Each year, members of Congress introduce legislation that, if enacted, may affect NOAA activities and other organizations’ operations in the Chesapeake Bay. The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office was created by Congressional legislation 
in 1992, and was reauthorized in 2002. The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training Program also was established by Congress in 2002. 
The America Competes Act provides NCBO the authority to engage in formal and informal educational activities. The Congress also passes appropriations bills each year that provide funding for the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office’s activities.
On March 26, 2009, H.R. 1771, a bill to reauthorize the Chesapeake Bay Office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, was introduced and referred to the House Natural Resource Committee. The text of the bill is available via the Library of Congress' Thomas search function.
The legislative process is complicated. The Library of Congress has two publications that describe this process – “How Our Laws Are Made” and “Enactment of a Law”. Additional information on the legislative process and NOAA’s related activities can be found on the NOAA’s Office of Legislative affairs web site.
To conduct your own search of introduced bills, go to http://thomas.loc.gov/ 
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