Observatories In D · Introduced