Sec. 107. Military to mariner
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/bill/116/s/1417/is/section-107·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security, with respect to the applicable services in their respective departments, and in coordination with one another and with the United States Committee on the Marine Transportation System, shall, consistent with applicable law, identify all military training and experience within the applicable service that may qualify for merchant mariner credentialing, and submit a list of all identified military training and experience to the United States Coast Guard National Maritime Center for a determination of whether such training and experience counts for credentialing purposes.
The United States Coast Guard Commandant shall make a determination of whether training and experience counts for credentialing purposes, as described in subsection (a), not later than 6 months after the date on which the United States Coast Guard National Maritime Center receives a submission under subsection
(a)identifying a training or experience and requesting such a determination. The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall— take all necessary and appropriate actions to provide for the waiver of fees through the National Maritime Center license evaluation, issuance, and examination for members of the uniformed service on active duty, if a waiver is authorized and appropriate, and, if a waiver is not granted, take all necessary and appropriate actions to provide for the payment of fees for members of the uniformed service on active duty by the applicable service to the fullest extent permitted by law; direct the applicable services to take all necessary and appropriate actions to pay for Transportation Worker Identification Credential cards for members of the uniformed service on active duty pursuing or possessing a mariner credential; ensure that members of the applicable services who are to be discharged or released from active duty and who request certification or verification of sea service be provided such certification or verification no later than one month after discharge or release; ensure the applicable services have developed, or continue to operate, as appropriate, the online resource known as Credentialing Opportunities On-Line to support separating members of the uniformed service who are seeking information and assistance on merchant mariner credentialing; and not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, take all necessary and appropriate actions to apply military-related medical certifications to merchant mariner credential requirements. The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Secretary of Commerce shall have direct hiring authority to employ separated members of the Armed Forces with valid merchant mariner licenses or sea service experience in support of the United States national maritime needs, including the Army Corps of Engineers, Customs and Border Protection, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In this subsection, the term separated member of the Armed Forces means an individual who— is retiring or is retired as a member of the Armed Forces; or is voluntarily separating or voluntarily separated from the Armed Forces at the end of enlistment or service obligation; and has not received a dishonorable discharge.