[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 102 (Monday, June 12, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H2803]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CHANGING AGE-DETERMINED ELIGIBILITY TO STUDENT INCENTIVE PAYMENTS ACT

  Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 467) to modify the age requirement for the Student Incentive 
Payment Program of the State maritime academies.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                 S. 467

       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 ``Changing Age-Determined 
     Eligibility To Student Incentive Payments Act'' or the 
     ``CADETS Act''.

     SEC. 2. AGE REQUIREMENT FOR THE STUDENT INCENTIVE PAYMENT 
                   PROGRAM OF THE STATE MARITIME ACADEMIES.

       Section 51509 of title 46, United States Code, is amended 
     by adding at the end the following:
       ``(i) Age Requirement.--The Secretary may make an agreement 
     under this section only with a qualified student who will 
     meet the age requirement for enlistment or commission in the 
     Navy Reserve at the time of graduation from the academy.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Bergman) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Kim) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and insert extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 467, the CADETS 
Act.
  The CADETS Act was introduced earlier this year by a bipartisan group 
of Senators led by Senator Peters of Michigan. It passed the Senate by 
unanimous consent last month. I am the proud sponsor of the companion 
legislation here in this House.
  The CADETS Act will begin to help solve the problem our Nation faces 
in recruiting qualified mariners to serve in the Navy Reserve and crew 
our strategic sealift vessels.
  Our fleet of strategic sealift vessels is critical to our ability to 
project and sustain U.S. forces around the world and defend ourselves 
and our allies. However, we can't do that without qualified Americans 
willing and able to crew these ships.
  S. 467 will incentivize Americans to serve in this critical defense 
role by making those older than 25 years of age eligible for MARAD's 
Student Incentive Payment Program.
  The Student Incentive Payment Program provides financial assistance 
to cadets who attend one of the six State maritime academies and commit 
to a post-graduation service obligation in the Navy Reserve.
  I am proud to represent the Great Lakes Maritime Academy in Traverse 
City, Michigan, and I was honored to address the cadets at their 
graduation ceremony just a few weeks ago in May.
  Cadets at Great Lakes and other maritime academies can receive up to 
$32,000 in incentive payments over 4 years to help offset the cost of 
tuition and other education expenses. However, current law prohibits 
candidates older than 25 years of age from participating in the 
program. This is despite the fact that Americans between the ages of 18 
and 42 can currently join the Navy Reserve and that State maritime 
academies are actively seeking to enroll veterans and servicemembers, 
many of whom are older than age 25.
  S. 467 amends the Student Incentive Payment Program to align its 
eligibility age with the age requirements for enlisting or 
commissioning in the United States Navy Reserve.
  This is a good bipartisan bill that will help our veterans transition 
to well-paying jobs, support the great work done by our State maritime 
academies, and help fill critical national security vacancies.
  Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to support the bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. KIM of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I join my colleague, Mr. Bergman, and rise in support 
of the CADETS Act.
  This bipartisan bill raises the age requirement for MARAD's Student 
Incentive Payment Program, which provides financial support to cadets 
who attend one of six State maritime academies and commit to a post-
graduation service obligation.
  Current age requirements for the Student Incentive Payment Program 
limit participation to people between 17 and 25 years of age. This 
proposal would expand eligibility to people up to age 42. This bill 
would widen the pool of potential candidates and aligns the age 
requirements with that of the Navy Reserve.
  Many military veterans attend these State academies, but many 
applicants are too old to qualify for aid or the program.
  Graduates from the State maritime academies become licensed officers 
in the U.S. Merchant Marine and are part of the Navy's Strategic 
Sealift Officer Force. Currently, our merchant mariner force is around 
1,800 officers short of wartime needs. Because the average age of a 
merchant mariner is 47, we need to increase the number of eligible 
individuals for this program.
  This bill would open up additional opportunities to our best and 
brightest and bolster our national security.
  State maritime academies provide our veterans unique opportunities to 
transition to well-paying jobs and continue to serve in support of our 
Nation.
  For those reasons, Madam Speaker, I urge Members to support this 
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to support this bill, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bergman) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, S. 467.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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