[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 125 (Wednesday, July 25, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H7640-H7645]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       SAVE OUR SEAS ACT OF 2018

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (S. 756) to reauthorize and amend the Marine Debris Act 
to promote international action to reduce marine debris, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                 S. 756



 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  July 25, 2018, on page H7640, the following appeared: amended. 
The text of the bill is as follows: S. 756
  
  The online version has been corrected to read: amended. The 
Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as 
follows: S. 756


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 

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

                         TITLE I--MARINE DEBRIS

     SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Save Our Seas Act of 
     2018''.

     SEC. 102. NOAA MARINE DEBRIS PROGRAM.

       Section 3 of the Marine Debris Act (33 U.S.C. 1952) is 
     amended--
       (1) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in paragraph (4), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a 
     semicolon;
       (B) in paragraph (5)(C), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting a semicolon; and
       (C) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(6) work to develop outreach and education strategies 
     with other Federal agencies to address sources of marine 
     debris;
       ``(7) except for discharges of marine debris from vessels, 
     in consultation with the Department of State and other 
     Federal agencies, promote international action, as 
     appropriate, to reduce the incidence of marine debris, 
     including providing technical assistance to expand waste 
     management systems internationally; and
       ``(8) in the case of an event determined to be a severe 
     marine debris event under subsection (c)--
       ``(A) assist in the cleanup and response required by the 
     severe marine debris event; or
       ``(B) conduct such other activity as the Administrator 
     determines is appropriate in response to the severe marine 
     debris event.'';
       (2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d);
       (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
       ``(c) Determination of Severe Marine Debris Events.--At the 
     discretion of the Administrator or at the request of the 
     Governor of an affected State, the Administrator shall 
     determine whether there is a severe marine debris event.''; 
     and
       (4) in subsection (d), as so redesignated--
       (A) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ``subparagraph (B)'' 
     and inserting ``subparagraphs (B) and (C)'';
       (B) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ``may waive all or 
     part of the matching requirement under subparagraph (A)'' and 
     inserting ``may reduce the non-Federal share of project costs 
     under subparagraph (A) by up to 50 percent''; and
       (C) by adding at the end of paragraph (2) the following:
       ``(C) Severe marine debris events.--Notwithstanding 
     subparagraph (A), the Federal share of the cost of an 
     activity carried out under a determination made under 
     subsection (c) shall be--
       ``(i) 100 percent of the cost of the activity, for an 
     activity funded wholly by funds made available by a person, 
     including the government of a foreign country, to the Federal 
     Government for the purpose of responding to a severe marine 
     debris event; or
       ``(ii) 75 percent of the cost of the activity, for any 
     activity other than an activity funded as described in clause 
     (i).''.

     SEC. 103. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT TO 
                   RESPOND TO MARINE DEBRIS.

       It is the sense of Congress that the President should--
       (1) support research and development on systems and 
     materials that reduce--
       (A) derelict fishing gear; and
       (B) the amount of solid waste that is generated from land-
     based sources and the amount of such waste that enters the 
     marine environment;
       (2) work with representatives of foreign countries that 
     discharge the largest amounts of solid waste from land-based 
     sources into the marine environment, to develop mechanisms to 
     reduce such discharges;
       (3) carry out studies to determine--
       (A) the primary means of discharges referred to in 
     paragraph (2);
       (B) the manner in which waste management infrastructure can 
     be most effective in preventing such discharges; and
       (C) the long-term impacts of marine debris on the national 
     economies of the countries with which work is undertaken 
     under paragraph (2) and on the global economy, including the 
     impacts of reducing the discharge of such debris;
       (4) work with representatives of the countries with which 
     work is undertaken in paragraph (2) to conclude one or more 
     new international agreements that include provisions--
       (A) to mitigate the discharge of land-based solid waste 
     into the marine environment; and
       (B) to provide technical assistance and investment in waste 
     management infrastructure to reduce such discharges, if the 
     President determines such assistance or investment is 
     appropriate; and
       (5) encourage the United States Trade Representative to 
     consider the impact of discharges of land-based solid waste 
     from the countries with which work is conducted under 
     paragraph (2) in relevant future trade agreements.

     SEC. 104. MEMBERSHIP OF THE INTERAGENCY MARINE DEBRIS 
                   COORDINATING COMMITTEE.

        Section 5(b) of the Marine Debris Act (33 U.S.C. 1954(b)) 
     is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (4), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a 
     semicolon;
       (2) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (7); and
       (3) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
       ``(5) the Department of State;
       ``(6) the Department of the Interior; and''.

     SEC. 105. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 9 of the Marine Debris Act (33 U.S.C. 1958) is 
     amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       ``(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
     to the Administrator $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
     2018 through 2022 for carrying out sections 3, 5, and 6, of 
     which not more than 5 percent is authorized for each fiscal 
     year for administrative costs.
       ``(b) Amounts Authorized for Coast Guard.--Of the amounts 
     authorized for each fiscal year under section 2702(1) of 
     title 14, United States Code, up to $2,000,000 is authorized 
     for the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard 
     is operating for use by the Commandant of the Coast Guard to 
     carry out section 4 of this Act, of which not more than 5 
     percent is authorized for each fiscal year for administrative 
     costs.''.

                       TITLE II--MARITIME SAFETY

     SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Maritime Safety Act of 
     2018''.

     SEC. 202. DEFINITIONS.

       In this title:
       (1) Commandant.--The term ``Commandant'' means the 
     Commandant of the Coast Guard.
       (2) Recognized organization.--The term ``recognized 
     organization'' has the meaning given that term in section 
     2.45-1 of title 46, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect 
     on the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating.

     SEC. 203. DOMESTIC VESSEL COMPLIANCE.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the date on 
     which the President submits to the Congress a budget each 
     year pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States 
     Code, the Commandant shall publish on a publicly accessible 
     Website information documenting domestic vessel compliance 
     with the requirements of subtitle II of title 46, United 
     States Code.
       (b) Content.--The information required under subsection (a) 
     shall--
       (1) include flag-State detention rates for each type of 
     inspected vessel; and
       (2) identify any recognized organization that inspected or 
     surveyed a vessel that was later subject to a Coast Guard-
     issued control action attributable to a major nonconformity 
     that the recognized organization failed to identify in such 
     inspection or survey.

     SEC. 204. SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

       (a) In General.--The Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall conduct an audit regarding the implementation 
     and effectiveness of safety management plans required under 
     chapter 32 of title 46, United States Code.
       (b) Scope.--The audit conducted under subsection (a) shall 
     include a representative sample of safety management plans, 
     including such plans for--
       (1) a range of vessel types and sizes; and
       (2) vessels that operate in a cross-section of regional 
     operating areas.
       (c) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 
     submit to Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 
     the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
     Science, and

[[Page H7641]]

     Transportation of the Senate a report detailing the results 
     of the audit and providing recommendations related to such 
     results, including ways to streamline and focus such plans on 
     ship safety.
       (2) Marine safety alert.--Not later than 60 days after the 
     date the report is submitted under paragraph (1), the 
     Commandant shall publish a Marine Safety Alert providing 
     notification of the completion of the report and including a 
     link to the report on a publicly accessible website.

     SEC. 205. EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS.

       (a) Regulations.--
       (1) In general.--Section 3306 of title 46, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(l)(1) The Secretary shall require that a freight vessel 
     inspected under this chapter be outfitted with distress 
     signaling and location technology for the higher of--
       ``(A) the minimum complement of officers and crew specified 
     on the certificate of inspection for such vessel; or
       ``(B) the number of persons onboard the vessel; and
       ``(2) the requirement described in paragraph (1) shall not 
     apply to vessels operating within the baseline from which the 
     territorial sea of the United States is measured.
       ``(m)(1) The Secretary shall promulgate regulations 
     requiring companies to maintain records of all incremental 
     weight changes made to freight vessels inspected under this 
     chapter, and to track weight changes over time to facilitate 
     rapid determination of the aggregate total.
       ``(2) Records maintained under paragraph (1) shall be 
     stored, in paper or electronic form, onboard such vessels for 
     not less than 3 years and shoreside for the life of the 
     vessel.''.
       (2) Deadlines.--The Secretary shall--
       (A) begin implementing the requirement under section 
     3306(l) of title 46, United States Code, as amended by this 
     subsection, by not later than 1 year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act; and
       (B) promulgate the regulations required under section 
     3306(m) of title 46, United States Code, as amended by this 
     subsection, by not later than 1 year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.
       (b) Engagement.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall seek to enter 
     into negotiations through the International Maritime 
     Organization to amend regulation 25 of chapter II-1 of the 
     International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea to 
     require a high-water alarm sensor in each cargo hold of a 
     freight vessel (as that term is defined in section 2101(13) 
     of title 46, United States Code), that connects with audible 
     and visual alarms on the navigation bridge of the vessel.

     SEC. 206. VOYAGE DATA RECORDER; ACCESS.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 63 of title 46, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

     ``Sec. 6309. Voyage data recorder access

       ``Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Coast 
     Guard shall have full and timely access to and ability to use 
     voyage data recorder data and audio held by any Federal 
     agency in all marine casualty investigations, regardless of 
     which agency is the investigative lead.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for such chapter is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:

``6309. Voyage data recorder access.''.

     SEC. 207. VOYAGE DATA RECORDER; REQUIREMENTS.

