[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1506 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1506

   To improve the handling of instances of sexual harassment, dating 
violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking at the United 
        States Merchant Marine Academy, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 29, 2017

Mrs. Gillibrand introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To improve the handling of instances of sexual harassment, dating 
violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking at the United 
        States Merchant Marine Academy, 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 TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Merchant Marine Academy Improvement 
Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. APPLICATION OF TITLE IX OF THE EDUCATION AMENDMENTS OF 1972 TO 
              THE UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY.

    Section 901(a)(4) of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 
1681(a)(4)) is amended by striking ``States, or the merchant marine;'' 
and inserting ``States;''.

SEC. 3. ACTIONS TO ADDRESS SEXUAL HARASSMENT, DATING VIOLENCE, DOMESTIC 
              VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING AT THE UNITED 
              STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY.

    (a) Required Policy.--Subsection (a) of section 51318 of title 46, 
United States Code, as added by section 3510 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-328; 130 Stat. 
2782), is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``harassment and sexual 
        assault'' and inserting ``harassment, dating violence, domestic 
        violence, sexual assault, and stalking'';
            (2) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
                striking ``harassment and sexual assault'' and 
                inserting ``harassment, dating violence, domestic 
                violence, sexual assault, and stalking'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``domestic 
                violence, dating violence, stalking,'' after 
                ``acquaintance rape,'';
                    (C) in subparagraph (B)--
                            (i) in the matter preceding clause (i), by 
                        striking ``harassment or sexual assault,'' and 
                        inserting ``harassment, dating violence, 
                        domestic violence, sexual assault, or 
                        stalking,'';
                            (ii) in clause (i), by striking 
                        ``harassment or sexual assault'' and inserting 
                        ``harassment, dating violence, domestic 
                        violence, sexual assault, or stalking''; and
                            (iii) in clause (iii), by striking 
                        ``criminal sexual assault'' and inserting ``a 
                        criminal sexual offense'';
                    (D) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``harassment 
                or sexual assault'' and inserting ``harassment, dating 
                violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, or 
                stalking'';
                    (E) in subparagraph (E)--
                            (i) in clause (i), by striking ``harassment 
                        or sexual assault'' and inserting ``harassment, 
                        dating violence, domestic violence, sexual 
                        assault, or stalking'';
                            (ii) in clause (ii), by striking ``sexual 
                        assault'' and inserting ``sexual harassment, 
                        dating violence, domestic violence, sexual 
                        assault, or stalking''; and
                            (iii) in clause (iii), by striking 
                        ``harassment and sexual assault'' and inserting 
                        ``harassment, dating violence, domestic 
                        violence, sexual assault, or stalking''; and
                    (F) in subparagraph (F), by striking ``harassment 
                or sexual assault'' and inserting ``harassment, dating 
                violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, or 
                stalking'';
            (3) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as paragraphs 
        (4) and (5), respectively;
            (4) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
            ``(3) Minimum training requirements for certain individuals 
        regarding sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic 
        violence, sexual assault, and stalking.--
                    ``(A) Requirement.--The Maritime Administrator 
                shall develop a mandatory training program at the 
                United States Merchant Marine Academy for each 
                individual who is involved in implementing the 
                Academy's student grievance procedures, including each 
                individual who is responsible for--
                            ``(i) resolving complaints of reported 
                        sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic 
                        violence, sexual assault, and stalking;
                            ``(ii) resolving complaints of reported 
                        violations of the sexual misconduct policy of 
                        the Academy; or
                            ``(iii) conducting an interview with a 
                        victim of sexual harassment, dating violence, 
                        domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
                    ``(B) Consultation.--The Maritime Administrator 
                shall develop the training program described in 
                subparagraph (A) in consultation with national, State, 
                or local sexual assault, dating violence, domestic 
                violence, or stalking victim advocacy, victim services, 
                or prevention organizations.
                    ``(C) Elements.--The training required by 
                subparagraph (A) shall include the following:
                            ``(i) Information on working with and 
                        interviewing persons subjected to sexual 
                        harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, 
                        sexual assault, or stalking.
                            ``(ii) Information on particular types of 
                        conduct that would constitute sexual 
                        harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, 
                        sexual assault, or stalking, regardless of 
                        gender, including same-sex sexual harassment, 
                        dating violence, domestic violence, sexual 
                        assault, or stalking.
                            ``(iii) Information on consent and the 
                        effect that drugs or alcohol may have on an 
                        individual's ability to consent.
                            ``(iv) Information on the effects of 
                        trauma, including the neurobiology of trauma.
                            ``(v) Training regarding the use of trauma-
                        informed interview techniques, which means 
                        asking questions of an individual who has been 
                        a victim of sexual harassment, dating violence, 
                        domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking 
                        in a manner that is focused on the experience 
                        of the victim, does not judge or blame the 
                        victim, and is informed by evidence-based 
                        research on the neurobiology of trauma.
                            ``(vi) Training on cultural awareness 
                        regarding how dating violence, domestic 
                        violence, sexual assault, or stalking may 
                        impact midshipmen differently depending on 
                        their cultural background.
                            ``(vii) Information on sexual assault 
                        dynamics, sexual assault perpetrator behavior, 
                        and barriers to reporting.
                    ``(D) Approval.--The training program described in 
                subparagraph (A) shall be approved by the Director of 
                the Departmental Office of Civil Rights of the 
                Department of Transportation.
                    ``(E) Implementation.--
