Regional Ocean Partnerships Reauthorization Act of 2026

This bill changes an existing law that supports Regional Ocean Partnerships, which are groups that help states, tribes, and partners work together on ocean and coastal planning. It updates the reporting rule so that reports about the program must be submitted not only after the original law took effect, but also within 5 years after this new act becomes law. This means there will be another required review of how the partnerships are working. The bill also extends and adjusts the funding that Congress authorizes for the program. It removes earlier listed funding amounts and replaces them with specific dollar amounts for fiscal years 2028, 2029, 2030, and 2031. It also changes the law to say that the funding authorization period now runs from 2026 through 2031.

Regional Ocean Partnerships help different states and groups coordinate how they use and protect shared ocean and coastal areas. Extending their funding can affect planning for fishing, shipping, energy projects, and conservation in those regions. Clear reporting timelines can give Congress and the public information on whether these partnerships are meeting their goals. How the money is used and what the reports show will influence future decisions about ocean and coastal management, but the exact outcomes are not described in this bill.

• Updates the existing statute on Regional Ocean Partnerships found in the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (16 U.S.C. 1468).
• Requires that a program report be submitted not later than 5 years after the date this reauthorization act becomes law, in addition to earlier reporting requirements.
• Converts a single reporting requirement into recurring reports by changing the law’s wording from “The report” to “Each report.”
• Authorizes $11,572,444 for Regional Ocean Partnerships for fiscal year 2028.
• Authorizes $11,688,168 for fiscal year 2029.
• Authorizes $11,805,050 for fiscal year 2030.
• Authorizes $11,923,101 for fiscal year 2031.
• Changes the authorized funding period referenced in the law from fiscal years 2023–2027 to fiscal years 2026–2031.

• The bill is short but makes targeted wording changes that turn a one-time report into a recurring reporting obligation, which may not be obvious at first glance.
• Funding years authorized in the base law are effectively shifted forward; the reference period moves from 2023–2027 to 2026–2031, which could change how the program is budgeted across multiple years.
• The bill amends a section within a larger defense authorization law, even though the subject is ocean and coastal partnerships rather than traditional defense programs.