II 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1506 

To improve the handling of instances of sexual harassment, dating violence, 

domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking at the United States 

Merchant Marine Academy, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 29, 2017 

Mrs. GILLIBRAND introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

A BILL 

To improve the handling of instances of sexual harassment, 

dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and 

stalking at the United States Merchant Marine Academy, 

and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Merchant Marine 

5 Academy Improvement Act of 2017’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. APPLICATION OF TITLE IX OF THE EDUCATION 

2 AMENDMENTS OF 1972 TO THE UNITED 

3 STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY. 

4 Section 901(a)(4) of the Education Amendments of 

5 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681(a)(4)) is amended by striking 

6 ‘‘States, or the merchant marine;’’ and inserting 

7 ‘‘States;’’. 

8 SEC. 3. ACTIONS TO ADDRESS SEXUAL HARASSMENT, DAT9 ING VIOLENCE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEX10 UAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING AT THE 

11 UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACAD12 EMY. 

13 (a) REQUIRED POLICY.—Subsection (a) of section 

14 51318 of title 46, United States Code, as added by section 

15 3510 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 

16 Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 130 Stat. 2782), is 

17 amended— 

18 (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘harassment 

19 and sexual assault’’ and inserting ‘‘harassment, dat20 ing violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and 

21 stalking’’; 

22 (2) in paragraph (2)— 

23 (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph 

24 (A), by striking ‘‘harassment and sexual as25 sault’’ and inserting ‘‘harassment, dating vioVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:16 Jul 12, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1506.IS S1506

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1 lence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and 

2 stalking’’; 

3 (B) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ‘‘do4 mestic violence, dating violence, stalking,’’ after 

5 ‘‘acquaintance rape,’’; 

6 (C) in subparagraph (B)— 

7 (i) in the matter preceding clause (i), 

8 by striking ‘‘harassment or sexual as9 sault,’’ and inserting ‘‘harassment, dating 

10 violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, 

11 or stalking,’’; 

12 (ii) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘harass13 ment or sexual assault’’ and inserting 

14 ‘‘harassment, dating violence, domestic vio15 lence, sexual assault, or stalking’’; and 

16 (iii) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘crimi17 nal sexual assault’’ and inserting ‘‘a crimi18 nal sexual offense’’; 

19 (D) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘har20 assment or sexual assault’’ and inserting ‘‘har21 assment, dating violence, domestic violence, sex22 ual assault, or stalking’’; 

23 (E) in subparagraph (E)— 

24 (i) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘harass25 ment or sexual assault’’ and inserting 


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1 ‘‘harassment, dating violence, domestic vio2 lence, sexual assault, or stalking’’; 

3 (ii) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘sexual 

4 assault’’ and inserting ‘‘sexual harassment, 

5 dating violence, domestic violence, sexual 

6 assault, or stalking’’; and 

7 (iii) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘har8 assment and sexual assault’’ and inserting 

9 ‘‘harassment, dating violence, domestic vio10 lence, sexual assault, or stalking’’; and 

11 (F) in subparagraph (F), by striking ‘‘har12 assment or sexual assault’’ and inserting ‘‘har13 assment, dating violence, domestic violence, sex14 ual assault, or stalking’’; 

15 (3) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as 

16 paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively; 

17 (4) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol18 lowing: 

19 ‘‘(3) MINIMUM TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR

20 CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS REGARDING SEXUAL HARASS21 MENT, DATING VIOLENCE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, 

22 SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING.— 

23 ‘‘(A) REQUIREMENT.—The Maritime Ad24 ministrator shall develop a mandatory training 

25 program at the United States Merchant Marine 


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1 Academy for each individual who is involved in 

2 implementing the Academy’s student grievance 

3 procedures, including each individual who is re4 sponsible for— 

5 ‘‘(i) resolving complaints of reported 

6 sexual harassment, dating violence, domes7 tic violence, sexual assault, and stalking; 

8 ‘‘(ii) resolving complaints of reported 

9 violations of the sexual misconduct policy 

10 of the Academy; or 

11 ‘‘(iii) conducting an interview with a 

12 victim of sexual harassment, dating vio13 lence, domestic violence, sexual assault, or 

14 stalking. 

15 ‘‘(B) CONSULTATION.—The Maritime Ad16 ministrator shall develop the training program 

17 described in subparagraph (A) in consultation 

18 with national, State, or local sexual assault, 

19 dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking 

20 victim advocacy, victim services, or prevention 

21 organizations. 

22 ‘‘(C) ELEMENTS.—The training required 

23 by subparagraph (A) shall include the following: 

24 ‘‘(i) Information on working with and 

25 interviewing persons subjected to sexual 


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1 harassment, dating violence, domestic vio2 lence, sexual assault, or stalking. 

3 ‘‘(ii) Information on particular types 

4 of conduct that would constitute sexual 

5 harassment, dating violence, domestic vio6 lence, sexual assault, or stalking, regard7 less of gender, including same-sex sexual 

8 harassment, dating violence, domestic vio9 lence, sexual assault, or stalking. 

10 ‘‘(iii) Information on consent and the 

11 effect that drugs or alcohol may have on 

12 an individual’s ability to consent. 

13 ‘‘(iv) Information on the effects of 

14 trauma, including the neurobiology of trau15 ma. 

16 ‘‘(v) Training regarding the use of 

17 trauma-informed interview techniques, 

18 which means asking questions of an indi19 vidual who has been a victim of sexual har20 assment, dating violence, domestic violence, 

21 sexual assault, or stalking in a manner 

22 that is focused on the experience of the vic23 tim, does not judge or blame the victim, 

24 and is informed by evidence-based research 

25 on the neurobiology of trauma. 


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1 ‘‘(vi) Training on cultural awareness 

2 regarding how dating violence, domestic vi3 olence, sexual assault, or stalking may im4 pact midshipmen differently depending on 

5 their cultural background. 

6 ‘‘(vii) Information on sexual assault 

7 dynamics, sexual assault perpetrator be8 havior, and barriers to reporting. 

9 ‘‘(D) APPROVAL.—The training program 

10 described in subparagraph (A) shall be ap11 proved by the Director of the Departmental Of12 fice of Civil Rights of the Department of Trans13 portation. 

14 ‘‘(E) IMPLEMENTATION.— 

15 ‘‘(i) DEVELOPMENT AND APPROVAL

16 SCHEDULE.—The training program re17 quired by subparagraph (A) shall be devel18 oped and approved as required by subpara19 graph (D) not later than 90 days after the 

20 date of the enactment of the Merchant Ma21 rine Academy Improvement Act of 2017. 

22 ‘‘(ii) COMPLETION OF TRAINING.— 

23 Each individual who is required to com24 plete the training described in subparaVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:16 Jul 12, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1506.IS S1506

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1 graph (A) shall complete such training not 

2 later than— 

3 ‘‘(I) 270 days after enactment of 

4 the Merchant Marine Academy Im5 provement Act of 2017; or 

6 ‘‘(II) 180 days after starting a 

7 position with responsibilities that in8 clude the activities described clause 

9 (i), (ii), or (iii) of subparagraph (A).’’; 

10 and 

11 (5) by inserting after paragraph (5), as so re12 designated, the following: 

13 ‘‘(6) CONSISTENCY WITH THE HIGHER EDU14 CATION ACT OF 1965.—The Secretary shall ensure 

15 that the policy developed under this subsection 

16 meets the requirements set out in paragraph (8) of 

17 section 485(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 

18 (20 U.S.C. 1092(f)(8)).’’. 

