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[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1760 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1760

 To amend the statutory authorities of the Coast Guard to improve the 
quality of life for current and former Coast Guard personnel and their 
                   families, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 21, 2013

  Mr. Begich introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To amend the statutory authorities of the Coast Guard to improve the 
quality of life for current and former Coast Guard personnel and their 
                   families, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES TO TITLE 14, UNITED STATES CODE.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Coast Guard 
Quality of Life Act''.
    (b) References to Title 14, United States Code.--Except as 
otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this Act an amendment or 
repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a 
section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be 
made to a section or other provision of title 14, United States Code.

SEC. 2. EXPEDITED REIMBURSEMENT FOR MEDICAL GOODS AND SERVICES.

    Notwithstanding section 1085 of title 10, United States Code, or 
any other requirements under chapter 55 of that title providing for the 
reimbursement of inpatient or outpatient medical or dental care that 
the Department of Defense or a military department has provided to a 
member or former member of the Coast Guard or a dependent thereof, the 
Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, in 
lieu of such reimbursement, shall transfer from funds appropriated for 
the operating expenses of the Coast Guard an amount determined by the 
Board of Actuaries to represent the value of care that the Department 
of Defense or a military department shall provide, during the fiscal 
year in which funds are made available, to a member or former member of 
the Coast Guard or a dependent thereof.

SEC. 3. FLAG OFFICERS; DETERMINATION OF UNFITNESS.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter D of chapter 11 is amended by adding at 
the end the following:
``Sec. 316. Flag officers; determination of unfitness
    ``When the Coast Guard is not operating as a service in the Navy--
            ``(1) section 1216(d) of title 10 shall not apply with 
        respect to any member who is a flag officer being processed for 
        retirement by reason of age or length of service; and
            ``(2) the Secretary may, with respect to any member who is 
        a flag officer being processed for retirement by reason of age 
        or length of service--
                    ``(A) retire such member under section 1201 of 
                title 10;
                    ``(B) place such member on the temporary disability 
                retired list under section 1202 of title 10; or
                    ``(C) separate such member from the Coast Guard 
                under section 1203 of title 10;
        by reason of unfitness to perform the duties of the flag 
        officer's office, grade, rank, or rating without approval by 
        the Secretary of Defense or the recommendation of the Assistant 
        Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents for subchapter D 
of chapter 11 is amended by adding at the end, the following:

``316. Flag officers; determination of fitness.''.

SEC. 4. COAST GUARD REMISSION OF INDEBTEDNESS.

    (a) In General.--Section 461 is amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 461. Remission of indebtedness
    ``The Secretary or the Secretary's designee may have remitted or 
cancelled any part of a person's indebtedness to the United States or 
any instrumentality of the United States if--
            ``(1) the indebtedness was incurred while the person served 
        on active duty as a member of the Coast Guard; and
            ``(2) the Secretary or the Secretary's designee considers 
        remitting or cancelling any part of the indebtedness to be in 
        the best interest of the United States.''.
    (b) Technical Amendment.--The table of contents for chapter 13 is 
amended by striking the item relating to section 461 and inserting the 
following:

``461. Remission of indebtedness.''.

SEC. 5. COAST GUARD FAMILY SUPPORT AND CHILD CARE.

    (a) Section Redesignations.--
            (1) Reimbursement for adoption expenses.--Chapter 13 of 
        part I is amended by redesignating section 514 as section 541.
            (2) Child development services.--Chapter 13 of part I is 
        amended by redesignating section 515 as section 552.
    (b) General Provisions.--Part I is amended by inserting before 
section 541, as redesignated, the following:

  ``CHAPTER 14--COAST GUARD FAMILY SUPPORT AND CHILD CARE AUTHORITIES

                   ``Subchapter A--General Provisions

``Sec. 531. Work-life policies and programs
    ``The Commandant is authorized--
            ``(1) to establish a program for the purpose of developing 
        and promulgating policies that promote or support the well-
        being of Coast Guard active duty, reserve, and civilian 
        personnel, and their families;
            ``(2) to implement and oversee the policies under paragraph 
        (1) as the Commandant considers necessary; and
            ``(3) to perform such other duties as the Commandant 
        considers necessary to promote or support the well-being of 
        Coast Guard active duty, reserve, and civilian personnel, and 
        their families.
``Sec. 532. Surveys of Coast Guard families
    ``(a) Authority.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
Commandant, in order to determine the effectiveness of Federal programs 
that promote or support the well-being of Coast Guard active duty, 
reserve, and civilian personnel, and their families, may survey--
            ``(1) any Coast Guard active duty, reserve, or civilian 
        personnel;
            ``(2) any retired Coast Guard member or civilian personnel;
            ``(3) the immediate family of any member or personnel 
        described under paragraph (1) or paragraph (2); and
            ``(4) any survivor of a deceased member.
    ``(b) Voluntary Participation.--Participation in any survey 
conducted under this section shall be voluntary.
    ``(c) Federal Recordkeeping.--With respect to a survey authorized 
under subsection (a) that includes a person referred to in that 
subsection who is not an employee of the United States or is not 
otherwise considered an employee of the United States for the purposes 
of section 3502(3)(A)(i) of title 44, the person shall be considered an 
employee of the United States for the purposes of that section.

