U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

1 

49–010 

" ! SENATE 

114TH CONGRESS

1st Session 

REPORT 

2015

114–51 

Calendar No. 93 

UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE 

ACADEMY IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 2015 

R E P O R T 

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND 

TRANSPORTATION 

ON

S. 143 

MAY 21, 2015.—Ordered to be printed 


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(II) 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION 

ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH CONGRESS

FIRST SESSION

JOHN THUNE, South Dakota, Chairman 

ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi BILL NELSON, Florida 

ROY BLUNT, Missouri MARIA CANTWELL, Washington 

MARCO RUBIO, Florida CLAIRE MCCASKILL, Missouri 

KELLY AYOTTE, New Hampshire AMY KLOBUCHAR , Minnesota 

TED CRUZ, Texas RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut 

DEB FISCHER, Nebraska BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii 

JERRY MORAN, Kansas ED MARKEY, Massachusetts 

DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska CORY BOOKER, New Jersey 

RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin TOM UDALL, New Mexico 

DEAN HELLER, Nevada JOE MANCHIN, West Virginia 

CORY GARDNER, Colorado GARY PETERS, Michigan 

STEVE DAINES, Montana 

DAVID SCHWIETERT, Staff Director 

NICK ROSSI, Deputy Staff Director 

REBECCA SEIDEL, General Counsel 

KIM LIPSKY, Democratic Staff Director 

CHRISTOPHER DAY, Democratic Deputy Staff Director 

CLINT ODOM, Democratic General Counsel 


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Calendar No. 93 

114TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 1st Session 114–51 

UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY 

IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF 2015 

MAY 21, 2015.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. THUNE, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 143] 

The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to 

which was referred the bill (S. 143) to allow for improvements to 

the United States Merchant Marine Academy and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass. 

PURPOSE OF THE BILL

The purpose of S. 143, the United States Merchant Marine Academy Improvements Act of 2015, is to allow the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) to accept a gift from its alumni 

foundation to complete renovations of the Officers’ Club (known as 

Melville Hall) without federally-appropriated funds and to allow 

the United States Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association 

and Foundation, Inc. (Foundation) to compete for the contract to 

operate Melville Hall. 

BACKGROUND AND NEEDS

The USMMA in Kings Point, New York, is one of five service 

academies that prepare college-aged students to be officers of the 

U.S. uniformed services. After graduation, midshipmen are commissioned as officers and obligated to serve a minimum of five 

years in the active or reserve components of the military, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration commissioned officer corps, or in Federal civil service within a national security proVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:21 May 27, 2015 Jkt 049010 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR051.XXX SR051

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1 R. Eric Petersen, Congressional Research Service (CRS). Congressional Nominations to U.S. 

Service Academies: An Overview and Resources for Outreach and Management. CRS Memo September 23, 2014. 2Maritime Administration United States Merchant Marine Academy. Capital Improvement 

Program FY 2014 Annual Report and FY 2015–2019 Plan: http://www.usmma.edu/sites/ 

usmma.edu/files/docs/2014 CIP Report-Final sent to Congress 4 1 14.pdf. 3 Ibid. 

4http://www.usmma.edu/facilities/melville-hall/hall-policies. 

5Maritime Administration United States Merchant Marine Academy. Capital Improvement 

Program FY 2014 Annual Report and FY 2015–2019 Plan: http://www.usmma.edu/sites/ 

usmma.edu/files/docs/2014 CIP Report-Final sent to Congress 4 1 14.pdf. 6 Ibid. 

gram.1 The USMMA graduates approximately 200 midshipmen annually.2

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) provides support and 

oversight of the USMMA campus infrastructure. MARAD is currently allowed to accept gifts from non-prohibited sources to support the USMMA and its infrastructure; however, congressional approval is required to enter into a non-competitive contract with the 

