10 U.S.C. § 8931 — National Oceanographic Partnership Pro-

Page 3419 TITLE 10—ARMED FORCES § 8931 retirement of a regular grade major general, except as provided by section 8301 of title 5, on 30th day after he completes 35 years of service or 5th anniversary of his appointment in that regular grade, whichever is later, with authority for Secretary of Air Force to defer re- tirement in certain cases. See section 636 of this title. Prior sections 8924 to 8926 were renumbered section 9324 to 9326, respectively, of this title. A prior section 8927, acts Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 553; Aug. 21, 1957, Pub. L. 85–155, title III, § 301(20), 71 Stat. 389; May 20, 1958, Pub. L. 85–422, § 11(a)(8), 72 Stat. 131; Sept. 2, 1958, Pub. L. 85–861, § 1(196), 72 Stat. 1540; Sept. 30, 1966, Pub. L. 89–609, § 1(33), 80 Stat. 854, re- lated to computation of years of service for deter- mining whether a regular commissioned officer should be retired under former section 8913, 8915, 8916, 8919, 8921, 8922, or 8923 of this title and for determining re- tired pay of officers of Regular Air Force retired under former section 8913, 8915, 8916, 8919, 8921, 8922, or 8923 of this title, was repealed by Pub. L. 96–513, title II, § 217(a), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2886, effective Sept. 15, 1981. See section 1405 of this title. A prior section 8928, act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 554, related to computation of years of service of Air Force Nurses or women medical specialists for pur- poses of retirement under former section 8912 of this title, or retirement pay under section 8991 of this title, was repealed by Pub. L. 85–155, title IV, § 401(1), Aug. 21, 1957, 71 Stat. 390. A prior section 8929 was renumbered section 9329 of this title. AMENDMENTS 2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 7881 of this title as this section. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2018 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title. SAVINGS PROVISION Pub. L. 98–525, title XV, § 1532(b), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2631, provided that: ‘‘The amendments made by sub- section (a) [enacting this chapter] shall not affect rights that vested before the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 19, 1984].’’ CHAPTER 893—NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM Sec. 8931. National Oceanographic Partnership Pro- gram. 8932. Ocean Policy Committee. 8933. Ocean Research Advisory Panel. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2021—Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title X, § 1055(b)(2)(B), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3854, added item 8932 and struck out former item 8932 ‘‘National Ocean Research Leader- ship Council’’. 2018—Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(e)(4), (f)(1), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1838, redesignated chapter 665 of this title as this chapter and items 7901 to 7903 as 8931 to 8933, respectively. § 8931. National Oceanographic Partnership Pro- gram (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of the Navy shall establish a program to be known as the ‘‘National Oceanographic Partnership Pro- gram’’. (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the program are as follows: (1) To promote the national goals of assuring national security, advancing economic devel- opment, protecting quality of life, ensuring environmental stewardship, and strengthening science education and communication through improved knowledge of the ocean. (2) To coordinate and strengthen oceano- graphic efforts in support of those goals by— (A) creating and carrying out partnerships among Federal agencies, academia, industry, and other members of the oceanographic community in the areas of science, data, technology development, resources, edu- cation, and communication; and (B) accepting, planning, and executing oceanographic research projects funded by grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, or other vehicles as appropriate, that con- tribute to assuring national security, ad- vancing economic development, protecting quality of life, ensuring environmental stew- ardship, and strengthening science edu- cation and communication through im- proved knowledge of the ocean. (Added Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title II, § 282(a)(1), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2470, § 7901; renumbered § 8931, Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 807(d)(14), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1837; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title X, § 1055(a), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3851.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2021—Pub. L. 116–283 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to establishment and purposes of National Oceanographic Partnership Pro- gram. As enacted by Pub. L. 116–283, ‘‘SEC.’’ preceding section designation and catchline text were editorially conformed to the style used in this title. 2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 7901 of this title as this section. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2018 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title II, § 281, Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2469, provided that: ‘‘Congress finds the following: ‘‘(1) The oceans and coastal areas of the United States are among the Nation’s most valuable natural resources, making substantial contributions to eco- nomic growth, quality of life, and national security. ‘‘(2) Oceans drive global and regional climate. Hence, they contain information affecting agri- culture, fishing, and the prediction of severe weather. ‘‘(3) Understanding of the oceans through basic and applied research is essential for using the oceans wisely and protecting their limited resources. There- fore, the United States should maintain its world leadership in oceanography as one key to its competi- tive future. ‘‘(4) Ocean research and education activities take place within Federal agencies, academic institutions, Page 3420 TITLE 10—ARMED FORCES § 8932 and industry. These entities often have similar re- quirements for research facilities, data, and other re- sources (such as oceanographic research vessels). ‘‘(5) The need exists for a formal mechanism to co- ordinate existing partnerships and establish new partnerships for the sharing of resources, intellectual talent, and facilities in the ocean sciences and edu- cation, so that optimal use can be made of this most important natural resource for the well-being of all Americans.’’ § 8932. Ocean Policy Committee (a) COMMITTEE.—There is established an Ocean Policy Committee (hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘Committee’’). The Committee shall retain broad and inclusive membership. (b) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Committee shall— (1) continue the activities of that Committee as it was in existence on the day before the date of the enactment of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021; (2) engage and collaborate, pursuant to ex- isting laws and regulations, with stakeholders, including regional ocean partnerships, to ad- dress ocean-related matters that may require interagency or intergovernmental solutions; (3) facilitate coordination and integration of Federal activities in ocean and coastal waters to inform ocean policy and identify priority ocean research, technology, and data needs; (4) prescribe policies and procedures to im- plement the National Oceanographic Partner- ship Program, including developing guidelines for review, selection, identification, and ap- proval of partnership projects, in conjunction with Federal agencies participating in the pro- gram, for implementation under the program, based on— (A) whether the project addresses impor- tant research objectives or operational goals; (B) whether the project has, or is designed to have, appropriate participation or support from public, academic, commercial, and pri- vate entities within the oceanographic com- munity; (C) whether the partners have a long-term commitment to the objectives of the project; (D) whether the resources supporting the project are shared among the partners; (E) whether the project has been subjected to adequate scientific and technical merit review according to each participating agen- cy; and (F) the approval of such guidelines by a consensus of the members of the Committee; and (5) for projects under the purview of the Committee, establish or designate one or more systems for ocean-related and ocean-mapping- related documents prepared under the Na- tional Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), in accordance with sub- section (h). (c) SUBCOMMITTEES.—(1) The Committee shall include— (A) a subcommittee to be known as the ‘‘Ocean Science and Technology Sub- committee’’; and (B) a subcommittee to be known as the ‘‘Ocean Resource Management Sub- committee’’. (2) In discharging its responsibilities in sup- port of agreed-upon scientific needs, and to as- sist in the execution of the responsibilities de- scribed in subsection (b), the Committee may delegate responsibilities to the Ocean Science and Technology Subcommittee, the Ocean Re- source Management Subcommittee, or another subcommittee of the Committee, as the Com- mittee determines appropriate. (d) ANNUAL REPORT AND BRIEFING.—(1) Not later than March 1 of each year, the Committee shall— (A) make publicly available on an appro- priate website a report on the National Ocean- ographic Partnership Program; and (B) provide to the appropriate congressional committees a briefing on the contents of the report. (2) Not later than 30 days after providing a briefing under paragraph (1)(B), the Committee shall make publicly available on an appropriate website the briefing materials covered by the briefing. (3) Each report and briefing shall include the following: (A) A description of activities of the Na- tional Oceanographic Partnership Program carried out during the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year during which the report is pub- lished. (B) A general outline of the activities planned for the program during the fiscal year during which the report is published. (C) A summary of projects, partnerships, and collaborations, including the Federal and non- Federal sources of funding, continued from the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year during which the report is published and projects ex- pected to begin during the fiscal year during which the report is published and any subse- quent fiscal year, as required under subsection (e)(4)(C). (D) The amounts requested in the budget submitted to Congress pursuant to section 1105(a) of title 31 for the fiscal year following the fiscal year during which the report is pub- lished, for the programs, projects, activities and the estimated expenditures under such programs, projects, and activities, to execute the National Oceanographic Partnership Pro- gram. (E) A summary of national ocean research priorities informed by the Ocean Research Ad- visory Panel, as required under section 8933(b)(4) of this title. (F) A list of the members of the Ocean Re- search Advisory Panel established under sec- tion 8933(a) of this title and any working groups described in subsection (e)(4)(A) in ex- istence during the fiscal years covered by the report. (e) PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM OFFICE.—(1) The Secretary of the Navy and Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra- tion shall jointly establish a partnership pro- gram office for the National Oceanographic Partnership Program. (2) The Secretary of the Navy and Adminis- trator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall use competitive procedures