[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8515 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8515

 To promote and recruit the United States maritime industry workforce, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 22, 2024

  Mr. Waltz introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
   Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on 
Science, Space, and Technology, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of 
                        the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To promote and recruit the United States maritime industry workforce, 
                        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 ``Maritime Advantage Results In 
National Economic Resiliency and Security Act'' or the ``MARINERS 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Strategic sealift, made up of civilian, Government, and 
        commercial vessels and mariners, is a critical capability for 
        executing our country's maritime defense strategy and wartime 
        and peacetime economy.
            (2) Ensuring a modern and ready capability will require 
        significant investment, policy prioritization, and the 
        innovation of the American people.
            (3) The United States Government must take all measures 
        necessary to ensure that sufficient military, civil, and 
        commercial resources will be available with assured access to 
        meet defense deployment and essential economic activities for 
        our nation in times of crisis, war, or peace.
            (4) The United States must be prepared to respond 
        unilaterally to national security threats and understand and 
        plan for contingencies in which treaty allies of the United 
        States must support and augment United States sealift.
            (5) Maintaining the capacity to conduct sealift is vital to 
        national security and the American way of life.
            (6) A United States-flag commercial shipping fleet crewed 
        with citizen mariners, competitive in domestic and 
        international trade and civil fleets participating in the 
        United States peacetime economy underwrite American security 
        and survival in times of crisis and war.

SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to--
            (1) address the shortage of workers in the maritime sector 
        and stimulate growth in the United States merchant marine and 
        shipbuilding industries by providing funding for a 
        comprehensive marketing, recruiting, and public relations 
        campaign. Expanding and nurturing a robust maritime workforce 
        enhances United States national security and strategic sealift 
        readiness; and
            (2) create a more favorable domestic and global maritime 
        environment for United States-flagged shipping, shipbuilding, 
        maritime logistics, maritime workforce, and naval power, 
        contributing to assured access to the world's oceans free from 
        coercion from strategic competitors.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHING NATIONAL OVERSIGHT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the President shall appoint a Special Adviser to the 
President for coordinating national maritime affairs and policy, 
including maintaining and updating the National Maritime Strategy.
    (b) Duties.--The Special Adviser appointed under subsection (a) 
shall serve as the Chairman of a National Maritime Council, that will 
be responsible to monitor, report, and advocate for implementation of 
the National Maritime Strategy.

SEC. 5. STRATEGY ON DEVELOPMENT OF NAVAL REARM AT SEA CAPABILITY.

    (a) Strategy Required.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Navy shall submit to the 
congressional defense committees a strategy for delivering a rearm at 
sea capability to the surface fleet of the United States Navy. Such 
strategy shall include each of the following:
            (1) A plan to develop, by not later than three years after 
        the date of the enactment of this Act, the capability to employ 
        transportable rearming mechanism equipment to load missile 
        canisters into MK 41 vertical launch system cells on Navy 
        destroyers operating, including an identification of the 
        current and planned investments of the Navy in technology 
        development to achieve such capability, including the 
        anticipated cost and schedule for such investments.
            (2) A plan for the key milestone events and associated 
        dates in the development of such capability.
            (3) A plan to coordinate with allies of the United States 
        that use variants of the United States manufactured MK 41 
        vertical launch system to jointly procure rearm at sea 
        capabilities.
            (4) An identification of any courses of action the 
        Secretary is considering other than the plans referred to in 
        paragraphs (1) through (2) to address the gap between the rearm 
        at sea capabilities of the United States and the capabilities 
        of other countries, including the use of uncrewed technologies.
            (5) Such other matters as the Secretary determines 
        appropriate.
    (b) Briefing.-- Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy shall provide to the 
congressional defense committees a written briefing on the development 
of the strategy required under (a).

SEC. 6. VESSELS CONSTRUCTED WITH CONSTRUCTION-DIFFERENTIAL.

