NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) employees, commissioned officers, and contractors — including fisheries and protected-species observers working on commercial vessels — would get stronger protections when they experience sexual harassment or sexual assault. It expands annual reporting requirements to include equal employment data, case synopses, and disciplinary outcomes, and adds a new mandatory reporting chain for incidents involving licensed mariners through the Coast Guard. A new restricted reporting system lets victims confidentially disclose incidents and access support services without automatically triggering a formal investigation. It also removes the word 'forcibly' from the prohibition on sexual assault in fisheries law, broadening what conduct qualifies as a prohibited act.
Transparency & Accountability
- Annual NOAA report on sexual harassment and sexual assault — expands required content to include case synopses, disciplinary outcomes, and equal employment data
- Mandatory Coast Guard reporting for incidents involving licensed mariners — adds a new formal reporting channel covering vessel-based employees and contractors
Congressional Summary
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Improvements Act of 2025This bill expands requirements for addressing sexual harassment and sexual assault involving personnel of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).The bill specifies that NOAA's sexual harassment prevention and response policy applies to personnel such as observers, at-sea monitors, and voting members and staff of regional fishery management councils.The bill removes the requirement that certain acts, such as assault, intimidation, and sexual harassment of an observer or a data collector, be forcible in nature to be unlawful.The bill also requires NOAA's Office of Marine and Aviation Operations to establish a policy for reporting to the Coast Guard the names of NOAA personnel involved in a sexual harassment or sexual assault claim. Specifically, such reports must identify employees or contractors who are the subject of such claim, the time and date of the incident, and the location of the vessel when the incident occurred.The bill prohibits a person convicted of certain sexual offenses from enlisting with or being commissioned by NOAA.Additionally, the bill directs NOAA to update its policies to develop a restricted reporting system that allows employees and other personnel to confidentially report sexual harassment or assault and receive services without triggering an investigation.Finally, the bill also expands reporting requirements on sexual harassment, sexual assault, and equal employment.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-03-27
- Date Added
- 2026-06-03
- Source
- Congress.gov →
Like reading a bill in plain English?
We're building an app that does this for every bill in Congress and lets you tell your reps how you want them to vote. We're a small team getting ready to launch, and we're trying to show investors that real people want this. Be one of them. Help us get it built. Leave your email and we'll tell you the moment the app is ready.