                            ``(i) Development and approval schedule.--
                        The training program required by subparagraph 
                        (A) shall be developed and approved as required 
                        by subparagraph (D) not later than 90 days 
                        after the date of the enactment of the Merchant 
                        Marine Academy Improvement Act of 2017.
                            ``(ii) Completion of training.--Each 
                        individual who is required to complete the 
                        training described in subparagraph (A) shall 
                        complete such training not later than--
                                    ``(I) 270 days after enactment of 
                                the Merchant Marine Academy Improvement 
                                Act of 2017; or
                                    ``(II) 180 days after starting a 
                                position with responsibilities that 
                                include the activities described clause 
                                (i), (ii), or (iii) of subparagraph 
                                (A).''; and
            (5) by inserting after paragraph (5), as so redesignated, 
        the following:
            ``(6) Consistency with the higher education act of 1965.--
        The Secretary shall ensure that the policy developed under this 
        subsection meets the requirements set out in paragraph (8) of 
        section 485(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1092(f)(8)).''.
    (b) Minimum Procedures for Handling Reports of Sexual Harassment, 
Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking.--
Subsection (b) of section 51318 of title 46, United States Code, as 
added by section 3510 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-328; 130 Stat. 2782), is amended to 
read as follows:
    ``(b) Development Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
        development program of the Academy includes a section that--
                    ``(A) describes the relationship between honor, 
                respect, and character development and the prevention 
                of sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic 
                violence, sexual assault, and stalking at the Academy;
                    ``(B) includes a brief history of the problem of 
                sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, 
                sexual assault, and stalking in the merchant marine, in 
                the Armed Forces, and at the Academy; and
                    ``(C) includes information relating to reporting 
                sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, 
                sexual assault, and stalking, victims' rights, and 
                dismissal for offenders.
            ``(2) Minimum requirements to combat retaliation.--
                    ``(A) Requirement for plan.--Not later than 90 days 
                after the date of the enactment of the Merchant Marine 
                Academy Improvement Act of 2017, the Maritime 
                Administrator shall create and implement a plan to 
                combat retaliation against midshipmen at the United 
                States Merchant Marine Academy who report sexual 
                harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual 
                assault, or stalking.
                    ``(B) Violation of code of conduct.--The Maritime 
                Administrator shall consider an act of retaliation 
                against a midshipman at the Academy who reports sexual 
                harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual 
                assault, or stalking as a Class I violation of the 
                Academy's Midshipman Regulations and Sea Year 
                Regulations and Instructions or equivalent code of 
                conduct.
                    ``(C) Retaliation definition.--The Maritime 
                Administrator shall work with the sexual assault 
                prevention and response staff of the Academy to define 
                `retaliation' for purposes of this subsection.
            ``(3) Minimum resource requirements.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary of Transportation 
                shall provide the staff at the United States Merchant 
                Marine Academy with adequate and appropriate sexual 
                harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual 
                assault, and stalking prevention and response training 
                materials and resources. Such resources shall include 
                staff as follows:
                            ``(i) Sexual assault response coordinator.
                            ``(ii) Prevention educator.
                            ``(iii) Administrative staff member.
                            ``(iv) Strategic Sealift Officer.
                    ``(B) Communication.--The Director of the Office of 
                Civil Rights of the Department of Transportation shall 
                create and maintain a direct line of communication to 
                the sexual assault response staff of the Academy that 
                is outside of the chain of command of the Academy.
            ``(4) Minimum training requirements.--The Superintendent 
        shall ensure that all cadets receive training on the sexual 
        harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, 
        and stalking prevention and response sections of the 
        development program of the Academy, as described in paragraph 
        (1), as follows:
                    ``(A) An initial training session, which shall 
                occur not later than 7 days after a cadet's initial 
                arrival at the Academy.
                    ``(B) Additional training sessions, which shall 
                occur biannually following the cadet's initial training 
                session until the cadet graduates or leaves the 
                Academy.''.
    (c) Aggregate Reporting.--Section 51318 of title 46, United States 
Code, as added by section 3510 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-328; 130 Stat. 2782), is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(e) Data for Aggregate Reporting.--
            ``(1) In general.--No requirement related to 
        confidentiality in this section or section 51319 may be 
        construed to prevent a sexual assault response coordinator from 
        providing information for any report required by law regrading 
        sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual 
        assault, or stalking.
            ``(2) Identity protection.--Any information provided for a 
        report referred to in paragraph (1) shall be provided in a 
        manner that protects the identity of the victim or witness.''.
    (d) Definitions.--Section 51318 of title 46, United States Code, as 
added by section 3510 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-328; 130 Stat. 2782), as amended by 
subsection (c), is further amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(f) Definitions.--In this section and section 51319:
            ``(1) Dating violence; domestic violence; stalking.--The 
        terms `dating violence', `domestic violence', and `stalking' 
        have the meanings given those terms is section 40002(a) of the 
        Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 13925(a)).
            ``(2) Sexual assault.--The term `sexual assault' means an 
        offense classified as a forcible or nonforcible sex offense 
        under the uniform crime reporting system of the Federal Bureau 
        of Investigation.''.
    (e) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Heading.--Section 51318 of title 46, United States 
        Code, as added by section 3510 of the National Defense 
        Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-328; 130 
        Stat. 2782), is amended by striking the section heading and 
        inserting the following:
``Sec. 51318. Policy on sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic 
              violence, sexual assault, and stalking''.
            (2) Table of sections amendment.--The table of sections for 
        chapter 513 of title 46, United States Code, as amended by 
        subtitle A of title XXXV of the National Defense Authorization 
        Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-328; 130 Stat. 2774), 
        is amended by striking the item relating to section 51318 and 
        inserting the following:

``Sec. 51318. Policy on sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic 
                            violence, sexual assault, and stalking.''.

SEC. 4. SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE COORDINATORS AND SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIM 
              ADVOCATE.

    (a) In General.--Section 51319 of title 46, United States Code, as 
added by section 3511 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-328; 130 Stat. 2785), is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (g); and
            (2) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
    ``(a) Sexual Assault Response Coordinators.--
            ``(1) Requirement for coordinators.--The United States 
        Merchant Marine Academy shall employ or contract with at least 
        1 full-time sexual assault response coordinator who shall 
        reside at or near the Academy. The Secretary of Transportation 
        may assign additional full-time or part-time sexual assault 
        response coordinators at the Academy as necessary.
            ``(2) Selection criteria.--Each sexual assault response 
        coordinator shall be selected based on--
                    ``(A) experience and a demonstrated ability to 
                effectively provide victim services related to sexual 
                harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual 
                assault, and stalking; and
                    ``(B) protection of the individual under State law 
                to provide privileged communication.
            ``(3) Confidentiality.--A sexual assault response 
        coordinator shall, to the extent authorized under State law, 
        provide confidential services to a midshipman who reports being 
        a victim of, or witness to, sexual harassment, dating violence, 
        domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
            ``(4) Training.--
                    ``(A) Requirement.--Not later than 90 days after 
                the date of the enactment of the Merchant Marine 
                Academy Improvement Act of 2017, the Maritime 
                Administrator shall develop a specialized training 
                program for each sexual assault response coordinator 
                and receive approval for such program from the Director 
                of the Departmental Office of Civil Rights of the 
                Department of Transportation within 90 days of 
                enactment of this Act.
                    ``(B) Training program requirements.--The 
                specialized training program required by subparagraph 
                (A) shall include training in--
                            ``(i) working with victims of sexual 
                        harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, 
                        sexual assault, and stalking;
                            ``(ii) the policies, procedures, and 
                        resources of the Academy related to responding 
                        to sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic 
                        violence, sexual assault, and stalking; and
                            ``(iii) national, State, and local victim 
                        services and resources available to victims of 
                        sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic 
                        violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
                    ``(C) Approval.--The specialized training program 
                developed under subparagraph (A) shall be approved by 
                the Director of the Departmental Office of Civil Rights 
                of the Department of Transportation.
                    ``(D) Implementation.--
                            ``(i) Development and approval schedule.--
                        The specialized training program required by 
                        subparagraph (A) shall be developed and 
                        approved as required by subparagraph (C) not 
                        later than 90 days after the date of the 
                        enactment of the Merchant Marine Academy 
                        Improvement Act of 2017.
                            ``(ii) Completion of training.--A sexual 
                        assault response coordinator shall complete the 
                        specialized training program required by 
                        subparagraph (A) not later than--
                                    ``(I) 270 days after enactment of 
                                the Merchant Marine Academy Improvement 
                                Act of 2017; or
                                    ``(II) 180 days after starting in 
                                the role of sexual assault response 
                                coordinator.
            ``(5) Duties.--A sexual assault response coordinator 
        shall--
                    ``(A) confidentially receive reports from victims 
                of sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic 
                violence, sexual assault, or stalking;
                    ``(B) inform such victims of--
                            ``(i) their rights under Federal and State 
                        law;
                            ``(ii) options for reporting an incident of 
                        sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic 
                        violence, sexual assault, or stalking to the 
                        Academy and law enforcement;
                            ``(iii) how to access available services, 
                        including emergency medical care, medical 
                        forensic or evidentiary examinations, legal 
                        services, services provided by rape crisis 
                        centers and other victim service providers, 
                        services provided by the volunteer sexual 
                        assault victim advocates at the Academy, and 
                        crisis intervention counseling and ongoing 
                        counseling;
                            ``(iv) such coordinator's ability to assist 
