Cooperative Institute Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
Introduced
Summary
Sustain and reform NOAA's Cooperative Institute program to keep long-term research partnerships with universities and nonprofits aligned with NOAA's mission. This bill would set clear rules for creating, funding, reviewing, and ending Cooperative Institutes and require NOAA to reassess research needs every two years.
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- Research institutions. The bill would require open, merit-based competition to form Institutes. Awards would typically run for five years with an externally led renewal review around year four and an optional second five-year award.
- Students and early-career researchers. Institutes must support undergraduate and graduate students and postdocs and fund scientific and administrative activities that build research capacity tied to NOAA priorities.
- NOAA program operations. NOAA would oversee Institute performance with a handbook, may collocate Federal staff and Institute personnel, and must send a detailed 60-day notice and justification to congressional committees before terminating or not renewing an Institute.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More NOAA research partnerships and grants
This bill would require the NOAA Under Secretary to keep a Cooperative Institute program that partners with non-Federal research universities and nonprofits. Cooperative Institutes would be formed by cooperative agreements and usually get five-year Federal awards. A second five-year award would be possible only after an outside peer review near the start of year four, using agreed performance measures. NOAA would do a needs assessment every two years, keep a program handbook, allow collocation of staff, and must give at least 60 days' written notice to Congress with detailed reasons before ending any Institute. Existing Cooperative Institutes at enactment would remain unless ended under these rules.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
WA • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]
MS • R
Sponsored 8/6/2026
Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO]
CO • D
Sponsored 8/6/2026
Sen. Hyde-Smith, Cindy [R-MS]
MS • R
Sponsored 8/6/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov