Cooperative Institute Act of 2026

Key Points

• This bill requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to keep its Cooperative Institute program running. These institutes are partnerships between the government and universities or nonprofits to study things like weather, oceans, and the climate.
• The program gives students and young scientists the chance to work on important government research. It also allows the government to use the expertise and equipment at top universities to solve complex scientific problems.
• Research centers would get funding for five years at a time. They can earn another five years of funding if they pass a strict review process that looks at their management and the quality of their scientific work.
• The government would be required to look for new research needs every two years. This ensures that the country is always prepared to study new environmental threats or use new technologies as they become available.
• To protect these partnerships, the bill sets strict rules for closing a research center. The government would have to explain the decision to Congress at least 60 days in advance and prove that the research is no longer necessary.

Impact Analysis

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