; however, what is known as the Blue Economy is neither consistently defined nor regularly quantified. (10) The Federal Government has a responsibility to support the monitoring, understanding, and exploration of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts in pursuit of the national security and economic and environmental well-being of the United States, and as a world leader. 4. Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that— (1) agencies should optimize data collection, management, and dissemination, to the extent practicable, to maximize their impact for research, commercial, regulatory, and educational benefits and to foster innovation, scientific discoveries, the development of commercial products, and the development of sound policy with respect to the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts; (2) the United States is a leading member of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, a founding member of the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance, and a key partner in developing the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development; (3) the Integrated Ocean Observing System and the Global Ocean Observing System are key assets and networks that bolster our understanding of the marine environment; (4) the National Oceanographic Partnership Program is a meaningful venue for collaboration and coordination among Federal agencies, scientists, and ocean users; (5) the National Centers for Environmental Information of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration should be looked to by other Federal agencies as a primary, centralized repository for Federal ocean data; (6) the Marine Cadastre, a joint effort of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, provides access to data and information for specific issues and activities in ocean resources management to meet the needs of offshore energy and planning efforts