Saving the OOI Act of 2026
Passed first chamber: it can still change before the session ends.
- Stage
- Passed first chamber
- Started in
- Senate
- Sponsors
- 12
- Latest action
- Jun 18, 2026
What it does
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…
Official summary · Passed Senate · Jun 17, 2026
Titles and provisions can change as the bill moves.
Where it stands
Introduced (Done)
Committee (Done)
Floor (Current step)
Law (Not started)
What moved
Who is involved
Sponsors
The lawmakers who put their names on it, lead sponsors first.
In the news
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Where it goes next
While a bill can still move, the questions are about people and money.