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Legislative Report
119thCongress (2025 – 2026) First Session
December 2025 by Anne Giesecke, Ph.D.
Dr. Anne Giesecke, an archaeologist, sport diver and ocean advocate, has worked with sport divers and the cultural resource community to monitor and to influence state and federal legislation that impacts ocean resources.
Those of you who have been reading these reports since 1988 will notice a change in emphasis. Reports up to now have listed House and Senate laws and bills for many pages. The scarcity of action by the US Congress has meant that more NOAA and United Nations actions have been noted. The report does not generally include Resolutions, Authorizations or Appropriations. This material is taken from the web site www.congress.gov.
Participation in the regulatory and legislative process is critical for the success of democracy. Look for opportunities to participate in government decision making. Talk to or write to your Representatives and Senators about bills and apply for NOAA Advisory Council positions.
During the 119th Congress 364 bills were introduced in the House of Representatives (H.R.) and the Senate (S.), that dealt with ocean management.
The 364 bills addressed the following topics:
Acidification
Algal Blooms
Archaeological Resources
Arctic drilling
Chesapeake Bay blue catfish
Climate Change
Coastal community economy
Deep Sea Mining
Estuaries
Fisheries, red snapper, shellfish
Great Lakes mapping and fishing
Hawaii protect native species
Kelp
Law of the Sea
Native Alaskan right to sell marine mammal products (S.254)
North Pacific Ocean protection
Octopus prohibit aquaculture
Oyster recovery
Offshore oil and gas leasing (authorize and prohibit), Critical Minerals
Plastic pollution
Recreational fishing
Renewable Fuel for Ocean-going vessels
Southern California Coast protection
Tuna Pacific Treaty
Tsunami warning
Undersea pipelines and cables
Weather prediction
West Coast protection
Wildlife Forecasts
S.216 Public Law No.119-65
Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act
This bill reauthorizes and updates the Marine Debris Program(MDP) and the Marine Debris Foundation. (The program and the foundation support efforts to assess, prevent, and otherwise address marine debris and its adverse impacts on the U.S. economy, the marine environment, and navigation safety.) It extends NOAA’s MDP through FY2029, allows in-kind contributions for project costs, and authorizes additional agreement types. The bill also reauthorizes the Marine Debris Foundation through FY2025, clarifies CEO and board authorities, requires tribal outreach best practices, sets office location requirements, and permits matching contributions from regional, tribal, and foreign partners.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The following material is summarized from https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/.
“From Washington state to the Gulf of America and from the Great Lakes to the Pacific Islands, the National Marine Sanctuary System protects 18 underwater parks spanning over 629,000 square miles of ocean and Great Lakes waters.”
Three Sanctuaries are under consideration: Hudson Canyon, Lake Erie Quadrangle, and Pacific Islands Heritage.
Note that comments and involvement from the dive industry and divers are critical to the success of these protected areas. Consider applying to Advisory Councils and commenting on published documents.
United Nations
The High Seas Treaty was ratified by 61 countries allowing it to enter into force in January 2026. To date, 143 countries have signed the treaty. The treaty is only binding for those countries that have ratified it.
Or check out our Conservation Corner for all conservation related articles HERE.