    (a) In General.--Part E of subtitle V of title 46, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

        ``Chapter 567--Use of Construction-Differential Vessels

``Sec.
``56701. Vessels constructed with construction-differential.
``Sec. 56701. Vessels constructed with construction-differential
    ``(a) Ready Reserve Force.--The Secretary of Transportation, in 
consultation with the Secretary of the Navy, shall assign any vessel 
that is constructed after the date of enactment of this section with a 
construction-differential under title V of the Merchant Marine Act, 
1936 (46 App. U.S.C. 1151 et seq.) to the Ready Reserve Force component 
of the National Defense Reserve Fleet.
    ``(b) Vessel Construction Manager.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall seek to enter into 
        an agreement with a vessel construction manager under which the 
        vessel construction manager shall act as the agent for managing 
        construction of the vessel that is the subject of a contract of 
        sale between a purchaser and the Secretary of Transportation 
        entered into under section 502(a) of the Merchant Marine Act, 
        1936 (46 App. U.S.C. 1152(a)) after the date of enactment of 
        this section.
            ``(2) Requirements.--The Secretary shall require that a 
        vessel construction manager described in paragraph (1) ensures 
        that vessels are built using commercial standards, are 
        militarily useful, and are built using mature, proven, and 
        repeatable design concepts.
    ``(c) Condition.--
            ``(1) In general.--The owner of any vessel that is 
        constructed after the date of enactment of this section with a 
        construction differential under title V of the Merchant Marine 
        Act, 1936 (46 App. U.S.C. 1151 et seq.) and that is assigned as 
        a Ready Reserve Force vessel under subsection (a) shall agree 
        to provide effective control of such vessel to the United 
        States during--
                    ``(A) a national emergency declared by Presidential 
                proclamation; or
                    ``(B) a period for which the President has 
                proclaimed that the security of the national defense 
                makes it advisable.
            ``(2) Compensation.--During a period described in paragraph 
        (1), the owner of a vessel described in such paragraph shall be 
        compensated for the use of the vessel by the United States at 
        the rate the Secretary considers just compensation for the use 
        of the vessel.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of chapters for subtitle V of 
title 46, United States Code is amended by inserting after the item 
related to chapter 565 the following:

``567. Use of Construction-Differential Vessels.............   56701''.

SEC. 7. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    (a) Construction-Differential.--Title V of the Merchant Marine Act, 
1936 (46 App. U.S.C. 1151 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) in the heading for the title by striking ``SUBSIDY'';
            (2) by striking ``subsidy'' each place it appears;
            (3) in section 501(a) by striking ``construction-
        differential subsidies'' and inserting ``construction-
        differentials''
    (b) Foreign Commerce or Trade.--Section 109 of title 46, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) in the heading for subsection (b) by striking 
        ``construction-differential subsidies'' and inserting 
        ``construction-differentials''; and
            (2) in subsection (b) by striking ``construction-
        differential subsidies'' and inserting ``construction-
        differentials''.
    (c) Vessel Operations Revolving Fund.--Section 50301(e)(3) of title 
46, United States Code, is amended by striking ``subsidy''.
    (d) Definition of New Vessel.--Section 53301(a)(2)(A)(i) of title 
46, United States Code, is amended by striking ``subsidy''.
    (e) Obligation of Deposits and Period for Construction of Certain 
Vessels.--Section 53310(b) of title 46, United States Code, is amended 
by striking ``subsidy''.
    (f) Definition of United States Foreign Trade.--Section 53501(8) of 
title 46, United States Code, is amended by striking ``subsidy''.
    (g) Eligible Purposes of Obligations.--Section 53706(a)(4) of title 
46, United States Code, is amended by striking ``subsidy''.
    (h) Amount of Obligations.--Section 53709(b)(2) of title 46, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ``subsidy'' each place it appears.
    (i) Compensation.--Section 56303(c) of title 46, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) in the subsection heading by striking ``Subsidy''; and
            (2) by striking ``subsidy'' each place it appears.
    (j) Types of Adjustments and Arrangements.--Section 56503(a)(1) of 
title 46, United States Code, is amended by striking ``operating-
differential or construction-differential subsidy'' and inserting 
``operating-differential subsidy or construction-differential''.
    (k) Acquisition of Vessels for Essential Services, Routes, or 
Lines.--Section 57105(b) of title 46, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``subsidy''.
    (l) Construction, Reconditioning, and Remodeling of Vessels.--
Section 57502(c) of title 46, United States Code, is amended in the 
subsection heading by striking ``Subsidy''.

