H.R. 1987 — Reported in House → Engrossed in House

Sec. 202 Vice admirals

Section 50 of title 14, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:

“(1) The President may—

changed “(A) designate, within the Coast Guard, no more than 5 five positions of importance and responsibility that shall be held by officers who, while so serving, shall have the grade of vice admiral, with the pay and allowances of that grade, and shall perform such duties as the Commandant may prescribe (if the President designates 5 five such positions, 1 one position shall be a Chief of Staff); and

changed “(B) designate, within the executive branch, other than within the Coast ~~Guard,~~ Guard or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, positions of importance and responsibility that shall be held by officers who, while so serving, shall have the grade of vice admiral, with the pay and allowances of that grade.”

(B)

in paragraph (3)(A) by striking “under paragraph (1)” and inserting “under paragraph (1)(A)”; and

(2)

in subsection (b)(2)—

(A)

in subparagraph (B) by striking “and” at the end;

(B)

by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D); and

(C)

by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following:

“(C) at the discretion of the Secretary, while awaiting orders after being relieved from the position, beginning on the day the officer is relieved from the position, but not for more than 60 days; and”

Sec. 211 Digital boat profile pilot program

(a)

changed In general— If, during the 1-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating determines that there are at least 2 two digital boat profile technologies that are commercially available, the Secretary shall establish a pilot program, in accordance with this section, under which digital boat profiles are utilized for—

(1)

changed not less than 2 two National Security Cutters;

(2)

changed not less than 4 four Fast Response Cutters; and

(3)

changed not less than 4 four Medium Endurance Cutters (270 foot).

(b)

Timing— With respect to the National Security Cutters and Fast Response Cutters participating in the pilot program, a digital boat profile shall be established prior to the commissioning of the cutters.

(c)

Report— Not later than 1 year after the establishment of the pilot program, and annually thereafter for the succeeding 4 years, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating 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 describing—

(1)

the implementation of the pilot program; and

(2)

the results of the use of digital boat profiles under the pilot program with respect to—

(A)

efficient maintenance of the cutters involved; and

(B)

the post-delivery warranty management of equipment items, the repair and replacement of which are contractually obligated.

(d)

Digital boat profile defined— In this section, the term “digital boat profile” means a commercially available off-the-shelf technology that creates an electronic data source with respect to a vessel that—

(1)

provides lifecycle management support, including through the incorporation of systems manuals, schematics, and vessel documentation;

(2)

incorporates all manufacturer recommendations and operator best practices;

(3)

incorporates the use of real-time analytics of deferred tasks, future tasks, readiness assessments, and budgetary planners;

(4)

provides advance electronic notification of upcoming maintenance and inspections to multi-level permission-based recipients on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis;

(5)

facilitates oversight for pre-delivery discrepancy reporting and post-delivery warranty management of equipment items, the repair and replacement of which are contractually obligated; and

(6)

is accessible by computing devices.

Sec. 214 Communications

(a)

changed In general— The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall establish and carry out a response capabilities pilot program to assess, at not fewer than 2 two Coast Guard command centers, the effectiveness of a radio gateway that—

(1)

provides for—

(A)

multiagency collaboration and interoperability; and

(B)

wide-area, secure, and peer-invitation-and-acceptance-based multimedia communications;

(2)

is certified by the Department of Defense Joint Interoperability Test Center; and

(3)

is composed of commercially available, off-the-shelf technology.

(b)

Assessment— Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the succeeding 4 years, 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 an assessment of the pilot program, including the impacts of the program with respect to interagency and Coast Guard response capabilities.

Sec. 303 Enforcement

(a)

In general— Section 55305(d) of title 46, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:

changed “(1) Each department or agency that has responsibility for a program under this section shall administer that program consistent with this section and any regulations ~~and guidance~~ promulgated pursuant to subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 5, issued by the Secretary of ~~Transportation concerning~~ Transportation, and developed in consultation with each department and agency subject to this section.”

