§894a Actions to Address Sexual Assault at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Summary

The Secretary of Commerce must, through the Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, create a full plan for preventing and responding to sexual assaults involving NOAA employees, NOAA commissioned officers, and people who work with or for NOAA. The plan had to be finished no later than 1 year after December 23, 2016. The plan must cover prevention, training, and quick access to support resources (including after‑hours contacts and ways to get help and report assaults when working at sea, in remote camps, or other field sites). It must make that information easy to find, offer a way to ask questions and report incidents confidentially or openly, set rules for investigations by command and law enforcement, ban retaliation and spell out consequences, and give the Under Secretary oversight of discipline. The plan must include a victim‑advocate program using trained, volunteer NOAA employees who help victims, guide them through medical, investigative, and recovery steps, and help with safety. At least one advocate must be placed in each NOAA region and in each marine and aviation center. A telephone number to reach an advocate must be provided and monitored 24 hours a day; NOAA may use existing hotlines or partner with other groups. The policy must be available to all NOAA staff (including field workers) and to the public, and the Secretary may get help from state, local, national groups, and experts.