SEC. 8. REPORTS.

    (a) Report on National Defense Reserve Fleet.--Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, and every 2 years 
thereafter, the Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the 
Commander of United States Transportation Command and the Secretary of 
the Navy, shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the subcommittees on 
Readiness and Seapower and Projection Forces of the Committee on Armed 
Services of the House of Representatives a report--
            (1) outlining a plan for using the construction-
        differential authorized under title V of the Merchant Marine 
        Act, 1936 (46 App. U.S.C. 1151 et seq.) to supplement the size 
        and readiness of the National Defense Reserve Fleet and to 
        improve national shipbuilding and shipping infrastructure; and
            (2) describing ways in which an expanded and creative view 
        of the make-up of the Ready Reserve Force component of the 
        National Defense Reserve Fleet and the construction-
        differential authorized under title V of the Merchant Marine 
        Act, 1936 (46 App. U.S.C. 1151 et seq.) can be used to ensure 
        Government access to other vessels that are critical to 
        national security, such as icebreakers, oil and natural gas 
        tankers, and commercial shipping vessels using small nuclear 
        reactors.
    (b) Report on Incentives to Shipping Companies.--Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce 
shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services, Energy and Commerce, 
and Transportation of the House of Representatives and the Committees 
on Armed Services and Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate a report outlining how current provisions of law may be applied 
to incentivize shipping companies to contract with the owners of 
vessels described in section 56701 of title 46, United States Code (as 
added by this Act), for the shipment of goods.
    (c) Report on De-Risking Maritime Sector.--Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter, 
the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in 
coordination with the Secretaries of Treasury, Defense, and State and 
the United States Trade Representative and the Director of the Office 
of Management and Budget, shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a report outlining a comprehensive strategy for de-risking the 
United States maritime domain from the People's Republic of China and 
other asymmetric or emerging maritime threats.
    (d) Report on Restricting Flow of Capital to CCP.--Not later than 
180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the heads of all 
Federal agencies shall submit to Congress a report on ways and means 
for restricting the flow of capital from the United States to Chinese 
Communist Party maritime industries, which shall include 
recommendations for promoting the flow of capital within and between 
the United States and treaty allies of the United States.
    (e) Report on Tax Breaks.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall submit to 
Congress, and publish in the Federal Register, a report describing, to 
incentivize the use of United States-flagged ships and United States 
ports, any potential--
            (1) income tax breaks to merchant mariners and shipyard 
        support workers;
            (2) corporate tax expense exemptions for United States 
        companies who ship goods on United States-flagged vessels;
            (3) modifying import and export duties to account for 
        inflation and global market conditions;
            (4) waiving the ad valorum tax for international trade 
        ships repaired overseas;
            (5) standardization of burden sharing agreements to 
        mitigate the cost of merchant mariner pay; and
            (6) other rule change that enhances economic and national 
        security.

SEC. 9. PRIVILEGING UNITED STATES-FLAGGED FLEET.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the heads of each Federal agency with 
jurisdiction over maritime shipping and related shipyard workforces 
shall study privileging the United States-flagged fleet engaged in 
international trade and incentivizing United States entities to ship 
goods using a United States-flagged carrier and maintain and repair 
vessels in a United States or treaty allied shipyard.
    (b) Implementation.--After a study is completed under subsection 
(a), the head of the respective Federal agency shall take such actions 
as are necessary to implement any recommendations under the study.
    (c) Report.--After implementing recommendations under subsection 
(b), the heads of each Federal agency shall submit to Congress a 
report--
            (1) describing any rules that have been amended to carry 
        out this section; and
            (2) requesting additional authorities not already granted 
        that are needed to carry out privileging the United States-
        flagged fleet described in subsection (a).
    (d) Maritime Trust Fund Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Commerce and the 
        Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the United 
        States Trade Representative, shall study the creation of a 
        Maritime Trust Fund and propose options for resourcing such 
        Fund through new import and export fees that favor United 
        States-flagged shipping.
            (2) Content.--In carrying out the study under paragraph 
        (1), the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of 
        Transportation shall propose a structure for the Fund that is 
        designated to fund Federal support to shipbuilding, shipping, 
        and maritime workforce programs authorized by Congress.

