National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Improvements Act of 2025
Key claim: HR2406 expands NOAA’s sexual harassment and assault prevention policies to cover observers, at-sea monitors, and fishery council staff, removes the ‘forcible’ requirement for certain offenses, and establishes new reporting and restricted-reporting systems.
Abstract
(HR2406 · 119th Congress) 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. Latest action (2026-06-03): Subcommittee Hearings Held
Why this matters
The bill closes coverage gaps for personnel who work alongside NOAA employees at sea—observers, at-sea monitors, and fishery council staff—who have historically fallen outside agency harassment protections despite operating in isolated, high-risk environments. Removing the ‘forcible’ requirement for certain offenses lowers the threshold for accountability, and adding a restricted-reporting option lets survivors access support services without triggering an immediate investigation, mirroring models used in the military and other federal contexts.