Aides from the two House committees with jurisdiction over the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are working together to draft legislation to overhaul and authorize the agency for the first time, according to House Science Chairman Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.).
Gordon wants to advance a NOAA organic act this year. The bill would give a congressional directive to the science and oceans agency, which has gone without any authorizing bill for 40 years.
Republican and Democratic aides from the Science and Natural Resources committees plan to meet this afternoon as part of a "good faith" effort to advance a bill, Gordon said yesterday.