                        in arranging access to such services, with the 
                        consent of the victim;
                            ``(v) available accommodations, such as 
                        allowing a victim to change living arrangements 
                        and obtain accessibility services;
                            ``(vi) such coordinator's ability to assist 
                        in arranging such accommodations, with the 
                        consent of the victim;
                            ``(vii) the victim's rights and the 
                        Academy's responsibilities regarding orders of 
                        protection, no contact orders, restraining 
                        orders, or similar lawful orders issued by the 
                        Academy or a criminal, civil, or tribal court; 
                        and
                            ``(viii) privacy limitations based on 
                        Federal and State law;
                    ``(C) represent the interests of any midshipmen who 
                reports being a victim of sexual harassment, dating 
                violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, or 
                stalking, even if such interests are in conflict with 
                the interests of the Academy;
                    ``(D) advise such victims of, and provide written 
                materials regarding, the information described in 
                subparagraph (B);
                    ``(E) liaise with appropriate staff at the Academy, 
                with the victim's consent, to arrange reasonable 
                accommodations through the Academy to allow a victim to 
                change living arrangements, obtain accessibility 
                services, or access other accommodations;
                    ``(F) maintain the privacy and confidentiality of 
                the victim, and shall not notify the Academy or any 
                other authority of the identity of the victim or the 
                alleged circumstances surrounding the reported incident 
                unless--
                            ``(i) otherwise required by the applicable 
                        State law; or
                            ``(ii) requested to do so by the victim who 
                        has been fully and accurately informed about 
                        what procedures shall occur if the information 
                        is shared;
                    ``(G) assist the victim in contacting and reporting 
                an incident of sexual harassment, dating violence, 
                domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking to the 
                Academy or law enforcement, if requested to do so by 
                the victim who has been fully and accurately informed 
                about what procedures shall occur if information is 
                shared; and
                    ``(H) submit to the Director of the Office of Civil 
                Rights of the Department of Transportation an annual 
                report summarizing how the resources supplied to the 
                coordinator were used during the prior year, including 
                the number of victims assisted by the coordinator.
    ``(b) Oversight.--
            ``(1) In general.--
                    ``(A) Reporting.--Each sexual assault response 
                coordinator shall--
                            ``(i) report directly to the 
                        Superintendent; and
                            ``(ii) have concurrent reporting 
                        responsibility to the Executive Director of the 
                        Maritime Administration on matters related to 
                        the Maritime Administration and the Department 
                        of Transportation and upon belief that the 
                        Academy leadership is acting inappropriately 
                        regarding sexual assault prevention and 
                        response matters.
                    ``(B) Support.--The Maritime Administration Office 
                of Civil Rights shall provide support to the sexual 
                assault response staff at the Academy on all sexual 
                assault and sexual harassment prevention matters.
            ``(2) Prohibition on investigation by the academy.--Any 
        request by a victim for an accommodation, as described in 
        subsection (a)(5)(F), made by a sexual assault response 
        coordinator shall not trigger an investigation by the Academy, 
        even if such coordinator deals only with matters relating to 
        sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual 
        assault, or stalking.
            ``(3) Prohibition on retaliation.--A sexual assault 
        response coordinator, victim advocate, or companion may not be 
        disciplined, penalized, or otherwise retaliated against by the 
        Academy for representing the interests of the victim, even if 
        such interests are in conflict with the interests of the 
        Academy.
    ``(c) Support for Reporting.--The Maritime Administrator shall 
contract with a third party to make support services available 24 hours 
a day to midshipmen at the United States Merchant Marine Academy who 
are victims of sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, 
sexual assault, or stalking. Such support shall--
            ``(1) be greater than or equal to the support services 
        offered by the Department of Defense SAFE Helpline; and
            ``(2) be provided by individuals who are trained regarding 
        the resources that are available to midshipmen that might not 
        be available to the general public.''.
    (b) Repeal of Duplicate Requirement.--Subsection (g) of section 
51319 of title 46, United States Code, as redesignated by subsection 
(a)(1), is amended--
            (1) by striking paragraph (5);
            (2) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (5); and
            (3) in paragraph (5), as so redesignated, by striking 
        ``(3), (4), and (5)'' and inserting ``(3) and (4)''.

