HR-2406 — National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Improvements Act of 2025

YourVoice.Now Summary

Workers & JobsCivil LibertiesCriminal Justice & Due ProcessTransparency & Accountability

Fisheries observers and NOAA staff could report harassment confidentially — without an investigation starting on its own.

Workers & Jobs

Observers and monitors named as covered — including on private fishing boats

The law already reached people who work on NOAA's behalf. The bill spells out who that means: fisheries, protected-species, and endangered-species observers, at-sea monitors, catch monitors, shoreside plant monitors, and the voting members and staff of each regional fishery management council. Naming them takes the guesswork out of who is covered.

Bar on serving in NOAA's officer corps — certain sex offense convictions

People convicted of certain sex offenses could not be enlisted or commissioned in NOAA's commissioned officer corps. The bill adds that federal rule to the list of rules the corps follows.

Civil Liberties

Confidential way to report harassment — no investigation starts on its own

NOAA would have to build a confidential reporting path within three years of the bill becoming law. A worker could describe what happened and get victim services without an investigation opening on its own, and without their name being passed around.

Notice if your name is shared — NOAA must try to tell you

The bill lists four reasons a victim's name could still be shared: the victim agrees in writing, someone's health or safety faces a serious and near threat, a victim advocate or health provider needs it to give care, or a court orders it. If that happens, NOAA would have to make a reasonable attempt to tell the person and to protect their privacy and safety.

Criminal Justice & Due Process

Criminal referrals in NOAA cases — made when the case opens

NOAA refers sexual assault cases to the United States Attorney. Today the referral follows from an investigation. The bill would require it at the start of a case or during it, and would also send it to the Commandant of the Coast Guard when a licensed mariner is involved.

Harassment of observers banned — force no longer required

Fisheries law bans assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, sexually harassing, or bribing an observer or data collector. Right now the act has to be forcible. The bill strikes that word, so conduct that does not involve force can still break the rule.

Where that ban applies — no longer limited to on a vessel

The same fisheries-law ban now applies only to an observer “on a vessel.” The bill strikes those words. Observers and monitors working on barges, platforms, or at shoreside processing plants would be covered on the same footing.

Transparency & Accountability

Yearly report on harassment cases — adds discipline, case notes, equal employment data

NOAA's annual report on these cases would be renamed and widened. It would have to include sexual harassment cases alongside assault cases, equal employment data collected under the No FEAR Act, a synopsis of each case, and what discipline was handed out, if any.

Count of observer cases reported — by fishery and region

The report would have to state how many harassment and assault cases involved fisheries, protected-species, and endangered-species observers. For each one it would give a synopsis, the case status, how any investigation came out, and the fishery or region where it is alleged to have happened.

Transfer requests and denials reported — for workers who ask to move

Workers can already ask to change station, transfer units, or move work location after an incident. The report would have to say how many of those requests came in and how many the Secretary of Commerce turned down.

Coast Guard told of mariner cases — reported right away

The official responsible for NOAA's vessels would have to report harassment and assault incidents to one designated Coast Guard office, by the fastest channel available, as soon as they learn of it. The report names who was involved, the vessel, the time, the position, and what is alleged. Reports filed confidentially are exempt.

More about this bill

NOAA's rules on sexual harassment and assault would name the workers they cover. The list would include observers who ride commercial fishing boats. They track the catch, marine mammals, and species at risk. At-sea monitors and catch monitors would be named too. So would the staff of the regional fishery councils. Any of them could file a confidential report. So could NOAA staff and its officers. Such a report would bring victim services without starting an investigation on its own. NOAA would have up to three years after the bill becomes law to set that up. The bill also adds duties to report. NOAA already sends criminal cases to a U.S. attorney. It would have to send them when a case opens, not only after. If a licensed mariner is involved, the case would go to the Coast Guard too. The head of NOAA's marine operations would have to tell the Coast Guard about cases on NOAA boats. That report would have to go out right away. Confidential reports would be left out of that duty. NOAA's yearly report would also grow. It would cover harassment cases, equal employment data, a short note on each case, and any discipline. It would count observer cases by fishery and region. It would also count how many workers asked to move, and how many were told no. Fisheries law would drop the words “forcibly” and “on a vessel” from its ban on assaulting or harassing an observer. People convicted of certain sex offenses could not serve in NOAA's officer corps. The House passed the bill in September 2026, and the Senate would have to agree.

Congressional Summary

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Improvements Act of 2025 This 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 →

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