[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 90 (Monday, June 8, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3874-S3876]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 1825. Mrs. FISCHER (for herself and Mr. Booker) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill H.R. 1735, to
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2016 for military activities
of the Department of Defense, for miitary construction, and for defense
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel
strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was
ordered to lie on the table, as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
TITLE XXXV--MARITIME ADMINISTRATION
SEC. 3501. CADET COMMITMENT AGREEMENTS.
Section 51306(a) of title 46, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking
``must'' and inserting ``shall'';
(2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
``(2) obtain a merchant mariner license, unlimited as to
horsepower or tonnage, issued by the United States Coast
Guard as an officer in the merchant marine of the United
States, accompanied by the appropriate national and
international endorsements and certifications required by the
Coast Guard for service aboard vessels on domestic and
international voyages, without limitation, before graduation
from the Academy;'';
(3) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:
``(3) for at least 6 years after graduation from the
Academy, maintain--
``(A) a valid merchant mariner license, unlimited as to
horsepower or tonnage, issued by the United States Coast
Guard as an officer in the merchant marine of the United
States, accompanied by the appropriate national and
international endorsements and certifications required by the
Coast Guard for service aboard vessels on domestic and
international voyages, without limitation;
[[Page S3875]]
``(B) a valid transportation worker identification
credential; and
``(C) a United States Coast Guard medical certificate;'';
and
(4) by amending paragraph (4) to read as follows:
``(4) apply for, and accept if tendered, an appointment as
a commissioned officer in the Navy Reserve (including the
Strategic Sealift Officer Program, Navy Reserve), the Coast
Guard Reserve, or any other reserve component of an armed
force of the United States, and, if tendered the appointment,
to serve, meet the participation requirements, and maintain
active status in good standing, as determined by the program
manager of the appropriate military service, for at least 8
years after the date of commissioning;''.
SEC. 3502. STUDENT INCENTIVE PAYMENT AGREEMENTS.
Section 51509 of title 46, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) by inserting ``(3) Authorized uses.--'' before the last
sentence and indenting accordingly;
(B) in the matter preceding paragraph (3), by striking
``Payments'' and inserting ``(1) In general.--Except as
provided in paragraph (2), payments'' and indenting
accordingly; and
(C) by inserting after paragraph (1), the following:
``(2) Exception.--The Secretary may modify the payments
made to an individual under paragraph (1), but the total
amount of payments to that individual may not exceed
$32,000.'';
(2) in subsection (c), by striking ``Merchant Marine
Reserve'' and inserting ``Strategic Sealift Officer
Program'';
(3) in subsection (d)--
(A) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
``(2) obtain a merchant mariner license, without limitation
as to tonnage or horsepower, from the United States Coast
Guard as an officer in the merchant marine of the United
States, accompanied by the appropriate national and
international endorsements and certification required by the
Coast Guard for service aboard vessels on domestic and
international voyages, without limitation, within three
months of completion of the course of instruction at the
academy the individual is attending;'';
(B) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:
``(3) for at least 6 years after graduation from the
academy, maintain--
``(A) a valid merchant mariner license, unlimited as to
horsepower or tonnage, issued by the United States Coast
Guard as an officer in the merchant marine of the United
States, accompanied by the appropriate national and
international endorsements and certifications required by the
Coast Guard for service aboard vessels on domestic and
international voyages, without limitation;
``(B) a valid transportation worker identification
credential; and
``(C) a United States Coast Guard medical certificate;''
and
(C) by amending paragraph (4) to read as follows:
``(4) apply for, and accept, if tendered, an appointment as
a commissioned officer in the Navy Reserve (including the
Strategic Sealift Officer Program, Navy Reserve), the Coast
Guard Reserve, or any other reserve component of an armed
force of the United States, and, if tendered the appointment,
to serve and meet the participation requirements and to
maintain active status in good standing, as determined by the
program manager of the appropriate military service, for at
least 8 years after the date of commissioning;'';
(4) by amending subsection (e)(1) to read as follows:
``(1) Active duty.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary of Defense may order an
individual to serve on active duty in the armed forces of the
United States for a period of not more than 2 years if--
``(i) the individual has attended an academy under this
section for more than 2 academic years, but less than 3
academic years;
``(ii) the individual has accepted the payments described
in subsection (b) in an amount totaling at least $8,000; and
``(iii) the Secretary of Transportation has determined that
the individual has failed to fulfill the part of the
agreement described in subsection (d)(1).
``(B) 3 or more years.--The Secretary of Defense may order
an individual to serve on active duty in the armed forces of
the United States for a period of not more than 3 years if--
``(i) the individual has attended an academy under this
section for 3 or more academic years;
``(ii) the individual has accepted the payments described
in subsection (b) in an amount totaling at least $16,000; and
``(iii) the Secretary of Transportation has determined that
the individual has failed to fulfill the part of the
agreement described in subsection (d)(1).
