[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3578-S3580]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 6453. Mr. YOUNG (for himself and Mr. Kelly) submitted an amendment
intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize
appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the
Department of Defense, for military 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 in title X, insert the following:
Subtitle __--Maritime
SEC. ___. ALTERNATE STANDARDS.
(a) In General.--Chapter 33 of title 46, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating sections 3317 and 3318 as sections
3318 and 3319, respectively; and
(2) by inserting after section 3316 the following:
``Sec. 3317. Alternate standards
``(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this section, the Secretary of Transportation,
in consultation with the Maritime Administrator, shall
establish a program to allow a self-propelled vessel used to
provide oceangoing transportation that is not documented
under chapter 121 of this title to be eligible for a
certificate of inspection if the Secretary determines that--
``(1) the owner of the vessel has agreed to apply to have
the vessel documented under chapter 121 of this title upon
receiving the certificate;
``(2) at the time of the receipt of such certificate, the
vessel is eligible for documentation under such chapter;
``(3) the vessel is classed by and designed in accordance
with the rules of a classification society accepted by the
Secretary;
``(4) in the case that the vessel was documented under the
laws of a country other than the United States before
becoming eligible for documentation under chapter 121 of this
title, the vessel complies with applicable international
agreements and associated guidelines, as determined by the
country in which the vessel was last documented immediately
before becoming eligible for documentation under such
chapter, notwithstanding any other law including any
regulation;
``(5) the vessel has been assessed for cybersecurity and
surveillance risks; and
``(6) in the case that the vessel was documented under the
laws of a country other than the United States before
becoming eligible for documentation under chapter 121 of this
title, the country in which the vessel was last documented
before becoming eligible for documentation under such chapter
has not been identified by the Secretary as inadequately
enforcing international vessel regulations as to that vessel.
``(b) Continued Eligibility for Certificate.--In the case
of a vessel described in subsection (a)(4), this section does
not apply to the vessel after any date on which the vessel
fails to comply with the applicable international agreements
and associated guidelines described in such subsection.
``(c) Reliance on Classification Society.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary may rely on a
certification from the American Bureau of Shipping or,
subject to paragraph (2), another classification society
accepted by the Secretary to establish that a vessel is in
compliance with the requirements of paragraphs (3), (4), and
(6) of subsection (a) and of subsection (b).
``(2) Foreign classification society.--The Secretary may
accept certification from a foreign classification society
under paragraph (1) only--
``(A) to the extent that the government of the foreign
country in which the society is headquartered provides access
on a reciprocal basis to the American Bureau of Shipping; and
``(B) if the foreign classification society has offices and
maintains records in the United States.
[[Page S3579]]
``(d) Rulemaking Procedure.--The Secretary may initiate a
rulemaking procedure to implement the standard under this
section.
``(e) Savings Provision.--Nothing in this section shall be
interpreted to affect requirements related to merchant seamen
credentials under part E of subtitle II of this title or the
requirements related to manning of vessels under part F of
such subtitle.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter
33 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by striking
the items relating to sections 3317 and 3318 and inserting
the following:
``3317. Alternate standards.
``3318. Fees.
``3319. Penalties.''.
SEC. __. RULEMAKING COMMITTEE ON COMMERCIAL MARITIME
REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered regulation.--The term ``covered regulation''--
(A) means a commercial regulation or standard issued by the
Secretary relating to the operation of vessels in foreign
commerce, including--
(i) vessel design and engineering standards;
(ii) merchant mariner training and credentialing; or
(iii) vessel operating and environmental standards; and
(B) does not include any commercial regulation or standard
issued by the Secretary that exclusively applies to vessels
in domestic commerce.
(2) Rulemaking committee.--The term ``rulemaking
committee'' means the committee established under subsection
(b).
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating.
(b) Establishment of Rulemaking Committee.--There is
established, in the department in which the Coast Guard is
operating, a rulemaking committee on commercial maritime
regulations and standards to--
(1) review, and develop findings and recommendations
regarding, the covered regulations; and
(2) provide to the Secretary a report on opportunities to
review and update regulations governing vessel design and
engineering, vessel and facility operation and environmental
standards, and merchant mariner credentialing, in order to--
(A) revitalize the merchant marine and the commercial
maritime industry in the United States; and
(B) better align, and limit redundancies between, the
regulatory standards of the Coast Guard and the International
Maritime Organization and international treaty requirements,
while protecting United States mariners and the United States
maritime industry from foreign regulations that undermine the
maritime industrial competitiveness of the United States.
(c) Members.--
(1) Composition of rulemaking committee.--The Secretary
shall appoint the following as members of the rulemaking
committee:
(A) Each of the following Federal officers or employees, or
their designees:
(i) The Maritime Administrator.
(ii) The Commandant of the Coast Guard.
(iii) The Secretary of Commerce.
(iv) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
(v) The Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency.
(vi) The Chair of the Federal Maritime Commission.
(vii) The chief United States delegate to the International
Maritime Organization.
(viii) The Secretary of State.
(B) Representatives from recognized classification
societies, including the American Bureau of Shipping.
(C) Representatives of industry, including--
(i) owners and operators of vessels in domestic and foreign
commerce of the United States;
(ii) shipbuilders; and
(iii) other representatives of industry the Secretary
determines appropriate.
(D) Individuals with a merchant mariner credential, as
defined in section 2101 of title 46, United States Code.
(E) Representatives of maritime labor organizations.
(F) Experts in maritime safety and regulatory matters.
(G) Other stakeholders the Secretary determines
appropriate.
(2) Period of appointment; vacancies.--
(A) In general.--A member of the rulemaking committee shall
be appointed for the life of the rulemaking committee.
(B) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the rulemaking committee--
(i) shall not affect the powers of the rulemaking
committee; and
(ii) shall be filled in the same manner as the original
appointment.
(3) Chairperson and vice chairperson.--The Secretary shall
select a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from among the
members of the rulemaking committee.
(d) Meetings.--
(1) Initial meeting.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall convene
the rulemaking committee for the first meeting of the
rulemaking committee.
(2) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the rulemaking
committee shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of
members may hold hearings.
(e) Duties of Committee.--
(1) Considerations.--The rulemaking committee shall
consider each of the following:
(A) How the covered regulations interact with and compare
to the treaty requirements and regulations established by the
International Maritime Organization, including comparisons
and interactions on the basis of--
(i) safety;
(ii) cost;
(iii) enforceability and compliance; and
(iv) international competitiveness.
(B) The benefits and challenges vessel owners and operators
and United States mariners encounter when complying with both
regulations of the International Maritime Organization and
the covered regulations.
(C) The role that covered regulations play in enhancing the
size and strength of the merchant marine and the domestic and
international fleet of the United States.
(D) Recommended changes to covered regulations, and
regulatory frameworks, to better promote alignment with
international standards and the standards of countries that
are allies and partners, with a focus on--
(i) increasing opportunities for qualified mariners that
enter the merchant marine and reducing the barriers that lead
qualified mariners to leave the merchant marine;
(ii) increasing the number of vessels of the United States
that are operating in domestic and foreign commerce;
(iii) enhancing United States leadership within the
International Maritime Organization and other international
treaty organizations with a focus on the maritime industry;
(iv) streamlining regulatory processes and processing
timelines to minimize duplicative reviews and eliminate
preventable delays; and
(v) maintaining and enhancing the safety and security of
the merchant marine.
(E) Recommended changes to covered regulations and
regulatory frameworks that govern mariner education training
requirements, which may include--
(i) expanding the pool of qualified instructors for mariner
training programs;
(ii) streamlining requirements related to training facility
size and design to improve operational efficiencies at
mariner training facilities, including requirements related
to classroom size and design;
(iii) standardizing and streamlining training course and
curriculum approval and evaluation to provide more certainty
to mariner training programs; and
(iv) enhancing opportunities for mariner training programs
to flexibly integrate sea-time into course instruction,
consistent with treaty requirements and regulations
established by the International Maritime Organization.
(F) Any other matters the Secretary determines appropriate.
(2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the rulemaking committee shall submit
to the Secretary a report that includes the findings and
recommended changes to covered regulations of the rulemaking
committee, as required under paragraph (1).
(f) Powers of Rulemaking Committee.--
(1) Hearings.--The rulemaking committee may hold such
hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take such
testimony, and receive such evidence as the rulemaking
committee considers advisable to carry out this section.
(2) Information from federal agencies.--
(A) In general.--The rulemaking committee may secure
directly from a Federal department or agency such information
as the rulemaking committee considers necessary to carry out
this section, as permitted by law.
(B) Furnishing information.--On request of the Chairperson
of the rulemaking committee, the head of the department or
agency shall furnish the information to the rulemaking
committee.
(g) Rulemaking Committee Personnel Matters.--
(1) No compensation.--A member of the rulemaking committee
shall not be compensated for service on the rulemaking
committee.
(2) Travel expenses.--A member of the rulemaking committee
shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu
of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies
under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States
Code, while away from their homes or regular places of
business in the performance of services for the rulemaking
committee.
(h) Administration.--Except as specified otherwise in this
section, the rulemaking committee shall be treated as a
committee established under chapter 151 of title 46, United
States Code, for purposes of section 15109 of such title and
shall not be considered a temporary organization under
section 3161 of title 5, United States Code.
(i) Termination.--The rulemaking committee shall terminate
on the earlier of--
(1) the date that is 90 days after the date on which the
rulemaking committee submits the report under subsection
(e)(2); or
(2) the date that is 7 years after the date on which the
rulemaking committee is established.
(j) Duties of the Secretary.--The Secretary shall--
(1) not later than 30 days after receiving the rulemaking
committee's report under subsection (e)(2), submit to the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
[[Page S3580]]
of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, and make
publicly available, a copy of such report and the Secretary's
views on the recommendations of the committee; and
(2) not later than 90 days after submitting the report
under paragraph (1)--
(A) initiate a rulemaking activity and make such policy and
guidance updates determined necessary by the Secretary to
address the consensus recommendations reached by the
rulemaking committee under subsection (e);
(B) submit a report to the appropriate committees of
Congress identifying the recommendations of the rulemaking
committee that require legislative changes; and
(C) submit a report to the Secretary of State identifying
recommendations of the rulemaking committee that require
changes to treaty requirements and regulations established by
the International Maritime Organization, including
recommendations that should inform the policy of the United
States as a member of the International Maritime
Organization.
SEC. __. STREAMLINED ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.
The Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act is
amended--
(1) in section 41001(6) (42 U.S.C. 4370m(6))--
(A) in subparagraph (A)--
(i) in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting ``the
maritime industry'' after ``waterways,'';
(ii) by redesignating clauses (iii) and (iv) as clauses
(iv) and (v), respectively; and
(iii) by inserting after clause (ii) the following:
``(iii) is covered by a programmatic plan or environmental
review developed for a project related to the maritime
industry;''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(D) Maritime industry.--For the purposes of subparagraph
(A), the term `construction of infrastructure' for the
maritime industry includes construction of--
``(i) shipyards and ship repair facilities;
``(ii) port terminals and other port facilities;
``(iii) manufacturing facilities for equipment and
technology instrumental to the facilitation of maritime trade
and commerce, as defined by the Council; and
``(iv) other industrial base facilities that support the
Navy or the merchant marine of the United States.''; and
(2) in section 11503(b) (42 U.S.C. 4370m note)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by inserting ``,
and except with respect to the Maritime Administration,''
after ``Except as expressly provided in section 41003(f) and
subsection (o) of section 139 of title 23, United States
Code''; and
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ``, 46,''.
SEC. __. MERCHANT MARINER CREDENTIALING MODERNIZATION.
(a) Merchant Mariner Credentialing Modernization.--The
Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is
operating, in consultation with the Secretary of
Transportation, shall carry out necessary system and process
changes to carry out the activities described in paragraphs
(1) through (5).
(1) Licensing, certification, and documentation database.--
Replacement of the merchant mariner licensing, certification,
and documentation database such that the database allows
for--
(A) the electronic submission of merchant mariner
credential applications (including sea service, professional
qualifications, course completion data, safety and
suitability, and medical records) and course approval
requests;
(B) the merchant mariner to elect direct submission of sea
service information from employers and course completion data
from training providers and other stakeholders to provide
data securely and directly so that documentation does not
need to be submitted later by the merchant mariner; and
(C) the electronic processing and evaluation of information
for the issuance of credentials and course approvals,
including the capability for the Secretary to complete remote
evaluation of the information submitted.
(2) System for data exchange.--Implementation of a system
that provides for the exchange of data with government
agencies and industry stakeholders, which provides the
Maritime Administration and other agencies, as appropriate,
anonymized and aggregated data showing the following:
(A) The total amount of sea service for individuals with a
valid merchant mariner credential.
(B) The number of credentialed mariners by individual
rating and the capability to filter data by endorsements.
(C) Demographic information, including age, gender,
ethnicity, address or location, uniform service, and service
status.
(D) National Maritime Center processing times.
(E) The number of Coast Guard approved training providers,
and, for each such training provider, the number of courses
taken by individuals who have, or who are applying for, a
merchant mariner credential from that training provider.
(3) Public-facing platform.--Implementation of a system to
accept merchant mariner applicant information, including
credential applications, course completion data, and course
approval requests. To the maximum extent practicable, the
Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is
operating may integrate with, approve a contact with, or
partner with commercial entities that provide a system of
secure and compliant platforms capable of delivering these
services. Any such system shall meet all applicable
requirements for cybersecurity, privacy, and data integrity
in accordance with Federal law.
(4) Examination processes.--Upgrading the examination
processes for merchant mariner examinations, by--
(A) implementing an examination regime that provides for
electronic and third party administration of examinations;
(B) reassessing the content of tests through the
development of job task analysis for all credentials; and
(C) implementing a robust system to analyze examination
data.
(5) Requirement for sea service documentation.--A maritime
employer shall provide documentation of all sea service
performed by a mariner upon termination of employment, or
upon the mariner's request if not less than 30 days of
service have elapsed since the last such documentation was
issued, not later than 5 days after the date of such
termination or request. Such documentation shall meet all
requirements of section 10.232 of title 46, Code of Federal
Regulations (or any similar successor regulation) in a
standardized format provided by the Secretary.
(b) Report.--The Secretary of the department in which the
Coast Guard is operating shall submit--
(1) an annual report to the Committee on Commerce, Science,
and Transportation, the Committee on Appropriations, and the
Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, and the Committee
on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Committee on
Appropriations, and the Committee on Armed Services of the
House of Representatives, on the progress of the system and
process changes required under subsection (a); and
(2) a final report to those Committees 1 year after full
operating capability of the complete system, comprised of all
4 systems required under subsection (a).
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section, $20,000,000 for
fiscal year 2027, to remain available until expended.
SEC. __. MERCHANT MARINER LICENSES.
(a) Renewal of Merchant Mariners Licenses and Documents.--
Section 7507(d) of title 46, United States Code, is amended
to read as follows:
``(d) Renewal.--With respect to any renewal of a valid
merchant mariner credential issued under this part, which is
made not earlier than 8 months before the date of expiration
of the current credential, and that is not an extension under
subsection (a) or (b), the validity period of such credential
shall begin the day after the expiration of the current
credential.''.
(b) Reactivation of Expired License.--Chapter 75 of
subtitle II of part E, of title 46, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 7513. Authority for reactivation of United States
Merchant Mariner credentials
``(a) Licenses and Certificates of Registry.--
Notwithstanding sections 7106 and 7107, the Secretary of the
department in which the Coast Guard is operating may renew
for not more than 2 years an expired license or certificate
of registry issued for an individual under chapter 71 if the
Secretary determines that the renewal is in response to a
national emergency declared by Congress or declared under
section 201 of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1621),
as deemed necessary by the Secretary.
``(b) Merchant Mariner Documents.--Notwithstanding section
7302(g), the Secretary may renew for not more than 2 years an
expiring merchant mariner's document issued for an individual
under chapter 73 if the Secretary determines that the renewal
is in response to a national emergency proclaimed by the
President or declared by Congress, as deemed necessary by the
Secretary.
``(c) Manner of Renewal.--Any renewal granted under this
section may be granted to individual seamen or a specifically
identified group of seamen.''.
(c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter
75 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``7513. Authority for reactivation of United States Merchant Mariner
credentials.''.
______