[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1620 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1620

  To ensure the icebreaking capabilities of the United States and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 22, 2011

  Mr. Begich (for himself and Ms. Cantwell) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To ensure the icebreaking capabilities of the United States and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLES.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Preserve Our Large Arctic Response 
Capability Act'' or as the ``POLAR-C Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDING; SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    (a) Finding.--Congress finds that the United States priorities for 
maritime transportation in the polar regions set out in the National 
Security Presidential Directive 66 and Homeland Security Presidential 
Directive 25 dated January 9, 2009 are--
            (1) to facilitate safe, secure, and reliable navigation;
            (2) to protect maritime commerce; and
            (3) to protect the environment.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the United 
States should maintain domestic heavy and medium duty icebreaker assets 
to meet United States Coast Guard statutory requirements and priorities 
for maritime transportation and that maintaining less than a sufficient 
number of heavy duty icebreaking assets jeopardizes national security, 
law enforcement, maritime safety, environmental protection, disaster 
response, scientific research, and natural resource protection in the 
polar regions and Alaska.

SEC. 3. ICEBREAKING CAPABILITY.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered vessels.--The term ``covered vessels'' means--
                    (A) Coast Guard Cutter POLAR SEA (WAGB 11); and
                    (B) the Coast Guard Cutter POLAR STAR (WAGB 10).
            (2) Inactive status.--The term ``inactive status'' includes 
        a status of--
                    (A) out of commission, in reserve;
                    (B) out of service, in reserve; or
                    (C) pending placement out of commission.
            (3) Submission date.--The term ``submission date'' means--
                    (A) October 15, 2011; or
                    (B) if this Act is enacted after October 15, 2011, 
                the date that is 1 day after the date of the enactment 
                of this Act.
    (b) Submission of Business Case Analysis.--Not later than the 
submission date, the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard shall 
submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
House of Representatives the polar icebreaker business case analysis 
prepared by the Coast Guard.
    (c) Maintenance of Existing Vessels.--Until the date that is 2 
years after the date the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard 
makes the submission required by subsection (b)--
            (1) the Commandant may not--
                    (A) transfer, relinquish ownership of, dismantle, 
                or recycle the covered vessels;
                    (B) change the homeport of either of the covered 
                vessels;
                    (C) expend any funds--
                            (i) for any expenses directly or indirectly 
                        associated with the decommissioning of either 
                        of the covered vessels, including expenses for 
                        dock use or other goods and services;
                            (ii) for any personnel expenses directly or 
                        indirectly associated with the decommissioning 
                        of either of the covered vessels, including 
                        expenses for decommissioning officer; or
                            (iii) for any expenses associated with a 
                        decommissioning ceremony for either of the 
                        covered vessels;
                    (D) appoint a decommissioning officer to be 
                affiliated with either of the covered vessels; or
                    (E) place either of the covered vessels in inactive 
                status; and
            (2) the Administrator of the Maritime Administration may 
        not receive, maintain, dismantle, or recycle either of the 
        covered vessels.
                                 <all>