       (a) Float-Free and Beacon Requirements.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall seek to enter 
     into negotiations through the International Maritime 
     Organization to amend regulation 20 of chapter V of the 
     International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea to 
     require that all voyage data recorders are installed in a 
     float-free arrangement and contain an integrated emergency 
     position indicating radio beacon.
       (2) Progress update.--Not later than 3 years after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall submit to 
     the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
     House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
     Science, and Transportation of the Senate an update on the 
     progress of the engagement required under paragraph (1).
       (b) Cost-Benefit Analysis.--Not later than 2 years after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall 
     submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
     of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
     Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a cost-
     benefit analysis of requiring that voyage data recorders 
     installed on commercial vessels documented under chapter 121 
     of title 46, United States Code, capture communications on 
     the internal telephone systems of such vessels, including 
     requiring the capture of both sides of all communications 
     with the bridge onboard such vessels.

     SEC. 208. SURVIVAL AND LOCATING EQUIPMENT.

       Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Commandant shall, subject to the availability 
     of appropriations, identify and procure equipment that will 
     provide search-and-rescue units the ability to attach a radio 
     or Automated Identification System strobe or beacon to an 
     object that is not immediately retrievable.

     SEC. 209. TRAINING OF COAST GUARD PERSONNEL.

       (a) Prospective Sector Commander Training.--Not later than 
     1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Commandant shall implement an Officer in Charge, Marine 
     Inspections segment to the sector commander indoctrination 
     course for prospective sector commanders without a Coast 
     Guard prevention ashore officer specialty code.
       (b) Steamship Inspections.--Not later than 1 year after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall 
     implement steam plant inspection training for Coast Guard 
     marine inspectors and, subject to availability, recognized 
     organizations to which authority is delegated under section 
     3316 of title 46, United States Code.
       (c) Advanced Journeyman Inspector Training.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall establish 
     advanced training to provide instruction on the oversight of 
     recognized organizations to which authority is delegated 
     under section 3316 of title 46, United States Code, auditing 
     responsibilities, and the inspection of unique vessel types.
       (2) Recipients.--The Commandant shall--
       (A) require that such training be completed by senior Coast 
     Guard marine inspectors; and
       (B) subject to availability of training capacity, make such 
     training available to recognized organization surveyors 
     authorized by the Coast Guard to conduct inspections.
       (d) Coast Guard Inspections Staff; Briefing.--Not later 
     than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Commandant shall provide to the Committee on Transportation 
     and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
     Senate a briefing detailing--
       (1) the estimated time and funding necessary to triple the 
     current size of the Coast Guard's traveling inspector staff; 
     and
       (2) other options available to the Coast Guard to enhance 
     and maintain marine safety knowledge, including discussion of 
     increased reliance on--
       (A) civilian marine inspectors;
       (B) experienced licensed mariners;
       (C) retired members of the Coast Guard;
       (D) arranging for Coast Guard inspectors to ride onboard 
     commercial oceangoing vessels documented under chapter 121 of 
     title 46, United States Code, to gain experience and insight; 
     and
       (E) extending tour-lengths for Coast Guard marine safety 
     officers assigned to inspection billets.
       (e) Audits; Coast Guard Attendance and Performance.--Not 
     later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act, the Commandant shall--
       (1) update Coast Guard policy to utilize risk analysis to 
     target the attendance of Coast Guard personnel during 
     external safety management certificate and document of 
     compliance audits; and
       (2) perform a quality assurance audit of recognized 
     organization representation and performance regarding United 
     States-flagged vessels.

     SEC. 210. MAJOR MARINE CASUALTY PROPERTY DAMAGE THRESHOLD.

       Section 6101(i)(3) of title 46, United States Code, is 
     amended by striking ``$500,000'' and inserting 
     ``$2,000,000''.

     SEC. 211. REVIEWS, BRIEFINGS, AND REPORTS.

       (a) Major Conversion Determinations.--
       (1) Review of policies and procedures.--The Commandant 
     shall conduct a review of policies and procedures for making 
     and documenting major conversion determinations, including an 
     examination of the deference given to precedent.
       (2) Briefing.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall provide to the 
     Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House 
     of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
     and Transportation of the Senate a briefing on the findings 
     of the review required by paragraph (1).
       (b) Ventilators, Openings and Stability Standards.--
       (1) Review.--Note later than 1 year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall complete a review 
     of the effectiveness of United States regulations, 
     international conventions, recognized organizations' class 
     rules, and Coast Guard technical policy regarding--
       (A) ventilators and other hull openings;
       (B) fire dampers and other closures protecting openings 
     normally open during operations; and
       (C) intact and damage stability standards under subchapter 
     S of chapter I of title 46, Code of Federal Regulations.
       (2) Briefing.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall provide to 
     the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
     House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
     Science, and Transportation of the Senate a briefing on the 
     effectiveness of the regulations, international conventions, 
     recognized organizations' class rules, and Coast Guard 
     technical policy reviewed under paragraph (1).
       (c) Self-Locating Datum Marker Buoys.--Not later than 6 
     months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Commandant shall provide to the Committee on Transportation 
     and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee

[[Page H7642]]

     on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a 
     briefing on the reliability of self-locating datum marker 
     buoys and other similar technology used during Coast Guard 
     search-and-rescue operations. The briefing shall include a 
     description of reasonable steps the Commandant could take to 
     increase the reliability of such buoys, including the 
     potential to leverage technology used by the Navy, and how 
     protocols could be developed to conduct testing of such buoys 
     before using them for operations.
       (d) Oversight Program; Effectiveness.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall commission an 
     assessment of the effectiveness of the Coast Guard's 
     oversight of recognized organizations and its impact on 
     compliance by and safety of vessels inspected by such 
     organizations.
       (2) Experience.--The assessment commissioned under 
     paragraph (1) shall be conducted by a research organization 
     with significant experience in maritime operations and marine 
     safety.
       (3) Submission to congress.--Not later than 180 days after 
     the date that the assessment required under paragraph (1) is 
     completed, the Commandant shall submit to the Committee on 
     Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation of the Senate the results of such assessment.

     SEC. 212. FLAG-STATE GUIDANCE AND SUPPLEMENTS.

       (a) Freight Vessels; Damage Control Information.--Within 1 
     year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Secretary shall issue flag-State guidance for all freight 
     vessels documented under chapter 121 of title 46, United 
     States Code, built before January 1, 1992, regarding the 
     inclusion of comprehensive damage control information in 
     safety management plans required under chapter 32 of title 
     46, United States Code.
       (b) Recognized Organizations; United States Supplement.--
     The Commandant shall--
       (1) work with recognized organizations to create a single 
     United States Supplement to rules of such organizations for 
     classification of vessels; and
       (2) by not later than 1 year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, provide to the Committee on 
     Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation of the Senate a briefing on whether it is 
     necessary to revise part 8 of title 46, Code of Federal 
     Regulations, to authorize only one United States Supplement 
     to such rules.

     SEC. 213. MARINE SAFETY STRATEGY.

       Section 2116 of title 46, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``each year of an 
     annual'' and inserting ``of a triennial'';
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Annual'' and 
     inserting ``Triennial''; and
       (B) by striking ``annual'' each place it appears and 
     inserting ``triennial'';
       (3) in subsection (c)--
       (A) by striking ``fiscal year 2011 and each fiscal year'' 
     and inserting ``fiscal year 2020 and triennially''; and
       (B) by striking ``annual plan'' and inserting ``triennial 
     plan''; and
       (4) in subsection (d)(2), by striking ``annually'' and 
     inserting ``triennially''.

     SEC. 214. RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATIONS; OVERSIGHT.

       (a) In General.--Section 3316 of title 46, United States 
     Code, is amended by redesignating subsection (g) as 
     subsection (h), and by inserting after subsection (f) the 
     following:
       ``(g)(1) There shall be within the Coast Guard an office 
     that conducts comprehensive and targeted oversight of all 
     recognized organizations that act on behalf of the Coast 
     Guard.
       ``(2) The staff of the office shall include subject matter 
     experts, including inspectors, investigators, and auditors, 
     who possess the capability and authority to audit all aspects 
     of such recognized organizations.
       ``(3) In this subsection the term `recognized organization' 
     has the meaning given that term in section 2.45-1 of title 
     46, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of 
     the enactment of the Maritime Safety Act of 2018.''.
       (b) Deadline for Establishment.--The Commandant of the 
     Coast Guard shall establish the office required by the 
     amendment made by subsection (a) by not later than 2 years 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 215. TIMELY WEATHER FORECASTS.

       Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Commandant shall seek to enter into 
     negotiations through the International Maritime Organization 
     to amend the International Convention for the Safety of Life 
     at Sea to require that vessels subject to the requirements of 
     such Convention receive timely synoptic and graphical chart 
     weather forecasts.

     SEC. 216. MARINE SAFETY IMPLEMENTATION STATUS.

       Not later than December 19 of 2018, and of each of the 2 
     subsequent years thereafter, the Commandant shall provide to 
     the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
     House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
     Science, and Transportation of the Senate a briefing on the 
     status of implementation of each action outlined in the 
     Commandant's final action memo dated December 19, 2017, 
     regarding the sinking and loss of the vessel El Faro.

     SEC. 217. DELEGATED AUTHORITIES.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall review the 
     authorities that have been delegated to recognized 
     organizations for the alternative compliance program as 
     described in subpart D of part 8 of title 46, Code of Federal 
     Regulations, and, if necessary, revise or establish policies 
     and procedures to ensure those delegated authorities are 
     being conducted in a manner to ensure safe maritime 
     transportation.
       (b) Briefing.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall provide to the 
     Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
     Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
     of the House of Representatives a briefing on the 
     implementation of subsection (a).

                     TITLE III--CENTER OF EXPERTISE

     SEC. 301. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Coast Guard Blue 
     Technology Center of Expertise Act''.

     SEC. 302. COAST GUARD BLUE TECHNOLOGY CENTER OF EXPERTISE.

       (a) Establishment.--Not later than one year after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act and subject to the availability 
     of appropriations, the Commandant shall establish under 
     section 58 of title 14, United States Code, a Blue Technology 
     center of expertise.
       (b) Missions.--In addition to the missions listed in 
     section 58(b) of title 14, United States Code, the Center--
       (1) shall--
       (A) promote awareness within the Coast Guard of the range 
     and diversity of Blue Technologies and their potential to 
     enhance Coast Guard mission readiness, operational 
     performance, and regulation of such technologies;
       (B) function as an interactive conduit to enable the 
     sharing and dissemination of Blue Technology information 
     between the Coast Guard and representatives from the private 
     sector, academia, nonprofit organizations, and other Federal 
     agencies;
       (C) increase awareness among Blue Technology manufacturers, 
     entrepreneurs, and vendors of Coast Guard acquisition 
     policies, procedures, and business practices; and
       (D) provide technical support, coordination, and assistance 
     to Coast Guard districts and the Coast Guard Research and 
     Development Center, as appropriate; and
       (2) subject to the requirements of the Coast Guard Academy, 
     may coordinate with the Academy to develop appropriate 
     curricula regarding Blue Technology to be offered in 
     professional courses of study to give Coast Guard cadets and 
     officer candidates a greater background and understanding of 
     Blue Technologies.
       (c) Blue Technology Exposition; Briefing.--Not later than 6 
     months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Commandant shall provide to the Committee on Transportation 
     and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
     Senate a briefing on the costs and benefits of hosting a 
     biennial Coast Guard Blue Technology exposition to further 
     interactions between representatives from the private sector, 
     academia, and nonprofit organizations, and the Coast Guard 
     and examine emerging technologies and Coast Guard mission 
     demands.
       (d) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Center.--The term ``Center'' means the Blue Technology 
     center of expertise established under this section.
       (2) Commandant.--The term ``Commandant'' means the 
     Commandant of the Coast Guard.
       (3) Blue technology.--The term ``Blue Technology'' means 
     any technology, system, or platform that--
       (A) is designed for use or application above, on, or below 
     the sea surface or that is otherwise applicable to Coast 
     Guard operational needs, including such a technology, system, 
     or platform that provides continuous or persistent coverage; 
     and
       (B) supports or facilitates--
       (i) maritime domain awareness, including--

       (I) surveillance and monitoring;
       (II) observation, measurement, and modeling: or
       (III) information technology and communications;

       (ii) search and rescue;
       (iii) emergency response;
       (iv) maritime law enforcement;
       (v) marine inspections and investigations; or
       (vi) protection and conservation of the marine environment.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Garamendi) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska.


                             General Leave



 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  July 25, 2018, on page H7642, the following appeared: The 
recognizes the gentleman from Alaska. GENERAL LEAVE
  
  The online version has been corrected to read: The Chair 
recognizes the gentleman from Alaska. GENERAL LEAVE


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on S. 756.

[[Page H7643]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Alaska?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to 
the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter), and I ask unanimous consent 
that he may control that time to manage the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Alaska?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 756, the Save Our Seas Act, promotes continued 
national and international efforts to address the growing amount of 
marine debris entering the ocean environment.
  The dean of the House, the gentleman who yielded to me, Mr.  Don 
Young, our esteemed colleague from Alaska, sponsored the House 
companion bill. I thank our longstanding colleague for all of his 
efforts to move this legislation through committee and to the House 
floor.
  Marine debris is pervasive and persistent, remaining in the ocean for 
years and negatively impacting the ocean environment.
  S. 756 urges the administration to support research and development 
on systems and materials that would reduce the amount of waste that 
enters the ocean and work with nations that discharge large amounts of 
solid waste into the ocean by sharing technologies and infrastructure 
to prevent, reduce, or mitigate those land-based sources from entering 
the marine environment.
  The bill also allows the Administrator of NOAA to designate, respond 
to, and assist in the cleanup of severe marine debris events.
  Title II of the bill is the Maritime Safety Act. The text came from 
H.R. 6175, a bill ordered reported from the Transportation and 
Infrastructure Committee. I sponsored this bill with the ranking member 
of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Committee, Mr. 
Garamendi, my esteemed colleague from California, as a cosponsor.
  The bill addresses maritime safety issues that were raised in the 
Commandant of the Coast Guard's final action memo in response to the 
tragic sinking of the El Faro. A few of the required actions include: 
timely weather forecasts, not too complicated; emergency safety gear 
with locator beacons, so we can find the crew after the vessel has 
sunk; and float-free voyage data recorders with integrated emergency 
position indicating beacons.
  The measures included in this title should promote safer vessel 
transit and, if needed, would assist the Coast Guard in its rescue 
operations.
  Sadly, we were reminded again last week, by the events in Missouri, 
the dangers of going out in the open water, even in a relatively 
protected environment. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families 
of the loved ones who lost their lives in the tragic incident.
  Tragedies like this and, sadly, others in recent history remind us 
that we must remain vigilant and committed to improving maritime safety 
to protect those who go out on the water for their livelihood or for 
recreation.
  Title III of the bill allows the Coast Guard to establish a Blue 
Technology center of expertise. This title is the text of H.R. 6206, as 
reported by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Mr. 
Garamendi sponsored the legislation, and I am an original cosponsor of 
the bill.
  The ranking member and I have a strong interest in Blue Technology 
and how it can assist the Coast Guard in performing its multitude of 
missions better and more cost effectively. The center created by this 
legislation will provide a venue for the Coast Guard to interface with 
industry on existing and up-and-coming technologies that could be used 
by the service in conducting its missions. It is an important component 
in bringing the Coast Guard into the modern technological world.
  I thank the chairman of the committee, Mr. Shuster, for this 
leadership, and Mr. DeFazio and, especially, Mr. Garamendi for their 
leadership and cooperation in getting these bills out of committee and 
to the floor today.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, first, let me thank Chairman Hunter for his work on this 
bill and on the other work we have been able to do with the Coast Guard 
and the legislation. It has been a great pleasure to work with him.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 756, the Save Our Seas Act of 
2018, as amended, to include other important bills addressing maritime 
safety and ocean technologies.

  As explained by the majority's manager of the bill, marine debris, 
especially plastics, is a persistent and growing threat to the global 
marine environment. Many countries, including the United States, 
contribute to the plastic pollution, and it does add up.
  For example, in 2010 alone, according to a University of Georgia 
study, a total of 8 million metric tons of plastic entered the world's 
oceans. Worse yet, the study predicts that number will grow 10 times--
tenfold--as large by 2025.
  Not only are floating plastic bags, straws, Styrofoam cups, and 
plastic bottles harmful to the health and welfare of marine life, but 
marine debris also threatens the food supply of millions of people 
around the world who rely on seafood as their primary source of 
protein.
  The impacts affect people everywhere, and the problem is not going to 
go away and won't be solved by itself. The legislation we put forth 
today is an important step in the right direction.
  Title I would authorize existing funding levels in the Marine Debris 
Act to enable the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and 
the United States Coast Guard to identify and remove sources of marine 
debris and to coordinate response activities on the national and 
regional levels to assess and reduce the volume of the debris entering 
our oceans.
  The title also contains important amendments, including new authority 
to allow the Federal Government to provide assistance to mitigate 
severe marine debris events, such as the recurrence of the flood of 
debris that drifted from Japan across the Pacific Ocean in the 
aftermath of the 2011 Fukushima earthquake and tsunami.
  I also want to express my strong support for two other bills recently 
passed and reported by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee 
that were added as separate titles to S. 756: First, H.R. 6175, the 
Maritime Safety Act of 2018, as title II; and my legislation, H.R. 
6206, the Coast Guard Blue Technology Center of Expertise Act, as title 
III.
  The 2015 sinking of the U.S.-flagged commercial vessel, El Faro, and 
the tragic loss of all 33 crew members was the worst U.S. maritime 
disaster in 35 years. The subsequent Marine Board of Investigation, 
convened by the Coast Guard and joined by the National Transportation 
Safety Board, found numerous faults in the ship's safety management 
system, bridge management, and safety apparatus, as well as other 
critical oversights or failures.
  Title II enacts several important recommendations contained in the 
action memo released by then-Commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral 
Paul Zukunft.
  I want to particularly note the chairman's work in bringing together 
a couple of hearings on this, both formal and informal, that led to 
these investigations and recommendations.
  Together, these provisions that are in this bill will improve ship 
communication and safety management. They will also improve our ability 
to identify and recover voyage data recorders and locate and retrieve 
seafarers who may be adrift at sea.
  Additionally, the investigation revealed gaps or insufficient 
oversight in the inspection regime, and the bill deals with those.
  Title II also includes several new requirements to shore up the 
oversight and investigation of third-party inspectors, who should be 
reviewing the safety of these ships.
  I also strongly support title III, which contains my legislation--I 
know you are surprised with that support, but nonetheless--H.R. 6026, 
to authorize the Coast Guard to establish a Blue Technology center of 
expertise.
  Unlike the Navy, ocean industry sectors, and ocean science community, 
the Coast Guard has not embraced the

[[Page H7644]]

adoption and use of a wide assortment of advanced ocean technologies, 
systems, sensors, and platforms. This is unfortunate because I suspect 
that several such technologies have the potential to dramatically 
improve the Coast Guard's operational capability.
  Therefore, title III simply draws upon the existing authority to 
direct the Coast Guard to establish a Blue Technology center of 
expertise. The overarching goal is to improve from within the Coast 
Guard's awareness of blue technologies that apply or align with Coast 
Guard mission needs.
  In addition, this new Blue Technology center will facilitate a 
dialogue and sharing of information between the Coast Guard and the 
growing number of Blue Tech stakeholders in the private sector, 
academia, and ocean research community.
  A 2015 study by NOAA identified over 400 Blue Technology firms across 
the United States who generate some $7 billion in annual revenue. These 
firms, along with our academic and research institutions, stand ready 
to put their innovations to work in the service of the American people, 
using the Coast Guard as a mechanism to accomplish that.
  I am confident that this Blue Technology center will open doors of 
opportunity for the Coast Guard to better protect and patrol the vast 
oceans and complex waterways.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides to join with me in 
support of this noncontroversial maritime legislation, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1445

  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young), dean of the House, a gentleman that has been 
working maritime issues because he represents all of Alaska. Whether it 
is fisheries, energy exploration, to pollution, Mr.  Don Young from 
Alaska knows what he is talking about probably more than anybody in 
this body.
  (Mr. YOUNG of Alaska asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Hunter and Ranking 
Member Garamendi and, of course, Peter DeFazio.
  This is a good piece of legislation. I had a House bill similar in 
fact, too. This came over from the Senate side, but I am not really 
interested in whose bill it is but, more likely, getting things done. 
So this is a good bill.
  And debris is what I am interested in as one of our biggest issues; 
it has been well explained by both speakers prior to me. It is getting 
bigger, like I say. What is it? Tenfold more. And the tonnage is 
already there.
  We have to look at preventing the debris, but also what do we do once 
it is in the ocean. I have some ideas. And, hopefully, later on, we can 
explore those ideas, how we will recover and utilize that debris, 
because it does harm our maritime lives, and it makes the ocean really 
a garbage dump, and we don't want that.
  So this is a good piece of legislation. I thank each person that has 
been involved in it, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
  Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time I have 
remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from California (Mr. 
Garamendi) has 13\1/2\ minutes remaining.
  Mr. GARAMENDI. That should be enough for Mr. DeFazio, the ranking 
member of the committee, to share his views on this legislation.
  I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio).
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, both for his 
leadership on these issues, and for the time. And I also would 
congratulate Chairman Young and others, particularly Suzanne Bonamici, 
from my State, who has taken a real leadership role on the issue of 
marine debris.
  We are choking the oceans to death. The lifeblood of our planet, the 
lungs of our planet, it is becoming a giant garbage dump. The Pacific 
Gyre can be seen from space. It is a massive gyre in the middle of the 
Pacific Ocean and we have to begin to deal seriously with these issues.
  It was just this week in the New York Times, photographs of the 
Dominican Republic, known for its pristine beaches, which had giant 
bulldozers on the beach trying to eat through about an 8-foot tall pile 
of plastic debris on the beaches. So this threatens the marine 
environment and all that which is dependent upon it, the creatures that 
live there, and those of us who harvest from that. And it is 
threatening tourism and recreation. Obviously, this has to be dealt 
with.
  I will say, this is good legislation, but it is a pathetic amount of 
money. The amount of money that Congress is putting out to deal with 
something that is threatening the very oceans that surround us probably 
isn't adequate to clean up the little--I live on a boat down there 
inside Hains Point--probably that little section of water inside Hains 
Point down by Fort McNair. I don't even think $10 million could clean 
that up, let alone the oceans. So we need to get a little more serious 
about this and really put up additional funds.
  So that is very important legislation. Title II is something about 
which I am very passionate. The worst maritime disaster since 1983, and 
obviously, there is a lot of blame to go around on that disaster. But 
one of the factors was that ship was not fit. It had been certified by 
an independent party which is called, under the law, a recognized 
organization, as fit to go to sea.
  Now, why would that happen? Well, because the recognized 
organizations get paid by the shipping companies. Now, I am not going 
to hire you if you tell me my ship isn't fit to go to sea, which is 
what they should have been telling TOTE. They didn't tell them because, 
hey, we want more of your business. We will go out and certify some 
more of your unfit ships and kill more people. This has got to end.
  The Coast Guard is also at fault. They were not providing enough 
oversight to these recognized organizations, and had let their own 
marine safety division, under this privatization scheme, deteriorate to 
the point where they couldn't even keep up with the paperwork.
  So this bill is going to begin to rectify those issues and revitalize 
the Coast Guard maritime safety organization, and also, bring new 
scrutiny on these recognized organizations so they don't kill any more 
people and send unfit ships to sea.
  Finally, the legislation, the third part of this is, I think, a 
tremendous accomplishment by the Ranking Member,  John Garamendi, which 
is his Blue Tech center and Blue Oceans. The Coast Guard has, 
unfortunately--again, we have underfunded the Coast Guard, so Congress 
is at fault for many of these things; maritime safety and the lack of 
initiative of the Coast Guard in terms of adopting new 21st century 
technologies to better perform their mission and make the sea-lane 
safer and better understand what is going on in the oceans around us.
  So, maybe we will get, someday, to name the Blue Tech Center after 
Mr. Garamendi, but not until he is long gone, so he is not in a hurry 
for that.
  So anyway, I want to congratulate him, and congratulate others who 
have been involved, and thank Chairman Shuster for moving this 
legislation.
  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the honorable 
gentlewoman from the State of Oregon (Ms. Bonamici).
  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from 
California for yielding time, and also for his commitment to this 
important issue.

  I am honored to co-chair the Oceans Caucus with Representative Young, 
and I thank him for his leadership on this important issue.
  I also thank my Oregon colleague, Mr. DeFazio, for his commitment and 
for his passion about the importance of marine debris and addressing 
it.
  I rise in support of the Save our Seas Act, a bill to clean up and 
reduce marine debris. This bill would reauthorize the NOAA Marine 
Debris Program through fiscal year 2022 and provide resources to help 
States respond to severe marine debris events. The health of our oceans 
reflects the health of our planet, and we must do more to keep garbage 
out the ocean and off of our shores.
  Every minute, the equivalent of a garbage truck full of plastic is 
dumped into our oceans. According to the

[[Page H7645]]

United Nations, that is more than 8 million tons a year. Plastic 
bottles, straws, grocery bags, cigarette butts, fishing gear, and 
abandoned vessels litter the ocean.
  Currents and atmospheric winds carry floatable marine debris. These 
movements trap items in debris accumulation zones, also known as 
garbage patches. A study published in the journal, Scientific Reports, 
estimated that the Pacific garbage patch is comprised of about 1.8 
trillion pieces of debris.
  We still don't know how long it takes for plastic to biodegrade. 
Estimates range from 450 years to never.
  Marine debris harms our coastal economies, endangers marine life, 
destroys important marine habitats, propagates invasive species, and 
creates hazardous conditions for the maritime industry. Tiny pieces of 
plastic, fiber, fragments, and microbeads also make their way into 
marine life, blocking digestive tracts, altering growth and, in some 
cases, killing animals and marine organisms.
  Healthy beaches and waterways are critical to the marine ecosystems 
that thousands of people rely on to earn a living in Oregon and other 
coastal communities. After the tsunami hit the coast of Japan in 2011, 
large materials like docks and boats that carried invasive species 
ended up on the shores of the Pacific Northwest.
  But it is not just tsunami debris that is a problem. According to 
NOAA, a majority of the debris that covers our beaches come from storm 
drains and sewers, demonstrating that this is not just a problem 
resulting from those along our Nation's shorelines.
  Marine debris is entirely preventable, but we must support 
responsible disposal practices and provide coastal communities with the 
resources they need. The NOAA Marine Debris Program has partnered with 
Oregon Sea Grant, Oregon State University, Oregon Coast Aquarium, and 
Lincoln County School District to create a curriculum to teach middle 
and high school students about the effects of marine debris and to 
promote stewardship activities.
  There has been growing momentum on this issue, as many companies and 
cities and jurisdictions across this country stop the use of plastic 
straws and bags.
  The ocean is resilient and we can help it heal, but we cannot afford 
to wait. I urge my colleagues to support this bill to strengthen the 
Federal response to marine debris.
  I want to close, again, by thanking all of the bipartisan sponsors 
and cosponsors of this legislation, but also, especially, the co-chair 
of the Oceans Caucus, again, Representative  Don Young, for his 
leadership.
  Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close. I will take my 
few seconds that remain then and simply say this is a good piece of 
legislation. I want to thank the chair of the Coast Guard and Maritime 
Transportation Subcommittee for his work on this, and for working 
across the aisle to solve problems, some very real, serious problems in 
this legislation.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  First off, thanks to Mr. Garamendi. If there are two more folks in 
this Congress from opposite sides of the aisle that disagree on some 
things sometimes, but agree as much as possible and as much as we do on 
the things that we are working on, I would be surprised. And I would 
like to just thank him so much for his work and for coming up with 
great legislation, great ideas, and pushing this forward.
  There is an old military saying that if you control the ocean, you 
control the world. And just as serious of a sense, if you destroy the 
ocean, you destroy the world. I think that is one reason this bill is 
so important.
  S. 756 promotes action to address the marine debris, catastrophic 
issues that we face now that will only get worse. It increases maritime 
vessel safety so you will not have another tragic incident like you had 
with the El Faro. And it establishes a Blue Technology center of 
expertise so we can help the Coast Guard work smarter and not harder 
with their limited funds. I urge all Members to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, S. 756, as amended.


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  July 25, 2018, on page H7645, the following appeared: the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, S. 756, as amended.
  
  The online version has been corrected to read: the gentleman 
from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and pass 
the bill, S. 756, as amended.


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 

  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________