19 (b) MINIMUM PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING RE20 PORTS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT, DATING VIOLENCE, 

21 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, OR STALK22 ING.—Subsection (b) of section 51318 of title 46, United 

23 States Code, as added by section 3510 of the National 

24 Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public 


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1 Law 114–328; 130 Stat. 2782), is amended to read as 

2 follows: 

3 ‘‘(b) DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.— 

4 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall ensure 

5 that the development program of the Academy in6 cludes a section that— 

7 ‘‘(A) describes the relationship between 

8 honor, respect, and character development and 

9 the prevention of sexual harassment, dating vio10 lence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and 

11 stalking at the Academy; 

12 ‘‘(B) includes a brief history of the prob13 lem of sexual harassment, dating violence, do14 mestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking in 

15 the merchant marine, in the Armed Forces, and 

16 at the Academy; and 

17 ‘‘(C) includes information relating to re18 porting sexual harassment, dating violence, do19 mestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, 

20 victims’ rights, and dismissal for offenders. 

21 ‘‘(2) MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO COMBAT RE22 TALIATION.— 

23 ‘‘(A) REQUIREMENT FOR PLAN.—Not later 

24 than 90 days after the date of the enactment of 

25 the Merchant Marine Academy Improvement 


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1 Act of 2017, the Maritime Administrator shall 

2 create and implement a plan to combat retalia3 tion against midshipmen at the United States 

4 Merchant Marine Academy who report sexual 

5 harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, 

6 sexual assault, or stalking. 

7 ‘‘(B) VIOLATION OF CODE OF CONDUCT.— 

8 The Maritime Administrator shall consider an 

9 act of retaliation against a midshipman at the 

10 Academy who reports sexual harassment, dating 

11 violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, or 

12 stalking as a Class I violation of the Academy’s 

13 Midshipman Regulations and Sea Year Regula14 tions and Instructions or equivalent code of 

15 conduct. 

16 ‘‘(C) RETALIATION DEFINITION.—The 

17 Maritime Administrator shall work with the 

18 sexual assault prevention and response staff of 

19 the Academy to define ‘retaliation’ for purposes 

20 of this subsection. 

21 ‘‘(3) MINIMUM RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS.— 

22 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of 

23 Transportation shall provide the staff at the 

24 United States Merchant Marine Academy with 

25 adequate and appropriate sexual harassment, 


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1 dating violence, domestic violence, sexual as2 sault, and stalking prevention and response 

3 training materials and resources. Such re4 sources shall include staff as follows: 

5 ‘‘(i) Sexual assault response coordi6 nator. 

7 ‘‘(ii) Prevention educator. 

8 ‘‘(iii) Administrative staff member. 

9 ‘‘(iv) Strategic Sealift Officer. 

10 ‘‘(B) COMMUNICATION.—The Director of 

11 the Office of Civil Rights of the Department of 

12 Transportation shall create and maintain a di13 rect line of communication to the sexual assault 

14 response staff of the Academy that is outside of 

15 the chain of command of the Academy. 

16 ‘‘(4) MINIMUM TRAINING REQUIREMENTS.— 

17 The Superintendent shall ensure that all cadets re18 ceive training on the sexual harassment, dating vio19 lence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking 

20 prevention and response sections of the development 

21 program of the Academy, as described in paragraph 

22 (1), as follows: 

23 ‘‘(A) An initial training session, which 

24 shall occur not later than 7 days after a cadet’s 

25 initial arrival at the Academy. 


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1 ‘‘(B) Additional training sessions, which 

2 shall occur biannually following the cadet’s ini3 tial training session until the cadet graduates 

4 or leaves the Academy.’’. 

5 (c) AGGREGATE REPORTING.—Section 51318 of title 

6 46, United States Code, as added by section 3510 of the 

7 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 

8 (Public Law 114–328; 130 Stat. 2782), is amended by 

9 adding at the end the following: 

10 ‘‘(e) DATA FOR AGGREGATE REPORTING.— 

11 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—No requirement related to 

12 confidentiality in this section or section 51319 may 

13 be construed to prevent a sexual assault response co14 ordinator from providing information for any report 

15 required by law regrading sexual harassment, dating 

16 violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalk17 ing. 

18 ‘‘(2) IDENTITY PROTECTION.—Any information 

19 provided for a report referred to in paragraph (1) 

20 shall be provided in a manner that protects the iden21 tity of the victim or witness.’’. 

22 (d) DEFINITIONS.—Section 51318 of title 46, United 

23 States Code, as added by section 3510 of the National 

24 Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public 


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1 Law 114–328; 130 Stat. 2782), as amended by subsection 

2 (c), is further amended by adding at the end the following: 

3 ‘‘(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section and section 

4 51319: 

5 ‘‘(1) DATING VIOLENCE; DOMESTIC VIOLENCE; 

6 STALKING.—The terms ‘dating violence’, ‘domestic 

7 violence’, and ‘stalking’ have the meanings given 

8 those terms is section 40002(a) of the Violence 

9 Against Women Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 13925(a)). 

10 ‘‘(2) SEXUAL ASSAULT.—The term ‘sexual as11 sault’ means an offense classified as a forcible or 

12 nonforcible sex offense under the uniform crime re13 porting system of the Federal Bureau of Investiga14 tion.’’. 

15 (e) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 

16 (1) HEADING.—Section 51318 of title 46, 

17 United States Code, as added by section 3510 of the 

18 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 

19 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 130 Stat. 2782), is 

20 amended by striking the section heading and insert21 ing the following: 


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1 ‘‘§ 51318. Policy on sexual harassment, dating vio2 lence, domestic violence, sexual assault, 

3 and stalking’’. 

4 (2) TABLE OF SECTIONS AMENDMENT.—The 

5 table of sections for chapter 513 of title 46, United 

6 States Code, as amended by subtitle A of title 

7 XXXV of the National Defense Authorization Act 

8 for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 130 

9 Stat. 2774), is amended by striking the item relating 

10 to section 51318 and inserting the following: 

‘‘Sec. 51318. Policy on sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, 

sexual assault, and stalking.’’. 

11 SEC. 4. SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE COORDINATORS AND 

12 SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIM ADVOCATE. 

13 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 51319 of title 46, United 

14 States Code, as added by section 3511 of the National 

15 Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public 

16 Law 114–328; 130 Stat. 2785), is amended— 

17 (1) by redesignating subsection (b) as sub18 section (g); and 

19 (2) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the 

20 following: 

21 ‘‘(a) SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE COORDINA22 TORS.— 

23 ‘‘(1) REQUIREMENT FOR COORDINATORS.—The 

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1 ploy or contract with at least 1 full-time sexual as2 sault response coordinator who shall reside at or 

3 near the Academy. The Secretary of Transportation 

4 may assign additional full-time or part-time sexual 

5 assault response coordinators at the Academy as 

6 necessary. 

7 ‘‘(2) SELECTION CRITERIA.—Each sexual as8 sault response coordinator shall be selected based 

9 on— 

10 ‘‘(A) experience and a demonstrated ability 

11 to effectively provide victim services related to 

12 sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic vi13 olence, sexual assault, and stalking; and 

14 ‘‘(B) protection of the individual under 

15 State law to provide privileged communication. 

16 ‘‘(3) CONFIDENTIALITY.—A sexual assault re17 sponse coordinator shall, to the extent authorized 

18 under State law, provide confidential services to a 

19 midshipman who reports being a victim of, or wit20 ness to, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic 

21 violence, sexual assault, or stalking. 

22 ‘‘(4) TRAINING.— 

23 ‘‘(A) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 90 

24 days after the date of the enactment of the 

25 Merchant Marine Academy Improvement Act of 


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1 2017, the Maritime Administrator shall develop 

2 a specialized training program for each sexual 

3 assault response coordinator and receive ap4 proval for such program from the Director of 

5 the Departmental Office of Civil Rights of the 

6 Department of Transportation within 90 days 

7 of enactment of this Act. 