(2)

by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3), and by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:

“(2)

changed “(A) The Secretary, after consulting with the department, agency, organization, or person involved, shall have ~~exclusive authority~~ sole responsibility for determining the applicability of this section to a program of a Federal department or agency, after consulting with the department, agency, organization, or person involved.

“(B) The head of a Federal department or agency shall request the Secretary to determine the applicability of this section to a program of such department or agency if the department or agency is uncertain of such applicability. Not later than 30 days after receiving such a request, the Secretary shall make such determination.

“(C) Subparagraph (B) shall not be construed to limit the authority of the Secretary to make a determination regarding the applicability of this section to a program administered by a Federal department or agency.

“(D) A determination made by the Secretary under this paragraph regarding a program shall remain in effect until the Secretary determines that this section no longer applies to such program.”

(3)

in paragraph (3), as so redesignated, by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:

“(A) shall conduct an annual review of the administration of programs subject to the requirements of this section to determine compliance with the requirements of this section;”

(4)

by adding at the end the following:

“(4) On the date on which the President submits to Congress a budget pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, the Secretary shall make available on the Internet website of the Department of Transportation a report that—

“(A) lists the programs that were subject to determinations made by the Secretary under paragraph (2) in the preceding year; and

“(B) describes the results of the most recent annual review required by paragraph (3)(A), including identification of the departments and agencies that transported cargo in violation of this section and any action the Secretary took under paragraph (3) with respect to each violation.”

(b)

Deadline for first review— The Secretary of Transportation shall complete the first review required under the amendment made by subsection (a)(1)(C) by not later than December 31, 2015.

(c)

Conforming amendment— Section 3511(c) of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (46 U.S.C. 55305 note) is repealed.

Sec. 309 Recreational vessel engine weights

changed Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall issue regulations amending Table 4 to Subpart H of Part 183–Weights (Pounds) of Outboard Motor and Related Equipment for Various Boat Horsepower Ratings (33 ~~C.F.R.~~ CFR 183) as appropriate to reflect “Standard 30–Outboard Engine and Related Equipment Weights” published by the American Boat and Yacht Council, as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.

Sec. 314 Repeals

(a)

Repeals, Merchant Marine Act, 1936— Sections 601 through 606, 608 through 611, 613 through 616, 802, and 809 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C. 53101 note) are repealed.

(b)

Conforming amendments— Chapter 575 of title 46, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

changed in section 57501, by striking “titles V and VI” and inserting “title ~~V” ;~~ V”; and

(2)

in section 57531(a), by striking “titles V and VI” and inserting “title V”.

(c)

Transfer from Merchant Marine Act, 1936—

(1)

In general— Section 801 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C. 53101 note) is—

(A)

redesignated as section 57522 of title 46, United States Code, and transferred to appear after section 57521 of such title; and

(B)

as so redesignated and transferred, is amended—

(i)

by striking so much as precedes the first sentence and inserting the following:

“57522. Books and records, balance sheets, and inspection and auditing”

(ii)

by striking “the provision of title VI or VII of this Act” and inserting “this chapter”;

(iii)

changed by striking “That the provisions” and all that follows through “Commission; ~~(2)” ;~~ (2)”; and

(iv)

by redesignating clauses (3) and (4) as clauses (2) and (3), respectively.

(2)

Clerical amendment— The analysis for chapter 575, of title 46, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 57521 the following:

(d)

changed Repeals, title 46, ~~U.S.C.~~U.S.C— Section 8103 of title 46, United States Code, is amended in subsections (c) and (d) by striking “or operating” each place it appears.

Sec. 504 Conveyance of Coast Guard property in Tok, Alaska

(a)

Conveyance authorized— The Commandant of the Coast Guard may convey all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the covered property, upon payment to the United States of the fair market value of the covered property.

(b)

Right of first refusal— The Tanana Chiefs’ Conference shall have the right of first refusal with respect to purchase of the covered property under this section.

(c)

Survey— The exact acreage and legal description of the covered property shall be determined by a survey satisfactory to the Commandant.

(d)

Fair market value— The fair market value of the covered property shall be—

(1)

determined by appraisal; and

(2)

subject to the approval of the Commandant.

(e)

Costs of conveyance— The responsibility for all reasonable and necessary costs, including real estate transaction and environmental documentation costs, associated with a conveyance under this section shall be determined by the Commandant and the purchaser.

(f)

Additional terms and conditions— The Commandant may require such additional terms and conditions in connection with a conveyance under this section as the Commandant considers appropriate and reasonable to protect the interests of the United States.

(g)

Deposit of proceeds— Any proceeds received by the United States from a conveyance under this section shall be deposited in the Coast Guard Housing Fund established under section 687 of title 14, United States Code.

(h)

Covered property defined—

(1)

In general— In this section, the term covered property means the approximately 3.25 acres of real property (including all improvements located on the property) that are—

(A)

located in Tok, Alaska;

(B)

under the administrative control of the Coast Guard; and

(C)

described in paragraph (2).

(2)

Description— The property described in this paragraph is the following:

(A)

changed Lots 11, 12 and 13, block “G”, Second Addition to Hartsell Subdivision, Section 20, Township 18 North, Range 13 East, Copper River Meridian, Alaska as appears by Plat No. 72-39 filed in the Office of the Recorder for the Fairbanks Recording District of Alaska, bearing seal dated 25 September 1972, all containing approximately 1.25 ~~Acres~~ acres and commonly known as 2-PLEX – Jackie Circle, Units A and B.

(B)

Beginning at a point being the SE corner of the SE ¼ of the SE ¼ Section 24, Township 18 North, Range 12 East, Copper River Meridian, Alaska; thence running westerly along the south line of said SE ¼ of the NE ¼ 260 feet; thence northerly parallel to the east line of said SE ¼ of the NE ¼ 335 feet; thence easterly parallel to the south line 260 feet; then south 335 feet along the east boundary of Section 24 to the point of beginning; all containing approximately 2.0 acres and commonly known as 4-PLEX – West “C” and Willow, Units A, B, C and D.

Sec. 506 Use of vessel sale proceeds

(a)

Audit— The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct an audit of funds credited in each fiscal year after fiscal year 2004 to the Vessel Operations Revolving Fund that are attributable to the sale of obsolete vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet that were scrapped or sold under sections 57102, 57103, and 57104 of title 46, United States Code, including—

(1)

changed a complete accounting of all vessel sale proceeds attributable to the sale of obsolete vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet that were scrapped or sold under sections 57102, ~~57103~~ 57103, and 57104 of title 46, United States Code, in each fiscal year after fiscal year 2004;

(2)

the annual apportionment of proceeds accounted for under paragraph (1) among the uses authorized under section 308704 of title 54, United States Code, in each fiscal year after fiscal year 2004, including—

(A)

for National Maritime Heritage Grants, including a list of all annual National Maritime Heritage Grant grant and subgrant awards that identifies the respective grant and subgrant recipients and grant and subgrant amounts;

(B)

for the preservation and presentation to the public of maritime heritage property of the Maritime Administration;

(C)

to the United States Merchant Marine Academy and State maritime academies, including a list of annual awards; and

(D)

for the acquisition, repair, reconditioning, or improvement of vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet; and

(3)

an accounting of proceeds, if any, attributable to the sale of obsolete vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet that were scrapped or sold under sections 57102, 57103, and 57104 of title 46, United States Code, in each fiscal year after fiscal year 2004, that were expended for uses not authorized under section 308704 of title 54, United States Code.

(b)

Submission to congress— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit the audit conducted in subsection (a) to the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Natural Resources, and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.

H.R. 1987 — what changed