PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Became Public Law No: 109-449.
Congressional Research Service
Version 49 · Public Law · Dec 22, 2006
(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on September 27, 2006. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act - (Sec. 3) Establishes within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) a Marine Debris Prevention and Removal Program to reduce and prevent the occurrence and adverse impacts of marine debris on the marine environment and navigation safety.
Requires the Administrator of NOAA (Administrator), subject to the availability of appropriations, to: (1) undertake marine debris mapping, impact assessment, prevention, and removal efforts, with a focus on marine debris posing a threat to living marine resources and navigation safety; (2) improve efforts to reduce adverse impacts of lost and discarded fishing gear on living marine resources and navigation safety; and (3) undertake outreach and education of the public and other stakeholders in the fishing, fishing gear manufacturers, other marine-dependent, and plastic and waste management industries, on sources of, and threats associated with, marine debris and approaches to identify, determine sources of, assess, reduce, and prevent such debris and its adverse impacts on the marine environment and navigational safety.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Prescribes guidelines for the Administrator to enter into cooperative agreements and contracts and provide financial assistance in the form of grants through the Program for such projects.
(Sec. 4) Directs the Commandant of the Coast Guard (CG) to: (1) take actions to reduce violations of and improve implementation of MARPOL Annex V (Annex V of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973) and the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships with respect to the discard of plastics and other garbage from vessels; (2) develop and implement a plan to improve ship-board waste management; (3) take actions to improve international cooperation to reduce marine debris; and (4) establish a voluntary reporting program for commercial vessel operators and recreational boaters to report incidents of damage to vessels and disruption of navigation caused by marine debris, including observed violations relating to disposal of plastics and other marine debris. Requires the Commandant of the CG to report to Congress on the CG's progress in implementing such actions.
Requires the Commandant of the CG to enter into an agreement with the National Research Council to conduct, and submit to Congress, a report on the effectiveness of international and national measures to prevent and reduce marine debris and its impact.
(Sec. 5) Amends the the Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act of 1987 to establish an Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee (eliminates the existing Department of Commerce Marine Debris Coordinating Committee) to coordinate a comprehensive program of marine debris research and activities among federal agencies, in cooperation with nongovernmental organizations, industry, universities, states, Indian tribes, and other nations.
Directs the Interagency Committee to report to Congress on the source of marine debris, its ecological and economic impact, alternatives for reducing, mitigating, preventing, and controlling its harmful affects, the social and economic costs and benefits of such alternatives, and recommendations to reduce marine debris both domestically and internationally. Requires a biennial status update to Congress.
(Sec. 6) Directs the Administrator, in coordination with the Interagency Committee, to: (1) maintain a federal information clearinghouse on marine debris that will be available to researchers and other interested parties to improve marine debris source identification, data sharing, and monitoring efforts through collaborative research and open sharing of data; and (2) take steps to ensure confidentiality of such data, especially proprietary information required by the Administrator to be submitted by the fishing industry.
(Sec. 8) Prohibits anything in this Act from superseding, or limiting the authority of the Secretary of the Interior under, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.
(Sec. 9) Authorizes appropriations for FY2006-FY2010.
People & committees
Sen. Inouye, Daniel K. [D-HI] · D–HI
Legislative record
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Became Public Law No: 109-449.
Became Public Law No: 109-449.
Signed by President.
Signed by President.
Presented to President.
Presented to President.
Senate agreed to House amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR 12/8/2006 S11838-11839; text as Senate agreed to House amendment: CR 12/8/2006 S11838-11839)
Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to House amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR 12/8/2006 S11838-11839; text as Senate agreed to House amendment: CR 12/8/2006 S11838-11839)
Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H7632-7633)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H7632-7633)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 362.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7632-7635)
Mr. Gilchrest moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 345.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation. H. Rept. 109-332, Part II.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation. H. Rept. 109-332, Part II.
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Discharged.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Resources. H. Rept. 109-332, Part I.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Resources. H. Rept. 109-332, Part I.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans Discharged.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Executive Comment Requested from Commerce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Resources, 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 Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Resources, 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 Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Resources, 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.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Received in the House.
Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent.
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S7926-7929; text as reported in Senate: CR S7926-7929)
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 70.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Stevens with an amendment. With written report No. 109-56.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Stevens with an amendment. With written report No. 109-56.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1296-1298)
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1295-1296)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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