[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4842 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4842

  To require the United States Coast Guard to implement new rules for 
Merchant Marine credentialing for veterans and members of the Uniformed 
                   Services, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 13, 2022

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To require the United States Coast Guard to implement new rules for 
Merchant Marine credentialing for veterans and members of the Uniformed 
                   Services, 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 ``Military to Mariners Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The United States Uniformed Services are composed of 
        the world's most highly trained and professional 
        servicemembers.
            (2) A robust Merchant Marine and ensuring United States 
        mariners can compete in the global workforce are vital to 
        economic and national security.
            (3) Attracting additional trained and credentialed 
        mariners, particularly from active duty servicemembers and 
        military veterans, will support United States national security 
        requirements and provide meaningful, well-paying jobs to United 
        States veterans.
            (4) There is a need to ensure that the Federal Government 
        has a robust, state of the art, and efficient merchant mariner 
        credentialing system to support economic and national security.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) veterans and members of the Uniformed Services who 
        pursue credentialing to join the United States Merchant Marine 
        should receive vigorous support; and
            (2) it is incumbent upon the regulatory bodies of the 
        United States to streamline regulations to facilitate 
        transition of veterans and members of the Uniformed Services 
        into the United States Merchant Marine to maintain a strong 
        maritime presence in the United States and worldwide.

SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF SEA SERVICE REQUIREMENTS FOR MERCHANT MARINER 
              CREDENTIALS FOR VETERANS AND MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED 
              SERVICES.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Merchant mariner credential.--The term ``merchant 
        mariner credential'' has the meaning given the term in section 
        7510 of title 46, United States Code.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating.
            (3) Uniformed services.--The term ``Uniformed Services'' 
        has the meaning given the term ``uniformed services'' in 
        section 2101 of title 5, United States Code.
    (b) Review and Regulations.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall--
            (1) review and examine--
                    (A) the requirements and procedures for veterans 
                and members of the Uniformed Services to receive a 
                merchant mariner credential;
                    (B) the classifications of sea service acquired 
                through training and service as a member of the 
                Uniformed Services and level of equivalence to sea 
                service on merchant vessels;
                    (C) the amount of sea service, including percent of 
                the total time onboard for purposes of equivalent 
                underway service, that will be accepted as required 
                experience for all endorsements for applicants for a 
                merchant mariner credential who are veterans or members 
                of the Uniformed Services;
            (2) provide the availability for a fully internet-based 
        application process for a merchant mariner credential, to the 
        maximum extent practicable; and
            (3) issue new regulations to--
                    (A) reduce paperwork, delay, and other burdens for 
                applicants for a merchant mariner credential who are 
                veterans and members of the Uniformed Services, and, if 
                determined to be appropriate, increase the acceptable 
                percentages of time equivalent to sea service for such 
                applicants; and
                    (B) reduce burdens and create a means of 
                alternative compliance to demonstrate instructor 
                competency for Standards of Training, Certification and 
                Watchkeeping for Seafarers courses.
    (c) Consultation.--In carrying out subsection (b), the Secretary 
shall consult with the National Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory 
Committee taking into account the present and future needs of the 
United States Merchant Marine labor workforce.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Committee on the Marine Transportation System shall 
submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate, the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, and the Committee 
on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, a report that 
contains an update on the activities carried out to implement--
            (1) the July 2020 report by the Committee on the Marine 
        Transportation System to the White House Office of Trade and 
        Manufacturing Policy on the implementation of Executive Order 
        13860 (84 Fed. Reg. 8407; relating to supporting the transition 
        of active duty servicemembers and military veterans into the 
        Merchant Marine); and
            (2) section 3511 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
        of 2020 (Public Law 116-92; 133 Stat. 1978).
    (e) Assessment of Skillbridge for Employment as a Merchant 
Mariner.--The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is 
operating, in collaboration with the Secretary of Defense, shall assess 
the use of the SkillBridge program of the Department of Defense as a 
means for transitioning active duty sea service personnel toward 
employment as a merchant mariner.
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