8 ‘‘(B) TRAINING PROGRAM REQUIRE9 MENTS.—The specialized training program re10 quired by subparagraph (A) shall include train11 ing in— 

12 ‘‘(i) working with victims of sexual 

13 harassment, dating violence, domestic vio14 lence, sexual assault, and stalking; 

15 ‘‘(ii) the policies, procedures, and re16 sources of the Academy related to respond17 ing to sexual harassment, dating violence, 

18 domestic violence, sexual assault, and 

19 stalking; and 

20 ‘‘(iii) national, State, and local victim 

21 services and resources available to victims 

22 of sexual harassment, dating violence, do23 mestic violence, sexual assault, and stalk24 ing. 


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1 ‘‘(C) APPROVAL.—The specialized training 

2 program developed under subparagraph (A) 

3 shall be approved by the Director of the De4 partmental Office of Civil Rights of the Depart5 ment of Transportation. 

6 ‘‘(D) IMPLEMENTATION.— 

7 ‘‘(i) DEVELOPMENT AND APPROVAL

8 SCHEDULE.—The specialized training pro9 gram required by subparagraph (A) shall 

10 be developed and approved as required by 

11 subparagraph (C) not later than 90 days 

12 after the date of the enactment of the Mer13 chant Marine Academy Improvement Act 

14 of 2017. 

15 ‘‘(ii) COMPLETION OF TRAINING.—A 

16 sexual assault response coordinator shall 

17 complete the specialized training program 

18 required by subparagraph (A) not later 

19 than— 

20 ‘‘(I) 270 days after enactment of 

21 the Merchant Marine Academy Im22 provement Act of 2017; or 

23 ‘‘(II) 180 days after starting in 

24 the role of sexual assault response co25 ordinator. 


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1 ‘‘(5) DUTIES.—A sexual assault response coor2 dinator shall— 

3 ‘‘(A) confidentially receive reports from 

4 victims of sexual harassment, dating violence, 

5 domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking; 

6 ‘‘(B) inform such victims of— 

7 ‘‘(i) their rights under Federal and 

8 State law; 

9 ‘‘(ii) options for reporting an incident 

10 of sexual harassment, dating violence, do11 mestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking 

12 to the Academy and law enforcement; 

13 ‘‘(iii) how to access available services, 

14 including emergency medical care, medical 

15 forensic or evidentiary examinations, legal 

16 services, services provided by rape crisis 

17 centers and other victim service providers, 

18 services provided by the volunteer sexual 

19 assault victim advocates at the Academy, 

20 and crisis intervention counseling and on21 going counseling; 

22 ‘‘(iv) such coordinator’s ability to as23 sist in arranging access to such services, 

24 with the consent of the victim; 


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1 ‘‘(v) available accommodations, such 

2 as allowing a victim to change living ar3 rangements and obtain accessibility serv4 ices; 

5 ‘‘(vi) such coordinator’s ability to as6 sist in arranging such accommodations, 

7 with the consent of the victim; 

8 ‘‘(vii) the victim’s rights and the 

9 Academy’s responsibilities regarding orders 

10 of protection, no contact orders, restrain11 ing orders, or similar lawful orders issued 

12 by the Academy or a criminal, civil, or 

13 tribal court; and 

14 ‘‘(viii) privacy limitations based on 

15 Federal and State law; 

16 ‘‘(C) represent the interests of any mid17 shipmen who reports being a victim of sexual 

18 harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, 

19 sexual assault, or stalking, even if such inter20 ests are in conflict with the interests of the 

21 Academy; 

22 ‘‘(D) advise such victims of, and provide 

23 written materials regarding, the information de24 scribed in subparagraph (B); 


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1 ‘‘(E) liaise with appropriate staff at the 

2 Academy, with the victim’s consent, to arrange 

3 reasonable accommodations through the Acad4 emy to allow a victim to change living arrange5 ments, obtain accessibility services, or access 

6 other accommodations; 

7 ‘‘(F) maintain the privacy and confiden8 tiality of the victim, and shall not notify the 

9 Academy or any other authority of the identity 

10 of the victim or the alleged circumstances sur11 rounding the reported incident unless— 