SEC. 10. CARGO PREFERENCES.

    Section 55305 of title 46, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a) by striking ``50'' and inserting 
        ``75'';
            (2) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
    ``(d) Waivers.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, when 
the President, the Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of 
Transportation declares the existence of an emergency justifying a 
temporary waiver of this section or section 55314, the President, the 
Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of Transportation, following a 
determination by the Maritime Administrator, acting in the 
Administrator's capacity as Director, National Shipping Authority, of 
the non-availability of qualified United States flag capacity at fair 
and reasonable rates for commercial vessels of the United States to 
meet the requirements of this section or section 55314, may waive 
compliance with such section to the extent, in the manner, and on the 
terms the Maritime Administrator, acting in such capacity, prescribes, 
and no other waivers of the requirements of this section or section 
55314 shall be authorized.''.

SEC. 11. PAYMENTS FOR MARITIME SECURITY PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 53106 of title 46, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B) by adding ``and'' at the end; and
            (2) by striking subparagraphs (C) through (F) and inserting 
        the following:
                    ``(C) $8,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 
                through 2035.''.
    (b) Maritime Security Fleet.--
            (1) Test.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Commander of the United States 
        Transportation Command, in coordination with the Secretary of 
        the Navy and the Administrator of the Maritime Administration, 
        shall devise an exercise to test the effective control of the 
        Maritime Security Fleet under chapter 531 of title 46, United 
        States Code, in case of crisis or war.
            (2) Briefing.--After completion of the exercise under 
        paragraph (1), the Commander shall submit to the appropriate 
        committees of Congress a briefing on the results of the 
        exercise under paragraph (1).
            (3) Bi-annual testing.--Beginning not later than 1 year 
        after the briefing is submitted under paragraph (2), the 
        Commander shall--
                    (A) biannually drill the Maritime Security Fleet 
                under chapter 531 of title 46, United States Code, to 
                test effective control of such Fleet; and
                    (B) provide to Congress a briefing after each such 
                drill on the results of such drill.

SEC. 12. INNOVATION INCUBATOR PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretaries of Defense, Energy, and 
Transportation shall foster an innovation incubator program for 
developing small nuclear reactor technology to extend the range and 
endurance of maritime vessels.
    (b) Briefing.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretaries shall provide an 
annual briefing to the appropriate committees of Congress on the 
progress of the program established under subsection (a).
    (c) Funding.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out this section, the 
        Secretaries shall seek funding for the program through the 
        President's Budget each year, as well as existing 
        appropriations for renewable energy from the Department of 
        Energy and the Infrastructure Reduction Act.
            (2) Public-private partnerships.--To the extent possible, 
        the Secretaries shall seek to create public-private 
        partnerships for program investment burden sharing.

SEC. 13. ASSESSMENT ON MARINE INFRASTRUCTURE READINESS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Maritime Administration 
shall submit to Congress a report on the status and resources needed to 
execute and complete the necessary port, shipyard, and other 
infrastructure reports to support the attainment of finance 
arrangements for public and private improvement projects meeting the 
standard of the private and public financial sectors and banks and the 
Department of Commerce and the Treasury.
    (b) Contents.--The report under subsection (a) shall include--
            (1) policy, resource, rulemaking, and authority changes 
        that will strengthen United States shipbuilding, shipping, port 
        and shipyard infrastructure, and maritime workforce to meet a 
        minimum established level of capability and capacity to ensure 
        economic and national security interests of the United States; 
        and
            (2) recommendations for how to employ maritime prosperity 
        zones, by facilitating the creation of Federal, State, or local 
        special economic zones or other capital funding package, to be 
        focused on distinct geographic regions that are undeveloped, 
        underdeveloped, or developing, including explaining the sort of 
        financial, regulation, taxation, or other incentives within 
        such zones that would accelerate workforce development, 
        streamline the development of new shipbuilding capacity, and 
        modernize a designated shipyard, port, or other facility or 
        locations in order to support the maritime workforce, United 
        States-flagged international fleet, shipbuilding, and trade 
        related maritime facilities, such as ports.

SEC. 14. CONTRACTING.

    The Administrator of the Maritime Administration shall, through a 
competitive bidding process, contract with a reputable marketing, 
recruiting, and public relations firm to develop and deploy branding, 
content, advertising buys, and local and national engagement strategies 
to implement the campaigns described in section 3.

SEC. 15. CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES.

    The campaigns described in section 3 shall focus on the following 
objectives:
            (1) Emphasize the importance of maritime work for national 
        security.
            (2) Showcase the numerous opportunities available in the 
        maritime domain.
            (3) Highlight the shortage of workers in the maritime 
        sector.
            (4) Promote the excitement, benefits, and appeal of a 
        career in the maritime industry.
            (5) Inform potential workers of the points of entry 
        available to join and receive training for such employment, 
        including--
                    (A) the United States Merchant Marine Academy;
                    (B) State and regional maritime academies described 
                in chapter 515 of title 46, United States Code;
                    (C) merchant mariner and shipbuilding labor union 
                training facilities;
                    (D) merchant mariner and shipbuilding 
                apprenticeship programs approved by the Secretary of 
                Labor; and
                    (E) shipbuilding industry training programs.
            (6) Inform potential workers of sources of financial 
        assistance for training for individuals interested in joining 
        such industry.
            (7) Attract workers to the United States merchant marine 
        and shipbuilding sectors.

SEC. 16. TARGET AUDIENCE.

    In carrying out the campaigns under this Act, to raise awareness 
about the importance of the merchant marine and shipbuilding sectors, 
the firm selected under section 14 shall target a diverse audience, 
including--
            (1) potential workers interested in maritime careers;
            (2) educational institutions and the students of such 
        institutions considering vocational training in maritime 
        fields;
            (3) military veterans and individuals seeking career 
        transitions; and
            (4) the general public.

SEC. 17. REPORTING AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

    (a) Quarterly Report.--Not later than 30 days after the end of each 
quarter of each fiscal year during the campaigns carried out under this 
Act, the firm selected under section 4 shall submit to the 
Administrator of the Maritime Administration and the relevant 
congressional committees quarterly reports detailing the progress, 
outreach, and impact of the campaigns, and their effectiveness in 
increasing applications for employment in the United States merchant 
marine and shipbuilding sectors.
    (b) Final Report.--Not later than 60 days after the conclusion of 
the campaigns carried out under this Act, the firm selected under 
section 14 shall submit to the Administrator of the Maritime 
Administration and the relevant congressional committees a 
comprehensive final report.

SEC. 18. SEALIFT CAPABILITY.

    (a) Title 46.--Title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following:

                   ``SUBCHAPTER IX--STRATEGIC SEALIFT

``90101. Objectives and policy.
``90102. Procurement, maintenance, and operation.
``90103. Sealift prioritization.
``90104. Interaction with programs.
``90105. International agreements.
``90106. Briefing on shipbuilding capacity.
``90107. Briefing on privileging fleet.
``90108. Report on privilege.
``90109. Report on requirements for sealift force deployment.
``90110. Report on domestic build requirements.
``90111. Assessment on marine infrastructure readiness.
``Sec. 90101. Objectives and policy
    ``(a) Objectives.--It is necessary for the national defense and the 
development of the domestic and foreign commerce of the United States 
that the United States have a United States-flag strategic sealift--
            ``(1) sufficient to meet defense deployment and essential 
        economic activities for the United States in times of crisis or 
        war;
            ``(2) sufficient to respond unilaterally to national 
        security threats and ensure economic security resilience for 
        the Nation's trade; and
            ``(3) built, operated, and maintained during peace, crisis, 
        and war primarily in the United States to protect and ensure 
        national security resiliency and avoid foreign coercion of 
        critical supply chains.
    ``(b) Policy.--It is the policy of the United States to encourage 
and aid the development and maintenance of a strategic sealift 
satisfying the objectives described in subsection (a).
``Sec. 90102. Procurement, maintenance, and operation
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation and the 
Secretary of Defense shall build, acquire, maintain, coordinate, 
support, and operate a sufficient and privileged civil, commercial, and 
military sealift capability.
    ``(b) Supplemental Capability.--In establishing sealift capability 
under this subtitle, the Secretary of Transportation and Secretary of 
Defense shall continue to operate a sufficient Maritime Security 
Program, Tanker Security Program, Military Sealift Command, and Ready 
Reserve Force to provide capacity and resiliency for unilateral United 
States strategic sealift in peace, crisis, and war.
``Sec. 90103. Sealift prioritization
    ``(a) In General.--In maintaining, coordinating, supporting, and 
operating sealift capability under this subtitle, prioritization for 
sealift capability under this subtitle during wartime and crisis shall 
be in the following order:
            ``(1) Commercial United States-flagged vessels.
            ``(2) United States Government owned and operated sealift 
        vessels.
            ``(3) Treaty allied flagged vessels.
            ``(4) Partner state flagged shipping vessels.
    ``(b) Prioritization.--In moving through the order of priority 
under this section, the Secretary of Defense shall determine the timing 
of moving through such priority.
``Sec. 90104. Interaction with programs
    ``The Secretaries of Transportation and Defense may acquire, 
maintain, and repair ships from treaty allies using best practices to 
be transportable between the Maritime Security Program, Tanker Security 
Program, Ready Reserve Fleet, and the fleet under this subtitle.
``Sec. 90105. International agreements
    ``(a) In General.--In maintaining, coordinating, supporting, and 
operating sealift capability under this subtitle, the Department of 
State shall lead an interagency effort to establish and update 
agreements with treaty allies of the United States and partners to meet 
wartime sealift requirements of such allies and partners and augment 
United States sealift requirements during crisis and war.
    ``(b) Report.--Not later than March 1, 2025, the Secretary of 
State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, shall provide to 
Congress an evaluation of the status of treaty allies sealift 
assurances under subsection (a), including an assessment of 
international agreements described in such subsection and 
recommendations for updating such agreements to reflect the global 
security environment.
``Sec. 90106. Briefing on shipbuilding capacity
    ``(a) In General.--Not later than March 1, 2025, the Secretary of 
Transportation and Secretary of Defense shall brief Congress on the 
capacity of the United States shipbuilding industry to meet the 
requirements to build, maintain, and repair the strategic sealift fleet 
described under this subtitle.
    ``(b) Contents.--In briefing Congress under subsection (a), the 
Secretary of Transportation and Secretary of Defense shall include an 
assessment and recommendations for improving the critical shipbuilding 
infrastructure, workforce recruitment, development and retention, and 
critical supply chains and critical repair parts of the United States, 
including ways in which allies and partners can contribute.
``Sec. 90107. Briefing on privileging fleet
    ``(a) In General.--Not later than March 1, 2025, the Secretary of 
Transportation, in coordination with the Secretaries of Homeland 
Security and Commerce and the Federal Maritime Commission, shall brief 
Congress on available options for establishing privileges for the 
United States-owned commercial fleet participating in the international 
ocean-based trading market that will sustain and significantly grow the 
United States-flagged fleet.
    ``(b) Contents.--In briefing Congress under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall provide recommendations for and potential incentives, 
including a wide spectrum of tax and credit incentives, for civil, 
commercial, and government entities, including allies and partners, to 
ship goods on United States-flag fleet.
``Sec. 90108. Report on privilege
    ``(a) In General.--Not later than March 1, 2025, the Secretary of 
Transportation, in coordination with the Secretary of Commerce and the 
Director of the Office of Management and Budget, shall submit to 
Congress a report including ways to ensure the sealift fleet under this 
subtitle is privileged in regulation, taxation, fees, and policy 
compared to foreign vessels conducting trade with a United States 
domiciled entity, while remaining consistent with the international 
obligations of the United States.
    ``(b) Contents.--In submitting the report under subsection (a), the 
Secretary of Transportation shall include options for regulating 
foreign flagged shipping trade with the United States in order to 
sustain and grow the Maritime Security Program, Tanker Security 
Program, and other commercial United States-flag ships that comprise 
the sealift fleet under this subtitle.
``Sec. 90109. Report on requirements for sealift force deployment
    ``(a) In General.--Not later than March 1, 2025, the Secretary of 
Defense shall submit to Congress a report on requirements to maintain, 
improve, or grow the Maritime Security Program, Tanker Security 
Program, and Ready Reserve Force, the sealift fleet under this subtitle 
over the decade following the date of enactment of this section.
    ``(b) Contents.--The report under subsection (a) shall include a 
plan for making the Ready Reserve Force active in international trade 
through a public-private partnership that enables financing, building, 
manning, operating, maintaining, and repairing the program vessels, 
while guaranteeing assured effective control in times of crisis or war.
``Sec. 90110. Report on domestic build requirements
    ``Not later than March 1, 2025, the Secretary of Transportation 
shall submit to Congress a report that includes a plan to fund and 
phase in a domestic build requirement for the Maritime Security 
Program, Tanker Security Program, Ready Reserve Fleet, and the sealift 
fleet under this section, considering the full range of domestic and 
treaty Ally civil, commercial, and government partner arrangements and 
resource sharing.
``Sec. 90111. Assessment on marine infrastructure readiness
    ``(a) In General.--Not later than March 1, 2026, and every two 
years thereafter, the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security, 
Commerce, and Transportation shall provide Congress an assessment on--
            ``(1) the readiness and sufficiency of America's marine 
        infrastructure, shipping industry, shipbuilding industry, and 
        United States-flagged, owned, and operated fleets to meet 
        strategic sealift requirements and operate in a contested 
        environment;
            ``(2) the vulnerability of the United States' economy to 
        coercion or control from our nation's strategic competitors 
        through the ocean-going trades; and
            ``(3) critical infrastructure vulnerabilities in America's 
        maritime transportation system, to include ports, shipyards, 
        repair yards, inland waterways, and the domestic fleet, and 
        foreign investment in maritime infrastructure, and how to de-
        risk the maritime sector for such vulnerabilities.
    ``(b) Secretary of State.--Not later than March 1, 2026, and every 
two years thereafter, the Secretary of State shall provide Congress an 
assessment on--
            ``(1) the current arrangements and agreements with treaty 
        allies for access to the global maritime transportation 
        infrastructure such as ports, harbors, and waterways; and
            ``(2) the current assurances, arrangements, and agreements 
        with Treaty allies to augment United States sealift 
        capabilities in times of crisis and war.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for Title 46, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

