Sec. 3534. MARITIME WORKFORCE WORKING GROUP
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## SEC. 3534 MARITIME WORKFORCE WORKING GROUP ###
(a)In General Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Maritime Administrator, in consultation with the National Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee, the National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee, the National Towing Safety Advisory Committee, and the Committee on the Marine Transportation System, shall convene a working group to examine and assess the size of the pool of mariners with covered credentials necessary to support the United States flag fleet. ###
(b)Membership The Maritime Administrator shall designate individuals to serve as members of the working group convened under subsection (a). The working group shall consist of— ####
(1)the Maritime Administrator, who shall serve as chairperson of the working group; ####
(2)the Superintendent of the United States Merchant Marine Academy; ####
(3)the Commandant of the Coast Guard; ####
(4)the Commander of the United States Transportation Command; ####
(5)the Secretary of the Navy; and ####
(6)at least one representative from each of— #####
(A)the State maritime academies; #####
(B)the owners and operators of United States-flagged vessels engaged in offshore oil and gas exploration, development, and production; #####
(C)the owners and operators of United States-flagged vessels engaged in inland river transportation; #####
(D)the owners and operators of United States-flagged vessels engaged in inland river transportation; #####
(E)a nonprofit labor organization representing a class of licensed or unlicensed engine department mariners who are employed on vessels operating in the United States flag fleet; #####
(F)a nonprofit labor organization representing a class of licensed or unlicensed mariners who are employed on vessels operating in the United States flag fleet; #####
(G)the owners of vessels operating in the United States flag fleet, or their private contracting parties, that are primarily operating in international transportation; #####
(H)Centers of Excellence for Maritime Training designated under section 51706 of title 46, United States Code; and #####
(I)private maritime training providers. ###
(c)No Quorum Requirement The Maritime Administrator may convene the working group virtually and without all members present. ###
(d)Responsibilities The working group shall carry out the following responsibilities: ####
(1)Reviewing the report required by section 3525(b), and the study required by section 3542(a), of the James Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117-263), if available. ####
(2)Identifying the number of mariners with covered credentials in each of the following categories: #####
(A)All such mariners. #####
(B)Such mariners who have a valid Coast Guard merchant mariner credential with the necessary endorsements for service on unlimited tonnage vessels that are subject to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended. #####
(C)Such mariners who are participating in a Federal program that supports the United States merchant marine and the United States flag fleet. #####
(D)Such mariners who are available to crew the United States flag fleet and the surge sealift fleet in times of a national emergency. #####
(E)Such mariners who are full-time. #####
(F)Such mariners who are merchant mariner credentialed officers in the United States Navy Reserve. #####
(G)Such licensed and unlicensed mariners— ######
(i)required to maintain, mobilize, and operate the entire Ready Reserve Force for periods of 30 days, 90 days, 180 days, and one year including separate totals for merchant mariners employed to maintain the Ready Reserve Force in a reduced operating status; and ######
(ii)required to submit documentation of sea service to the National Maritime Center, including such mariners that have acquired sea service during the prior year and such mariners that have not acquired sea service during the prior year. ####
(3)Evaluating potential gaps or surpluses of credentialed merchant mariners, by rating and qualification, required to maintain, mobilize, and operate the Ready Reserve Force for periods of 30 days, 90 days, 180 days, and one year and the potential impacts such mobilization and operation will have on the commercial maritime industry’s capability to operate during such periods. ####
(4)Identifying a list of all actively operating documented vessels of at least 500 gross registered tons, as measured under section 14502 of title 46, United States Code, or an alternate tonnage measured under section 14302 of such title as prescribed by the Secretary under section 14104, of such title, with the tonnage of each such vessel. ####
(5)Assessing the effect 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. ####
(6)Assessing the effectiveness of marketing and outreach efforts, including recruitment and retention strategy and methods of publicizing opportunities, for new mariner accession into the maritime industry. ####
(7)Assessing the accessibility of Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Licensing and Documentation System data for mariners with covered credentials, the maritime industry, and the Maritime Administration for the purposes of evaluating the pool of mariners with covered credentials. ####