12 ‘‘(i) otherwise required by the applica13 ble State law; or 

14 ‘‘(ii) requested to do so by the victim 

15 who has been fully and accurately informed 

16 about what procedures shall occur if the 

17 information is shared; 

18 ‘‘(G) assist the victim in contacting and re19 porting an incident of sexual harassment, dat20 ing violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, 

21 or stalking to the Academy or law enforcement, 

22 if requested to do so by the victim who has been 

23 fully and accurately informed about what proce24 dures shall occur if information is shared; and 


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1 ‘‘(H) submit to the Director of the Office 

2 of Civil Rights of the Department of Transpor3 tation an annual report summarizing how the 

4 resources supplied to the coordinator were used 

5 during the prior year, including the number of 

6 victims assisted by the coordinator. 

7 ‘‘(b) OVERSIGHT.— 

8 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.— 

9 ‘‘(A) REPORTING.—Each sexual assault re10 sponse coordinator shall— 

11 ‘‘(i) report directly to the Super12 intendent; and 

13 ‘‘(ii) have concurrent reporting re14 sponsibility to the Executive Director of 

15 the Maritime Administration on matters 

16 related to the Maritime Administration and 

17 the Department of Transportation and 

18 upon belief that the Academy leadership is 

19 acting inappropriately regarding sexual as20 sault prevention and response matters. 

21 ‘‘(B) SUPPORT.—The Maritime Adminis22 tration Office of Civil Rights shall provide sup23 port to the sexual assault response staff at the 

24 Academy on all sexual assault and sexual har25 assment prevention matters. 


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1 ‘‘(2) PROHIBITION ON INVESTIGATION BY THE

2 ACADEMY.—Any request by a victim for an accom3 modation, as described in subsection (a)(5)(F), made 

4 by a sexual assault response coordinator shall not 

5 trigger an investigation by the Academy, even if 

6 such coordinator deals only with matters relating to 

7 sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic vio8 lence, sexual assault, or stalking. 

9 ‘‘(3) PROHIBITION ON RETALIATION.—A sexual 

10 assault response coordinator, victim advocate, or 

11 companion may not be disciplined, penalized, or oth12 erwise retaliated against by the Academy for rep13 resenting the interests of the victim, even if such in14 terests are in conflict with the interests of the Acad15 emy. 

16 ‘‘(c) SUPPORT FOR REPORTING.—The Maritime Ad17 ministrator shall contract with a third party to make sup18 port services available 24 hours a day to midshipmen at 

19 the United States Merchant Marine Academy who are vic20 tims of sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic vio21 lence, sexual assault, or stalking. Such support shall— 

22 ‘‘(1) be greater than or equal to the support 

23 services offered by the Department of Defense 

24 SAFE Helpline; and 


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1 ‘‘(2) be provided by individuals who are trained 

2 regarding the resources that are available to mid3 shipmen that might not be available to the general 

4 public.’’. 

5 (b) REPEAL OF DUPLICATE REQUIREMENT.—Sub6 section (g) of section 51319 of title 46, United States 

7 Code, as redesignated by subsection (a)(1), is amended— 

8 (1) by striking paragraph (5); 

9 (2) by redesignating paragraph (6) as para10 graph (5); and 

11 (3) in paragraph (5), as so redesignated, by 

12 striking ‘‘(3), (4), and (5)’’ and inserting ‘‘(3) and 

13 (4)’’. 

14 SEC. 5. PROTECTION OF STUDENTS FROM SEXUAL AS15 SAULT ONBOARD VESSELS. 

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 513 of title 46, United 

17 States Code, as amended by subtitle A of title XXXV of 

18 the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 

19 2017 (Public Law 114–328), is amended by adding at the 

20 end the following new section: 

21 ‘‘§ 51320. Protection of students from sexual assault 

22 onboard vessels 

23 ‘‘(a) PROVISION OF INDIVIDUAL SATELLITE COMMU24 NICATION DEVICES DURING SEA YEAR.— 


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1 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Maritime Adminis2 trator shall ensure that each midshipman at the 

3 United States Merchant Marine Academy is pro4 vided a functional satellite communication device 

5 during the midshipman’s Sea Year. 

6 ‘‘(2) CHECK-IN.—Not less often than once each 

7 week, each such midshipman shall check-in with des8 ignated personnel at the Academy via the mid9 shipman’s personal satellite communication device. 

10 ‘‘(3) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

11 There are authorized to be appropriated to the Mari12 time Administrator such funds as may be necessary 

13 to carry out paragraph (1). 

14 ‘‘(b) RIDING GANGS.—The Maritime Administrator 

15 shall— 

16 ‘‘(1) require the owner or operator of any com17 mercial vessel carrying a midshipman of the Acad18 emy to certify their compliance with the Inter19 national Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, 

20 with annex, done at London November 1, 1974 (32 

21 UST 47), and section 8106; and 

22 ‘‘(2) ensure the Academy informs midshipmen 

23 preparing for Sea Year of the obligations that vessel 

24 owners and operators have to provide for the secu25 rity of individuals aboard a vessel under United 


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1 States law, including chapter 81 and section 

2 70103(c). 

3 ‘‘(c) CHECKS OF COMMERCIAL VESSELS.— 

4 ‘‘(1) REQUIREMENT.—Not less frequently than 

5 once every two years, the sexual assault prevention 

6 and response staff of the United States Merchant 

7 Marine Academy or the Maritime Administration 

8 shall conduct both random and targeted unan9 nounced checks of not less than 10 percent of the 

10 commercial vessels that host a midshipman from the 

11 Academy. 

12 ‘‘(2) REMOVAL OF STUDENTS.—If such staff 

13 determine that such a commercial vessel is in viola14 tion of the sexual assault policy developed by the 

15 Academy through such a check, such staff are au16 thorized to remove any midshipman of the Academy 

17 from the vessel and report any such violation to the 

18 company that owns the vessel. 

19 ‘‘(d) MAINTENANCE OF SEXUAL ASSAULT TRAINING

20 RECORDS.—The Maritime Administrator shall require 

21 each company or seafarer union for a commercial vessel 

22 to maintain records of sexual assault training for the crew 

23 and passengers of any vessel hosting a midshipman from 

24 the Academy. 

25 ‘‘(e) SEA YEAR SURVEY.— 


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1 ‘‘(1) REQUIREMENT.—The Maritime Adminis2 trator shall require each midshipman from the Acad3 emy upon completion of the midshipman’s Sea Year 

4 to complete a survey regarding the environment and 

5 conditions on each commercial vessel that hosted the 

6 midshipman during the Sea Year. 

7 ‘‘(2) AVAILABILITY.—The Maritime Adminis8 trator shall make available to the public for each 

9 year— 

10 ‘‘(A) the questions used in the survey re11 quired by paragraph (1); and 

12 ‘‘(B) the aggregated data received from 

13 such surveys.’’. 

14 (b) TABLE OF SECTIONS AMENDMENT.—The table of 

15 sections for chapter 513 of title 46, United States Code, 

16 as amended by subtitle A of title XXXV of the National 

17 Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public 

18 Law 114–328), is amended by adding at the end the fol19 lowing: 

‘‘Sec. 51320. Protection of students from sexual assault onboard vessels.’’. 

20 SEC. 6. TRAINING REQUIREMENT FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT IN21 VESTIGATORS. 

22 The Secretary of Transportation shall require each 

23 employee of the Office of Inspector General of the Depart24 ment of Transportation who conducts investigations and 


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•S 1506 IS

1 who is assigned to the Regional Investigations Office in 

2 New York, New York— 

3 (1) to participate in specialized training in con4 ducting sexual assault investigations; and 

5 (2) to attend at least one Federal Law Enforce6 ment Training Center (FLETC) sexual assault in7 vestigation course each year. 

Æ 


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