PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Sep 18, 2014
Marine Disease Emergency Act of 2014 - Authorizes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to declare and respond to a marine disease emergency (an event that affects the marine environment, is caused by a marine disease or environmental stressor, is likely to threaten the sustainability of a marine species or the health of a marine ecosystem, and is likely to expand in geographic scope).
Requires NOAA to designate an individual to coordinate the response to each emergency and develop and publish a response plan for each emergency within 21 days of the declaration.
Terminates the emergency when NOAA declares that the emergency no longer exists or 120 days after the declaration was made, whichever occurs first. Authorizes NOAA to renew a declaration.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Establishes the Marine Disease Emergency Working Group in NOAA to provide advice on assessing, declaring, and responding to those emergencies.
Establishes the Marine Disease Emergency Fund for responding to those emergencies.
Requires NOAA to establish a National Data Repository for Marine Diseases Research and Services to collect, store, and disseminate information on marine diseases and related data and facilitate the development and rapid dissemination of research on marine diseases.
Deems sea star wasting syndrome, a marine mortality event affecting species of sea stars, to be a marine disease emergency.
People & committees
Rep. Heck, Denny [D-WA-10] · D–WA
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans, and Insular Affairs.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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