(8)Assessing the impediments to the credentialing of United States merchant mariners, including training capacity, credentialing system delays, costs to merchant mariners, statutory or regulatory requirements, and other factors. ####
(9)Making recommendations to— #####
(A)enhance the availability and quality of interagency data, including data from the United States Transportation Command, the Coast Guard, the Navy, and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, for use by the Maritime Administration in evaluating the pool of mariners with covered credentials; #####
(B)close any gaps identified in the evaluation described in paragraph (3), including specific policy, legislative change proposals, and funding requests; and #####
(C)improve United States merchant mariner recruitment and retention. ###
(e)Provision of Information All members of the working group convened under subsection
(a)shall provide to the Maritime Administrator, in a timely manner and in a suitable format agreed to by members, any information that is needed to carry out the responsibilities under subsection (d). ###
(f)Report Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report that contains the findings and conclusions of the working group gathered in the course of performing the responsibilities under subsection (d). Such report shall include each of the following: ####
(1)The number of mariners with covered credentials identified for each category described in subparagraphs
(A)through
(G)of subsection (d)(2). ####
(2)The results of the evaluation under subsection (d)(3). ####
(3)The list identified under subsection (d)(4). ####
(4)The results of the assessments conducted under paragraphs
(5)and
(8)of subsection (d). ####
(5)The recommendations made under paragraphs
(5)and
(9)of subsection (d). ####
(6)Such other information as the working group determines appropriate. ###
(g)Classified Annex The report required under this section shall be submitted in unclassified form, but shall include a classified annex including the results from subsection (d)(2)(G) and subsection (d)(3). ###
(h)Definitions In this section: ####
(1)The term “covered credential” means any credential issued under part E of subtitle II of title 46, United States Code. ####
(2)The term “documented vessel” has the meaning given the term in section 106 of title 46, United States Code. ####
(3)The term “Ready Reserve Force” has the meaning given the term in chapter 571 of title 46, United States Code. ###
(i)Sunset The Maritime Administrator shall disband the working group upon the submission of the report required under subsection (f). ###
(j)Temporary Reduction of Lengths of Certain Periods of Service **[**[46 U.S.C. 7307 note](/us/usc/t46/s7307)**]** For the 3-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act— ####
(1)section 7307 of title 46, United States Code, shall be applied by substituting “18 months” for “3 years”; ####
(2)section 7308 of such title shall be applied by substituting “12 months” for “18 months”; and ####
(3)section 7309 of such title shall be applied by substituting “6 months” for “12 months”. ###
(k)Centers of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education Section 51706 of title 46, United States Code, is amended— ####
(1)in subsection (a)— #####
(A)by striking “ The Secretary ” and inserting the following: > > #### “(1) In general > > The Secretary” > ; #####
(B)by inserting “, after consultation with the Coast Guard,” after “Transportation”; #####
(C)by inserting “, for a 5-year period,” after “designate”; and #####
(D)by adding at the end the following: > > #### “(2) Withdrawal of designation > > The Secretary of Transportation may withdraw a designation as a center of excellence for domestic maritime workforce training and education of a covered training entity upon discovery of adverse information, including discovery of information that the covered training entity has engaged in fraudulent or unlawful activities, or has been subjected to disciplinary or adverse administrative action by Federal, State, or other regulatory bodies.” > ; ####
(2)in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following: > > #### “(5) Eligible uses of grant funds > > A center of excellence receiving a grant under this subsection shall— > > > ##### “(A) > > carry out activities that are identified as priorities for the purpose of developing, offering, or improving educational or career training programs for the United States maritime industry workforce; and > > > ##### “(B) > > provide training to upgrade the skills of the United States maritime industry workforce, including training to acquire covered requirements as well as technical skills training for jobs in the United States maritime industry.” > ; and ####
(3)in subsection (c)(1)— #####
(A)in subparagraph (B)(v), by striking “and” after the semicolon; #####
(B)in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and #####
(C)by adding at the end the following: > > ##### “(D) > > has— > > > ###### “(i) > > not been subject to a disciplinary or adverse administrative action by Federal, State, or other regulatory bodies; > > > ###### “(ii) > > no unresolved nonconformities from administrative audits by regulatory bodies; and > > > ###### “(iii) > > not been subject to any adverse criminal action by a Federal, State, or local law enforcement authority.” > .
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