119th Congress Science, Technology, Communications
S. 4822: Saving the OOI Act of 2026
Passed Senate
- Introduced (completed)
- Passed Senate (completed)
- Passed House (not reached)
- To the President (not reached)
- Became law (not reached)
Summary
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.
Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.
Roll calls
No roll call votes have been held on this bill.
Amendments
No amendments were offered to this bill.
Cosponsors
- Tammy Baldwin D-WIOriginal
- Maria Cantwell D-WAOriginal
- Edward Markey D-MAOriginal
- Patty Murray D-WAOriginal
- Jeff Merkley D-OROriginal
- John Reed D-RIOriginal
- Dan Sullivan R-AKOriginal
- Chris Van Hollen D-MDOriginal
- Ron Wyden D-OROriginal
- Sheldon Whitehouse D-RIOriginal
- Elizabeth Warren D-MAOriginal
Who scored on this bill
- 1Lisa Murkowski SponsorDrew cross-party cosponsors, introduced, passed Senate3 events+36
- 2Tammy BaldwinCosponsored; cosponsored bill passed2 events+4
- 2Maria CantwellCosponsored; cosponsored bill passed2 events+4
- 2Edward MarkeyCosponsored; cosponsored bill passed2 events+4
- 2Jeff MerkleyCosponsored; cosponsored bill passed2 events+4
See all scorers and every scoring event
Introductions and cosponsorships count toward weekly caps and show no points.
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History
- Introduced in the Senate by Lisa Murkowski. Passed the Senate by voice vote.
Show the full action history (6 actions)
- Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Received in the House.
- Held at the desk.
- Introduced in Senate
- Passed/agreed to in Senate: Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Voice Vote.
- Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S2885-2886; text: CR S2885-2886)