Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)
To prohibit the National Science Foundation from obligating or expending Federal funds to descope or decommission the Ocean Observatories Initiative instruments, and for other purposes.
A Democratic bill with 2 Republican cosponsors · See all 11 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
H.R. 9647 is a bill that stops the National Science Foundation from using Federal funds to descope or decommission Ocean Observatories Initiative instruments. This restriction applies to instruments located in the Irminger Sea and off the coasts of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and North Carolina. These restrictions remain in place until the National Science Foundation performs a thorough review of the Initiative and its national assets. This review must include engagement from coastal communities and the scientific community. Additionally, the Director of the National Science Foundation must keep the Initiative operating fully and consistently during this time.
Yes· 3 of 4
- Scored +7
Does this put more money into scientific research?
Prevents the loss of scientific assets and requires maintenance of ocean observatory operations.
- Scored +5
Would students be better off under this?
Maintains infrastructure essential for oceanographic research and academic study.
- Scored +5
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
Preserves ocean observatories which provide critical environmental monitoring data.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Protection of Scientific Assets: The bill prohibits the decommissioning or descoping of instruments in the Irminger Sea and off the coasts of Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and North Carolina, which preserves national assets (Section 1(a)).
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Community and Scientific Input: The bill requires the National Science Foundation to conduct a review with robust stakeholder engagement from coastal communities and the scientific community (Section 1(a)).
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Continued Operations: The Director of the National Science Foundation must maintain full and consistent operations, including monitoring in States that had instruments decommissioned (Section 1(b)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts for people are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — Prevents the loss of scientific assets and requires maintenance of ocean observatory operations.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would students be better off under this? — Maintains infrastructure essential for oceanographic research and academic study.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — Preserves ocean observatories which provide critical environmental monitoring data.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — Requires a thorough review of assets with stakeholder engagement from coastal and scientific communities.
- 7/21/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/13/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
- 10 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Gabe AmoDemocrat · Rhode Island
Kathy CastorDemocrat · Florida
Madeleine DeanDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Brian FitzpatrickRepublican · Pennsylvania
Sylvia GarciaDemocrat · Texas
Zoe LofgrenDemocrat · California
Mike LevinDemocrat · California
James MoylanRepublican · Guam
Frank PalloneDemocrat · New Jersey
Chellie PingreeDemocrat · Maine
Deborah RossDemocrat · North Carolina