North Pacific Research Board Enhancement Act
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedReported by Mr. Cruz, with an amendment
Mr. Sullivan (for himself and Ms. Murkowski) introduced the following …
Summary
What This Bill Does
The North Pacific Research Board Enhancement Act strengthens the North Pacific Research Board by adding an Alaska Native member with subsistence knowledge, setting term limits for certain board members, and providing more administrative flexibility. It also requires NOAA to provide funding to the Board within 14 days of each fiscal year'''s start and temporarily waives the 15% cap on administrative expenses for 4 years.
Who Benefits and How
Alaska Natives with subsistence experience benefit by gaining a permanent seat on the Board with decision-making authority over North Pacific marine research funding. The North Pacific Research Board benefits from reduced administrative constraints through the 4-year waiver of the 15% expense cap and the ability to increase that cap during budget shortfalls. Marine and fisheries researchers in the North Pacific region benefit from more predictable and timely funding, as NOAA must disburse funds within 14 days rather than on a discretionary timeline.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The Secretary of the Interior faces new administrative duties in appointing the Alaska Native board member based on Board nominations. NOAA administrative staff must meet the strict 14-day funding disbursement deadline at the start of each fiscal year, which may require process changes and increased workload during budget transitions. While the Board gains flexibility, NOAA ultimately has increased compliance obligations around timing and administrative oversight.
Key Provisions
- Adds one Alaska Native board member with personal knowledge of and direct experience with subsistence uses, nominated by the Board and appointed by the Secretary of the Interior
- Establishes 3-year terms for this new member and one existing category of board member, with one reappointment allowed
- Requires NOAA to make funds available to the Board within 14 days after the start of each fiscal year
- Waives the 15% administrative expense cap for 4 years from the date of enactment
- Allows the NOAA Administrator to increase the 15% administrative expense cap during years when funding decreases, prioritizing Board operations, research funding, and grant quality
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
Enhances the North Pacific Research Board by adding an Alaska Native board member, establishing term limits, adjusting administrative expense caps, and requiring timely funding disbursement.
Policy Domains
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of the Interior
- "the_administrator"
- → Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology