Sec. 307. Maritime workforce working group
581 words·~3 min read·
/bill/114/s/2829/rfh/section-307·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall convene a working group to examine and assess the size of the pool of citizen mariners necessary to support the United States Flag Fleet in times of national emergency. The Maritime Administrator shall designate individuals to serve as members of the working group convened under subsection (a). The working group shall include, at a minimum, the following members: At least 1 representative of the Maritime Administration, who shall serve as chairperson of the working group.
At least 1 subject matter expert from the United States Merchant Marine Academy. At least 1 subject matter expert from the Coast Guard. At least 1 subject matter expert from the Military Sealift Command. 1 subject matter expert from each of the State maritime academies. At least 1 representative from each nonprofit labor organization representing a class or craft of employees (licensed or unlicensed) who are employed on vessels operating in the United States Flag Fleet. At least 4 representatives of owners of vessels operating the in United States Flag Fleet, or their private contracting parties, which are primarily operating in non-contiguous or coastwise trades.
At least 4 representatives of owners of vessels operating the in United States Flag Fleet, or their private contracting parties, which are primarily operating in international transportation. The Maritime Administration may convene the working group without all members present. The working group shall— identify the number of United States citizen mariners— in total; that have a valid United States Coast Guard merchant mariner credential with the necessary endorsements for service on unlimited tonnage vessels subject to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended; that are involved in Federal programs that support the United States Merchant Marine and United States Flag Fleet; that are available to crew the United States Flag Fleet and the surge sealift fleet in times of a national emergency; that are full-time mariners; that have sailed in the prior 18 months; and that are primarily operating in non-contiguous or coastwise trades; assess the impact on the United States Merchant Marine and United States Merchant Marine Academy if graduates from State maritime academies and the United States Merchant Marine Academy were assigned to, or required to fulfill, certain maritime positions based on the overall needs of the United States Merchant Marine; assess the Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Licensing and Documentation System, which tracks merchant mariner credentials and medical certificates, and its accessibility and value to the Maritime Administration for the purposes of evaluating the pool of United States citizen mariners; and make recommendations to enhance the availability and quality of interagency data, including data from the United States Transportation Command, the Coast Guard, and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, for use by the Maritime Administration for evaluating the pool of United States citizen mariners.
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall submit a report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives that contains the results of the study conducted under this section, including— the number of United States citizen mariners identified for each category described in subparagraphs
(A)through
(G)of subsection (d)(1); the results of the assessments conducted under paragraphs
(2)and
(3)of subsection (d); and the recommendations made under subsection (d)(4).