SEC. 5. PROTECTION OF STUDENTS FROM SEXUAL ASSAULT ONBOARD VESSELS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 513 of title 46, United States Code, as 
amended by subtitle A of title XXXV of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-328), is amended 
by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 51320. Protection of students from sexual assault onboard 
              vessels
    ``(a) Provision of Individual Satellite Communication Devices 
During Sea Year.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Maritime Administrator shall ensure 
        that each midshipman at the United States Merchant Marine 
        Academy is provided a functional satellite communication device 
        during the midshipman's Sea Year.
            ``(2) Check-in.--Not less often than once each week, each 
        such midshipman shall check-in with designated personnel at the 
        Academy via the midshipman's personal satellite communication 
        device.
            ``(3) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated to the Maritime Administrator 
        such funds as may be necessary to carry out paragraph (1).
    ``(b) Riding Gangs.--The Maritime Administrator shall--
            ``(1) require the owner or operator of any commercial 
        vessel carrying a midshipman of the Academy to certify their 
        compliance with the International Convention for Safety of Life 
        at Sea, 1974, with annex, done at London November 1, 1974 (32 
        UST 47), and section 8106; and
            ``(2) ensure the Academy informs midshipmen preparing for 
        Sea Year of the obligations that vessel owners and operators 
        have to provide for the security of individuals aboard a vessel 
        under United States law, including chapter 81 and section 
        70103(c).
    ``(c) Checks of Commercial Vessels.--
            ``(1) Requirement.--Not less frequently than once every two 
        years, the sexual assault prevention and response staff of the 
        United States Merchant Marine Academy or the Maritime 
        Administration shall conduct both random and targeted 
        unannounced checks of not less than 10 percent of the 
        commercial vessels that host a midshipman from the Academy.
            ``(2) Removal of students.--If such staff determine that 
        such a commercial vessel is in violation of the sexual assault 
        policy developed by the Academy through such a check, such 
        staff are authorized to remove any midshipman of the Academy 
        from the vessel and report any such violation to the company 
        that owns the vessel.
    ``(d) Maintenance of Sexual Assault Training Records.--The Maritime 
Administrator shall require each company or seafarer union for a 
commercial vessel to maintain records of sexual assault training for 
the crew and passengers of any vessel hosting a midshipman from the 
Academy.
    ``(e) Sea Year Survey.--
            ``(1) Requirement.--The Maritime Administrator shall 
        require each midshipman from the Academy upon completion of the 
        midshipman's Sea Year to complete a survey regarding the 
        environment and conditions on each commercial vessel that 
        hosted the midshipman during the Sea Year.
            ``(2) Availability.--The Maritime Administrator shall make 
        available to the public for each year--
                    ``(A) the questions used in the survey required by 
                paragraph (1); and
                    ``(B) the aggregated data received from such 
                surveys.''.
    (b) Table of Sections Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 
513 of title 46, United States Code, as amended by subtitle A of title 
XXXV of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 
(Public Law 114-328), is amended by adding at the end the following:

``Sec. 51320. Protection of students from sexual assault onboard 
                            vessels.''.

SEC. 6. TRAINING REQUIREMENT FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT INVESTIGATORS.

    The Secretary of Transportation shall require each employee of the 
Office of Inspector General of the Department of Transportation who 
conducts investigations and who is assigned to the Regional 
Investigations Office in New York, New York--
            (1) to participate in specialized training in conducting 
        sexual assault investigations; and
            (2) to attend at least one Federal Law Enforcement Training 
        Center (FLETC) sexual assault investigation course each year.
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