The federal budget passed by congress for FY 2015 includes increased funding for NOAA with $5 million to support the agency's regional coastal resilience program. These funds will help support ocean planning and stewardship activities through regional ocean partnerships such as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Oceans (MARCO), the Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC), and the West Coast Governors' Alliance on Ocean Health (WCGA). These efforts are a key element of the National Ocean Policy which was established to support the lasting stewardship of our nation's oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes.