H.R. 4005 — what changed

added “296. Flag officers

added “During any period in which the Coast Guard is not operating as a service in the Navy, section 1216(d) of title 10 does not apply with respect to flag officers of the Coast Guard.”

added The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating may—

added “(1) The Secretary of Transportation shall annually review programs administered by other departments and agencies and determine whether each such program is subject to the requirements of this section.”

added “(2) The Secretary shall have the sole responsibility to make determinations described in paragraph (1).

added “(3) A determination made by the Secretary under paragraph (1) regarding a program shall remain in effect until the Secretary determines that such program is no longer subject to the requirements of this section.

added “(4) Each department or agency administering a program determined by the Secretary under paragraph (1) to be subject to the requirements of this section shall administer such program in accordance with this section and any rules or guidance issued by the Secretary. The issuance of such rules or guidance is not a prerequisite to the issuance of final determinations under paragraph (1).”

added “(6) On the date on which the President submits to Congress a budget pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report that—

added “(A) lists the programs determined under paragraph (1) to be subject to the requirements of this section; and

added “(B) describes the results of the most recent annual review required by paragraph (5)(A), including identification of the departments and agencies that transported cargo in violation of this section and any action the Secretary took under paragraph (5) with respect to each violation.”

added “(7) The Secretary may prescribe rules, including interim rules, necessary to carry out paragraph (5). An interim rule prescribed under this paragraph shall remain in effect until superseded by a final rule.”

added “(1) In general—To carry out the purposes set forth in section 2, the Administrator, acting through the Program, may—

added “(A) enter into cooperative agreements, contracts, and other agreements with Federal agencies, States, local governments, regional agencies, interstate agencies, and other entities, including agreements to use the personnel, services, equipment, or facilities of such entities on a reimbursable or non-reimbursable basis; and

added “(B) make grants to—

added “(i) State, local, and tribal governments; and

added “(ii) institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and commercial organizations with the expertise or responsibility to identify, determine sources of, assess, prevent, reduce, and remove marine debris.”

added “(4) Grants

added “(A) Eligibility—To be eligible for a grant under paragraph (1)(B), an entity specified in that paragraph shall submit to the Administrator a marine debris project proposal.

added “(B) Review and approval—The Administrator shall—

added “(i) review each marine debris project proposal submitted under subparagraph (A) to determine if the proposal meets grant criteria established by the Administrator and supports the purposes set forth in section 2;

added “(ii) after considering any written comments and recommendations with respect to the review conducted under clause (i), approve or disapprove a grant for the proposal; and

added “(iii) provide notification of that approval or disapproval to the entity that submitted the proposal.

added “(C) Reporting—Each entity receiving a grant under paragraph (1)(B) shall provide reports to the Administrator as required by the Administrator. Each report provided shall include all information determined necessary by the Administrator for evaluating the progress and success of the project for which the grant was provided and describe the impact of the grant on the identification, determination of sources, assessment, prevention, reduction, or removal of marine debris.

added “(D) Training—The Administrator may require a recipient of a grant under this subsection to provide training to persons engaged in marine debris response efforts funded by such grant with respect to the potential impacts of marine debris, including nonindigenous species related to the debris, on the economy of the United States, the marine environment, and navigation safety.”

added “(d) Severe marine debris events

added “(1) Grant preference—In evaluating proposals for grants under subsection (c), the Administrator may give preference in approving grants to proposals that address a severe marine debris event.

added “(2) Request for a declaration

added “(A) In general—For purposes of paragraph (1), the Governor of a State may request that the Administrator declare a severe marine debris event in such State or a region that includes such State.

added “(B) Response to requests—Not later than 30 days after the Administrator receives a request under subparagraph (A), the Administrator shall either—

added “(i) declare a severe marine debris event with respect to the request; or

added “(ii) submit a response to the Governor who submitted the request, explaining why the Administrator has not declared a severe marine debris event with respect to the request.”

added “(5) Nonindigenous species—The term “nonindigenous species” has the meaning given that term in section 1003 of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 4702).”

added Section 55305 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

added “(f) Minimum tonnage—With respect to commodities transported under the activities specified in section 55314(b), the percentage specified in subsection (b) of this section shall be treated as 75 percent.”

added “8108. Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee

added “(a) Establishment—The Secretary shall establish a Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (in this section referred to as “the Committee”). The Committee—

added “(1) shall act solely in an advisory capacity to the Secretary through the Commandant of the Coast Guard on matters relating to personnel in the United States merchant marine, including training, qualifications, certification, documentation, and fitness standards, and other matters as assigned by the Commandant;

added “(2) shall review and comment on proposed Coast Guard regulations and policies relating to personnel in the United States merchant marine, including training, qualifications, certification, documentation, and fitness standards;

added “(3) may be given special assignments by the Secretary and may conduct studies, inquiries, workshops, and fact finding in consultation with individuals and groups in the private sector and with State or local governments;

added “(4) shall advise, consult with, and make recommendations reflecting its independent judgment to the Secretary;

added “(5) shall meet not less than twice each year; and

added “(6) may make available to the Congress recommendations that the Committee makes to the Secretary.

added “(b) Membership

added “(1) In general—The Committee shall consist of not more than 19 members who are appointed by and serve terms of a duration determined by the Secretary. Before filling a position on the Committee, the Secretary shall publish a notice in the Federal Register soliciting nominations for membership on the Committee.

added “(2) Required members—The Secretary shall appoint as members of the Committee—

added “(A) 9 United States citizens with active licenses or certificates issued under chapter 71 or merchant mariner documents issued under chapter 73, including—

added “(i) 3 deck officers who represent the viewpoint of merchant marine deck officers, of whom—

added “(I) 2 shall be licensed for oceans any gross tons;

added “(II) 1 shall be licensed for inland river route with a limited or unlimited tonnage;

added “(III) 2 shall have a master’s license or a master of towing vessels license;

added “(IV) 1 shall have significant tanker experience; and

added “(V) to the extent practicable—

added “(aa) 1 shall represent the viewpoint of labor; and

added “(bb) another shall represent a management perspective;

added “(ii) 3 engineering officers who represent the viewpoint of merchant marine engineering officers, of whom—

added “(I) 2 shall be licensed as chief engineer any horsepower;

added “(II) 1 shall be licensed as either a limited chief engineer or a designated duty engineer; and

added “(III) to the extent practicable—

added “(aa) 1 shall represent a labor viewpoint; and

added “(bb) another shall represent a management perspective;

added “(iii) 2 unlicensed seamen, of whom—

added “(I) 1 shall represent the viewpoint of able-bodied seamen; and

added “(II) another shall represent the viewpoint of qualified members of the engine department; and

added “(iv) 1 pilot who represents the viewpoint of merchant marine pilots;

added “(B) 6 marine educators, including—

added “(i) 3 marine educators who represent the viewpoint of maritime academies, including—

added “(I) 2 who represent the viewpoint of State maritime academies and are jointly recommended by such State maritime academies; and

added “(II) 1 who represents either the viewpoint of the State maritime academies or the United States Merchant Marine Academy; and

added “(ii) 3 marine educators who represent the viewpoint of other maritime training institutions, 1 of whom shall represent the viewpoint of the small vessel industry;

added “(C) 2 individuals who represent the viewpoint of shipping companies employed in ship operation management; and

added “(D) 2 members who are appointed from the general public.

added “(c) Chairman and vice chairman—The Committee shall elect one of its members as the Chairman and one of its members as the Vice Chairman. The Vice Chairman shall act as Chairman in the absence or incapacity of the Chairman, or in the event of a vacancy in the office of the Chairman.

added “(d) Subcommittees—The Committee may establish and disestablish subcommittees and working groups for any purpose consistent with this section, subject to conditions imposed by the Committee. Members of the Committee and additional persons drawn from the general public may be assigned to such subcommittees and working groups. Only Committee members may chair subcommittee or working groups.

added “(e) Termination—The Committee shall terminate on September 30, 2020.”

added No later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on the number of jobs, including vessel construction and vessel operating jobs, that would be created in the United States maritime industry each year in 2015 through 2025 if liquified natural gas exported from the United States were required to be carried—