                    ``IX. Strategic Sealift 90101''.

SEC. 19. ASSISTANCE FOR SMALL SHIPYARDS.

    Section 54101(i) of title 46, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``fiscal year 2021 to carry out this section $20,000,000'' and 
inserting ``fiscal year 2025 to carry out this section $100,000,000''.

SEC. 20. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR MARITIME ADMINISTRATION.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Department of 
Transportation for fiscal years 2025 through 2035 the following 
amounts:
            (1) $10,000,000 for a targeted campaign promoting the 
        virtues of work in the United States Merchant Marine for the 
        purpose of sailing in international trade, including Military 
        Sealift Command mariner positions, highlighting the critical 
        need for skilled workers in this sector, and to attract workers 
        to this sector.
            (2) $5,000,000 for a targeted campaign promoting the 
        virtues of work in the United States shipbuilding industry, 
        highlighting the critical need for skilled workers in this 
        sector, and to attract workers to this sector.

SEC. 21. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR MARITIME ADMINISTRATION.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Department of 
Transportation for fiscal year 2024, for programs associated with 
maintaining the United States Merchant Marine for expenses necessary 
for the loan guarantee program authorized under chapter 537 of title 
46, United States Code, $103,020,000, of which--
            (1) $100,000,000 may be for the cost (as such term is 
        defined in section 502(5) of the Federal Credit Reform Act of 
        1990 (2 U.S.C. 661a(5)) of loan guarantees under the program; 
        and
            (2) $3,020,000 may be used for administrative expenses 
        relating to loan guarantee commitments under the program.

SEC. 22. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    Not later than 1 year after the date on which amounts authorized 
under this Act are appropriated, the Administrator of the Maritime 
Administration shall complete the action described in section 14.

SEC. 23. SUNSET CLAUSE.

    Any unobligated amount authorized under this Act shall expire 3 
years after the date on which such amount is appropriated.

SEC. 24. DEFINITION.

    In this Act, the term ``relevant congressional committees'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed 
        Services, and the Committee on Transportation and 
        Infrastructure of the House of Representatives; and
            (2) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed 
        Services, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation of the Senate.
                                 <all>