Skip to Content

Do you allow analytics?

We use analytics tools to understand how people use the site. They're optional: if you decline, the site works the same, no analytics cookies are set and Google gets only a cookieless, anonymous count signal. Your votes are saved either way; the details are in the privacy policy.

Referandom is here: Tinder for Congress 🔥

Support Referandom
Education and ScienceS. 4822Comments

Saving the OOI Act of 2026

Official title: A bill to prohibit the National Science Foundation from using Federal funds to descope or decommission the Ocean Observatories Initiative instruments.

What Do You Think?

How would you vote?

Referandom Vote

Vote to see the result.

Where the Bill Stands

  1. Introduced, done
  2. Committee, done
  3. Floor Vote, done
  4. Outcome, current stage

What This Bill Does

This bill prohibits the National Science Foundation (NSF) from using federal funds to decommission or descope Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) instruments until a thorough review of OOI is completed.

OOI measures and observes ocean conditions using a series of in-water instruments that gather physical, chemical, geological, and biological data. On May 21, 2026, NSF announced that it would remove all in-water infrastructure from four of the five active OOI arrays.

Under the bill, NSF must conduct a thorough review of OOI with engagement from the scientific and coastal communities before decommissioning or descoping specified OOI instruments. This includes OOI instruments anchored off of Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and North Carolina, as well as instruments anchored in the Irminger Sea. NSF is required to maintain full and consistent OOI operations, including monitoring in states where instruments have already been decommissioned, until the review is complete.

Sponsors

Related Documents

Bill on Congress.govWeb Page ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Timeline

  1. SenateMessage on Senate action sent to the House.
  2. House floor actionsReceived in the House.
  3. Library of CongressIntroduced in Senate
  4. SenateIntroduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S2885-2886; text: CR S2885-2886)
  5. Introduced
  6. Floor Vote
  7. Passed the Senate

Comments

Comments with insults, hate speech or personal information are removed.