Foundation to operate Melville Hall.3 Melville Hall at the USMMA 

is eligible for use by USMMA midshipmen, faculty and staff, alumni, military members, community organizations, and government 

entities.4 The renovation of this building would improve its current 

use as a formal dining area for midshipmen events, sponsor dinners, meetings, and lectures. In addition, staff and faculty would 

be provided an updated place for conferences and social events.5

The cost of Melville Hall renovations to bring the building into 

compliance with all fire, environmental, and building codes, as well 

as Federal statutes, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, 

and to improve its water, heating, drainage, and electrical systems 

is estimated at $4 million.6

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS

S. 143 would authorize the Administrator of MARAD to accept 

money from the Foundation for renovations of Melville Hall. It 

would also allow the Administrator of MARAD to enter into a contract with the Foundation for the hall’s operation, contingent on 

certain terms being met. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

S. 143 was introduced by Senator Wicker on January 9, 2015. 

Representative Pete Sessions (R–TX) introduced a companion bill 

in the House, H.R. 143. On February 26, 2015, the Committee met 

in open Executive Session and, by a voice vote, ordered S. 143 to 

be reported favorably without amendment. 

ESTIMATED COSTS

In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the Congressional Budget 

Act of 1974, the Committee provides the following cost estimate, 

prepared by the Congressional Budget Office: 

S. 143—United States Merchant Marine Academy Improvements 

Act of 2015 

S. 143 would authorize the Maritime Administration (MARAD) to 

accept a monetary donation from the United States Merchant MaVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:21 May 27, 2015 Jkt 049010 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR051.XXX SR051

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rine Academy Alumni Association and Foundation to renovate Melville Hall of the Merchant Marine Academy in the state of New 

York. If the foundation chooses to make a donation that is 25 percent greater than the minimum amount required to renovate Melville Hall, the bill would authorize MARAD to enter into a contract 

with the foundation to operate the hall for certain purposes. Under 

the contract, the foundation would maintain the hall and make its 

facilities available for official academy functions, as well as industry events, conferences, and other activities. The foundation would 

retain sufficient income to cover its costs of hosting such events in 

the hall and remit any remaining amounts to a federal fund that 

would be used, without further appropriation, to promote the morale and welfare of the academy’s cadets. 

Based on information provided by MARAD, CBO estimates that 

the foundation would need to donate $9 million to allow MARAD 

to renovate the hall and to contract with the foundation to operate 

the hall. CBO estimates that the gift would be spent, without further appropriation, for the authorized purposes and that any net 

income from using the hall to host events would also be spent, resulting in no significant net budgetary impact. Because enacting S. 

143 would affect direct spending, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. 

Enacting S. 143 would not affect revenues. 

S. 143 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates 

as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would not 

affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Martin von Gnechten. 

The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

REGULATORY IMPACT

In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the following evaluation of the regulatory impact of the legislation, as reported: 

NUMBER OF PERSONS COVERED

S. 143 as reported does not create any new programs or impose 

any new regulatory requirements, and therefore would not subject 

any individuals or businesses to new regulations. 

ECONOMIC IMPACT

Enactment of this legislation is not expected to have any significant adverse impacts on the Nation’s economy. 

PRIVACY

The bill would not impact the personal privacy of individuals. 

PAPERWORK

The Committee does not anticipate an increase in paperwork 

burdens resulting from the passage of this legislation. 

CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING

In compliance with paragraph 4(b) of rule XLIV of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides that no provisions 


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contained in the bill, as reported, meet the definition of congressionally directed spending items under the rule. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title. 

This section would designate the short title of this bill as the 

‘‘United States Merchant Marine Academy Improvements Act of 

2015.’’ 

Section 2. Melville Hall of United States Merchant Marine Academy. 

This section would clarify section 51315 of title 46, United States 

Code, to allow the Administrator of MARAD to accept a gift of 

money that covers the minimum amount sufficient (plus 25 percent 

of that total) from the Foundation for the purpose of renovating 

Melville Hall. The Administrator of MARAD may also enter into a 

contract with the Foundation to operate the hall. The bill, if the 

Administrator of MARAD enters into a contract with the Foundation, would direct the proceeds, after expenses for operation and 

maintenance of the hall, to be returned to the Merchant Marine 

Academy cadet welfare fund. Additionally, if operation of the hall 

is awarded to the Foundation, the Foundation would be required 

to return the hall to MARAD in its renovated condition. Further, 

the bill would prohibit the use of Melville Hall as lodging or an office other than for Government purposes or the administration or 

operation of the hall. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee states that the bill as reported 

would make no change to existing law. 

Æ 


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