Saving the OOI Act of 2026

Hozzl · 2026-07-14T18:01:52Z

Explore the details of Senate Bill 4822 Saving the OOI Act of 2026 currently in Congress. Get insights into its purpose, current status, sponsors, and potential impact on Science, Technology, Communications. Stay informed on legislative developments.

7/14/2026, 6:01 PM

Summary of Bill S 4822

The bill titled "Saving the OOI Act of 2026," designated as S.4822 in the 119th Congress and introduced on June 17, 2026, aims to address issues related to the Ocean Observatories Initiative. The bill's specifics and provisions are not outlined in the provided context, but it focuses on the preservation and enhancement of the OOI. For further details and the full text, the official PDF version of the bill can be accessed at https://www.congress.gov/119/bills/s4822/BILLS-119s4822es.pdf.

Congressional Summary of S 4822

Saving the OOI Act of 2026

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.

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Current Status of Bill S 4822

Bill S 4822 is currently in the status of Bill Introduced since June 17, 2026. Bill S 4822 was introduced during Congress 119 and was introduced to the Senate on June 17, 2026. Bill S 4822's most recent activity was Held at the desk. as of June 18, 2026

Bipartisan Support of Bill S 4822

Total Number of Sponsors

Democrat Sponsors

Republican Sponsors

Unaffiliated Sponsors

Total Number of Cosponsors

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Unaffiliated Cosponsors

Policy Area and Potential Impact of Bill S 4822

Primary Policy Focus

Science, Technology, Communications

Alternate Title(s) of Bill S 4822

Saving the OOI Act of 2026

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