§2441 Federal agency cooperation

Summary

Federal agencies must support and run Antarctic marine research and help the Commission do its work. The Director of the National Science Foundation must keep funding basic studies of the Antarctic marine ecosystem as part of the U.S. Antarctic Program while working with the Secretary of State and other agencies. The Secretary of Commerce must design and run a directed research program that fits with the U.S. Antarctic Program. The Secretary of Commerce and the NSF Director may give people and facilities to the Commission. The Secretary of State, Commerce, and the NSF Director must consult with the Marine Mammal Commission and other agencies as needed. The Secretary of Commerce must make a plan, updated each year, for each three‑fiscal‑year period that falls between October 1, 1985, and September 30, 1991. The plan must list priority research needs, say which ones the U.S. will do, and spell out the research design and required funds, staff, and facilities, including any extra ship capacity. The Secretary must try to get useful results, avoid duplicate work, and include ways to monitor and evaluate projects. The plan goes to Congress every year. The part covering fiscal years 1986–1988 must be sent by October 1, 1985. Each later three‑year part must be sent by February 1 before the first fiscal year it covers. The Department of Homeland Security must help plan, buy, maintain, deploy, and run icebreakers for Antarctic research, and all money needed for icebreaking operations, except recurring extra costs tied to specific projects, must go to the U.S. Coast Guard.