S. 524
February 11, 2025
Mr. Cruz (for himself, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Sullivan, and Ms. Baldwin) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
A BILL
To authorize appropriations for the Coast Guard, and for other purposes.
1. Short title; table of contents; 2. Commandant defined; TITLE I—COAST GUARD; 101. Authorization of appropriations; 102. Authorized levels of military strength and training; 111. Modification of prohibition on use of lead systems integrators; 112. Service life extension programs; 113. Consideration of life-cycle cost estimates for acquisition and procurement; 114. Great Lakes icebreaking; 115. Regular Polar Security Cutter updates; 116. Floating drydock for United States Coast Guard Yard; 131. Modification of treatment of minor construction and improvement project management; 132. Preparedness plans for Coast Guard properties located in tsunami inundation zones; 133. Public availability of information; 134. Delegation of ports and waterways safety authorities in Saint Lawrence Seaway; 135. Additional Pribilof Island transition completion actions; 136. Policy and briefing on availability of naloxone to treat opioid, including fentanyl, overdoses; 137. Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence River cooperative vessel traffic service; 138. Policy on methods to reduce incentives for illicit maritime drug trafficking; 139. Procurement of tactical maritime surveillance systems; 140. Plan for joint and integrated maritime operational and leadership training for United States Coast Guard and Taiwan Coast Guard Administration; 141. Modification of authority for special purpose facilities; 142. Timely reimbursement of damage claims for Coast Guard property; 143. Enhanced use property pilot program; 144. Coast Guard property provision; 151. Direct hire authority for certain personnel; 152. Temporary exemption from authorized end strength for enlisted members on active duty in Coast Guard in pay grades E–8 and E–9; 153. Additional available guidance and considerations for reserve selection boards; 154. Family leave policies for the Coast Guard; 155. Authorization for maternity uniform allowance for officers; 156. Housing; 157. Uniform funding and management system for morale, well-being, and recreation programs and Coast Guard Exchange; 158. Coast Guard embedded behavioral health technician program; 159. Expansion of access to counseling; 160. Command sponsorship for dependents of members of Coast Guard assigned to Unalaska, Alaska; 161. Travel allowance for members of Coast Guard assigned to Alaska; 162. Consolidation of authorities for college student precommissioning initiative; 163. Tuition Assistance and Advanced Education Assistance Pilot Program; 164. Modifications to career flexibility program; 165. Recruitment, relocation, and retention incentive program for civilian firefighters employed by Coast Guard in remote locations; 166. Reinstatement of training course on workings of Congress; Coast Guard Museum; 167. Modification of designation of Vice Admirals; 168. Commandant Advisory Judge Advocate; 169. Special Advisor to Commandant for Tribal and Native Hawaiian affairs; 170. Notification; 171. Modification of Board of Visitors; 172. Study on Coast Guard Academy oversight; 173. Electronic locking mechanisms to ensure Coast Guard Academy cadet room security; 174. Coast Guard Academy student advisory board and access to timely and independent wellness support services for cadets and candidates; 175. Report on existing behavioral health and wellness support services facilities at Coast Guard Academy; 176. Required posting of information; 177. Installation of behavioral health and wellness rooms; 178. Coast Guard Academy room reassignment; 179. Authorization for use of Coast Guard Academy facilities and equipment by covered foundations; 180. Concurrent jurisdiction at Coast Guard Academy; 181. Maritime domain awareness in Coast Guard sector for Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands; 182. Report on condition of Missouri River dayboards; 183. Study on Coast Guard missions; 184. Annual report on progress of certain homeporting projects; 185. Report on Bay class icebreaking tug fleet replacement; 186. Feasibility study on supporting additional port visits and deployments in support of Operation Blue Pacific; 187. Study and gap analysis with respect to Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi aviation hangar; 188. Report on impacts of joint travel regulations on members of Coast Guard who rely on ferry systems; 189. Report on Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program; 190. Report on and expansion of Coast Guard Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Program; TITLE II—SHIPPING AND NAVIGATION; 201. Merchant mariner credentialing; 202. Nonoperating individual; 203. Merchant mariner licensing and documentation system requirements; 211. Grossly negligent operations of a vessel; 212. Administrative procedure for security risks; 213. Study of amphibious vessels; 214. Performance driven examination schedule; 215. Ports and waterways safety; 216. Study on Bering Strait vessel traffic projections and emergency response posture at ports of the United States; 217. Underwater inspections brief; 218. St. Lucie River railroad bridge; 219. Authority to establish safety zones for special activities in exclusive economic zone; 220. Improving Vessel Traffic Service monitoring; 221. Designating pilotage waters for the Straits of Mackinac; 222. Receipts; international agreements for ice patrol services; 223. Requirements for certain fishing vessels and fish tender vessels; 231. Establishment of National Advisory Committee on Autonomous Maritime Systems; 232. Pilot program for governance and oversight of small uncrewed maritime systems; 233. Coast Guard training course; 234. NOAA membership on Autonomous Vessel Policy Council; 235. Technology pilot program; 236. Uncrewed systems capabilities report and briefing; 237. Definitions; 241. Controlled substance onboard vessels; 242. Information on type approval certificates; 243. Clarification of authorities; 244. Anchorages; 245. Amendments to passenger vessel security and safety requirements; 246. Cyber-incident training; 247. Extension of pilot program to establish a cetacean desk for Puget Sound region; 248. Suspension of enforcement of use of devices broadcasting on AIS for purposes of marking fishing gear; 249. Classification societies; 250. Abandoned and derelict vessel removals; TITLE III—OIL POLLUTION RESPONSE; 301. Salvage and marine firefighting response capability; 302. Use of marine casualty investigations; 303. Timing of review; 304. Online incident reporting system; 305. Investment of Exxon Valdez oil spill court recovery in high yield investments and marine research; TITLE IV—SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT RESPONSE; 401. Independent review of Coast Guard reforms; 402. Comprehensive policy and procedures on retention and access to evidence and records relating to sexual misconduct and other misconduct; 403. Consideration of request for transfer of a cadet at the Coast Guard Academy who is the victim of a sexual assault or related offense; 404. Designation of officers with particular expertise in military justice or healthcare; 405. Safe-to-Report policy for Coast Guard; 406. Modification of reporting requirements on covered misconduct in Coast Guard; 407. Modifications to the officer involuntary separation process; 408. Review of discharge characterization; 409. Convicted sex offender as grounds for denial; 410. Definition of covered misconduct; 411. Notification of changes to Uniform Code of Military Justice or Manual for Courts Martial relating to covered misconduct; 412. Complaints of retaliation by victims of sexual assault or sexual harassment and related persons; 413. Development of policies on military protective orders; 414. Coast Guard implementation of independent review commission recommendations on addressing sexual assault and sexual harassment in the military; 415. Policy relating to care and support of victims of covered misconduct; 416. Establishment of special victim capabilities to respond to allegations of certain special victim offenses; 417. Members asserting post-traumatic stress disorder, sexual assault, or traumatic brain injury; 418. Participation in CATCH a Serial Offender program; 419. Accountability and transparency relating to allegations of misconduct against senior leaders; 420. Confidential reporting of sexual harassment; 421. Report on policy on whistleblower protections; 422. Review and modification of Coast Guard Academy policy on sexual harassment and sexual violence; 423. Coast Guard and Coast Guard Academy access to defense sexual assault incident database; 424. Director of Coast Guard Investigative Service; 425. Modifications and revisions relating to reopening retired grade determinations; 426. Inclusion and command review of information on covered misconduct in personnel service records; 427. Flag officer review of, and concurrence in, separation of members who have reported sexual misconduct; 428. Expedited transfer in cases of sexual misconduct or domestic violence; 429. Access to temporary separation program for victims of alleged sex-related offenses; 430. Policy and program to expand prevention of sexual misconduct; 431. Continuous vetting of security clearances; 432. Training and education programs for covered misconduct prevention and response; TITLE V—COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORTS; 501. Comptroller General report on Coast Guard research, development, and innovation program; 502. Comptroller General study on vessel traffic service center employment, compensation, and retention; 503. Comptroller General review of quality and availability of Coast Guard behavioral health care and resources for personnel wellness; 504. Comptroller General study on Coast Guard efforts to reduce prevalence of missing or incomplete medical records and sharing of medical data with Department of Veterans Affairs and other entities; 505. Comptroller General study on Coast Guard training facility infrastructure; 506. Comptroller General study on facility and infrastructure needs of Coast Guard stations conducting border security operations; 507. Comptroller General study on Coast Guard basic allowance for housing; 508. Comptroller General report on safety and security infrastructure at Coast Guard Academy; 509. Comptroller General study on athletic coaching at Coast Guard Academy; 510. Comptroller General study and report on permanent change of station process; TITLE VI—AMENDMENTS; 601. Amendments; TITLE VII—NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION; 701. Title and qualifications of head of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps and Office of Marine and Aviation Operations; promotions of flag officers; 702. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration vessel fleet; 703. Cooperative Aviation Centers; 704. Eligibility of former officers to compete for certain positions; 705. Alignment of physical disqualification standard for obligated service agreements with standard for veterans’ benefits; 706. Streamlining separation and retirement process; 707. Separation of ensigns found not fully qualified; 708. Repeal of limitation on educational assistance; 709. Disposal of survey and research vessels and equipment of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; 721. References to South Pacific Tuna Act of 1988; 722. Definitions; 723. Prohibited acts; 724. Exceptions; 725. Criminal offenses; 726. Civil penalties; 727. Licenses; 728. Enforcement; 729. Findings by Secretary of Commerce; 730. Disclosure of information; 731. Closed area stowage requirements; 732. Observers; 733. Fisheries-related assistance; 734. Arbitration; 735. Disposition of fees, penalties, forfeitures, and other moneys; 736. Additional agreements; 741. North Pacific Research Board enhancement