``(C) Hardship waiver.--In cases of hardship as determined
by the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of
Transportation may waive this paragraph in whole or in
part.''; and
(5) by adding at the end the following:
``(h) Alternative Service.--
``(1) Service as commissioned officer.--An individual who,
for the 5-year period following graduation from an academy,
serves as a commissioned officer on active duty in an armed
force of the United States or as a commissioned officer of
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or the
Public Health Service shall be excused from the requirements
of paragraphs (3) through (5) of subsection (d).
``(2) Modification or waiver.--The Secretary may modify or
waive any of the terms and conditions set forth in subsection
(d) through the imposition of alternative service
requirements.''.
SEC. 3503. FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT TAX ACT.
Section 3305 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26
U.S.C. 3305) is amended by striking ``Secretary of Commerce''
each place it appears and inserting ``Secretary of
Transportation''.
SEC. 3504. SHORT SEA TRANSPORTATION DEFINED.
Paragraph (1) of section 55605 of title 46, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``or'';
(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(C) shipped in discrete units or packages that are
handled individually, palletized, or unitized for purposes of
transportation; or
``(D) freight vehicles carried aboard commuter ferry boats;
and''.
SEC. 3505. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR NATIONAL
SECURITY ASPECTS OF THE MERCHANT MARINE FOR
FISCAL YEARS 2016 AND 2017.
(a) Fiscal Year 2016.--Funds are hereby authorized to be
appropriated for fiscal year 2016, to be available without
fiscal year limitation if so provided in appropriations Acts,
for the use of the Department of Transportation for Maritime
Administration programs associated with maintaining national
security aspects of the merchant marine, as follows:
(1) For expenses necessary for operations of the United
States Merchant Marine Academy, $96,028,000, of which--
(A) $71,306,000 shall remain available until expended for
Academy operations;
(B) $24,722,000 shall remain available until expended for
capital asset management at the Academy.
(2) For expenses necessary to support the State maritime
academies, $34,550,000, of which--
(A) $2,400,000 shall remain available until expended for
student incentive payments;
(B) $3,000,000 shall remain available until expended for
direct payments to such academies;
(C) $1,800,000 shall remain available until expended for
training ship fuel assistance payments;
(D) $22,000,000 shall remain available until expended for
maintenance and repair of State maritime academy training
vessels;
(E) $5,000,000 shall remain available until expended for a
National Security Multi-Mission Vessel Design Program; and
(F) $350,000 shall remain available until expended for
improving the monitoring of graduates' service obligation.
(3) For expenses necessary to support Maritime
Administration operations and programs, $54,059,000.
(4) For expenses necessary to dispose of vessels in the
National Defense Reserve Fleet, $8,000,000 to remain
available until expended.
(5) For expenses to maintain and preserve a United States-
flag merchant marine to serve the national security needs of
the United States under chapter 531 of title 46, United
States Code, $186,000,000.
(6) For the cost (as 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 authorized by chapter 537 of
title 46, United States Code, $3,135,000, of which $3,135,000
shall remain available until expended for administrative
expenses of the program.
(b) Fiscal Year 2017.--Funds are hereby authorized to be
appropriated for fiscal year 2017, to be available without
fiscal year limitation if so provided in appropriations Acts,
for the use of the Department of Transportation for Maritime
Administration programs associated with maintaining national
security aspects of the merchant marine, as follows:
(1) For expenses necessary for operations of the United
States Merchant Marine Academy, $96,028,000, of which--
(A) $71,306,000 shall remain available until expended for
Academy operations;
(B) $24,722,000 shall remain available until expended for
capital asset management at the Academy.
(2) For expenses necessary to support the State maritime
academies, $34,550,000, of which--
(A) $2,400,000 shall remain available until expended for
student incentive payments;
(B) $3,000,000 shall remain available until expended for
direct payments to such academies;
(C) $1,800,000 shall remain available until expended for
training ship fuel assistance payments;
(D) $22,000,000 shall remain available until expended for
maintenance and repair of State maritime academy training
vessels;
(E) $5,000,000 shall remain available until expended for a
National Security Multi-Mission Vessel Design Program; and
(F) $350,000 shall remain available until expended for
improving the monitoring of graduates' service obligation.
(3) For expenses necessary to support Maritime
Administration operations and programs, $54,059,000.
[[Page S3876]]
(4) For expenses necessary to dispose of vessels in the
National Defense Reserve Fleet, $8,000,000 to remain
available until expended.
(5) For expenses to maintain and preserve a United States-
flag merchant marine to serve the national security needs of
the United States under chapter 531 of title 46, United
States Code, $186,000,000.
(6) For the cost (as 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 authorized by chapter 537 of
title 46, United States Code, $3,135,000, of which $3,135,000
shall remain available until expended for administrative
expenses of the program.
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