             ``SUBCHAPTER B--COAST GUARD FAMILY SUPPORT''.

    (c) Coast Guard Family Support.--Part I is amended by inserting 
after section 541, as redesignated, the following:
``Sec. 542. Education and training opportunities for Coast Guard 
              spouses
    ``(a) Tuition Assistance; Education and Training.--The Commandant 
may provide, subject to the availability of appropriations, tuition 
assistance to an eligible spouse of a member of the Coast Guard in 
achieving--
            ``(1) the education and training required for a degree or 
        credential, that expands employment and portable career 
        opportunities for the spouse, at an accredited college, 
        university, or technical school in the United States; or
            ``(2) the education prerequisites and professional 
        licensure or credentialing required by a government or 
        government-sanctioned licensing body for an occupation that 
        expands employment and portable career opportunities for the 
        spouse.
    ``(b) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section--
            ``(1) Eligible spouse.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `eligible spouse' means 
                the spouse of a member of the Coast Guard who is 
                serving on active duty, including a spouse who receives 
                transitional support in the case of such a member who 
                is discharged due to domestic violence.
                    ``(B) Exclusions.--The term `eligible spouse' does 
                not include--
                            ``(i) a person who is married to, but 
                        legally separated from, a member of the Coast 
                        Guard under court order or statute of any State 
                        or territorial possession of the United States; 
                        or
                            ``(ii) a person who is eligible for tuition 
                        assistance as a member of the armed forces.
            ``(2) Portable career opportunities.--The term `portable 
        career opportunities' includes an occupation requiring 
        education, training, or both, that results in a credential that 
        is recognized by an industry, profession, or specific type of 
        business.
``Sec. 543. Youth sponsorship initiatives
    ``(a) In General.--The Commandant is authorized to establish, 
within any Coast Guard unit, an initiative to help integrate into new 
communities the dependent children of members of the Coast Guard when 
the members receive permanent change of station orders.
    ``(b) Description of Initiative.--A youth sponsorship initiative 
under this section shall--
            ``(1) apply to a dependent child who resides in the new 
        community due to a permanent change of station order;
            ``(2) provide for the involvement of a dependent child of a 
        member of the Coast Guard in the dependent child's new Coast 
        Guard community; and
            ``(3) primarily focus on children in their preteen and 
        teenage years.''.
    (d) Coast Guard Child Care.--
            (1) In general; definitions.--Part I is amended by 
        inserting before section 552, as redesignated, the following:

                 ``SUBCHAPTER C--COAST GUARD CHILD CARE

``Sec. 551. Definitions
    ``In this subchapter:
            ``(1) Child abuse and neglect.--The term `child abuse and 
        neglect' has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the 
        Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5101 note).
            ``(2) Child development center employee.--The term `child 
        development center employee' means a civilian employee of the 
        Coast Guard who is employed to work in a Coast Guard child 
        development center regardless of whether the employee is paid 
        from appropriated or nonappropriated funds.
            ``(3) Coast guard child development center.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `Coast Guard child 
                development center' means a facility on Coast Guard 
                property or on property under the jurisdiction of the 
                commander of a Coast Guard unit, at which child care 
                services are provided for members of the Coast Guard.
                    ``(B) Exclusions.--The term `Coast Guard child 
                development center' does not include a child care 
                services facility for which space is allotted under 
                section 590 of title 40.
            ``(4) Competitive service position.--The term `competitive 
        service position' means a position in the competitive service 
        (as defined in section 2102(a)(1) of title 5).
            ``(5) Family home daycare.--The term `family home daycare' 
        means home-based child care services provided for a member of 
        the Coast Guard by an individual who--
                    ``(A) is certified by the Commandant as qualified 
                to provide home-based child care services; and
                    ``(B) provides home-based child care services on a 
                regular basis in exchange for monetary compensation.''.
            (2) Child development services.--
                    (A) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of the 
                Congress that the amount of appropriated funds 
                available during a fiscal year for operating expenses 
                for Coast Guard child development services should be, 
                at a minimum, not less than the amount of child 
                development center fee receipts that are estimated to 
                be collected by the Coast Guard during that fiscal 
                year. In this subparagraph, the term ``child 
                development center fee receipts'' means those 
                nonappropriated funds derived from fees paid by members 
                of the Coast Guard for child care services provided at 
                Coast Guard child development centers.
                    (B) Headings.--Section 552, as redesignated, is 
                amended--
                            (i) in subsection (a), by inserting ``In 
                        General.--'' before ``The Commandant'';
                            (ii) in subsection (b)(1), by inserting 
                        ``Funding for child development services.--'' 
                        before ``The Commandant'';
                            (iii) in subsection (b)(2)(A), by inserting 
                        ``Parent fees.--'' before ``The Commandant'';
                            (iv) in subsection (b)(2)(B), by inserting 
                        ``Waiver authority.--'' before ``Fees to be 
                        charged''; and
                            (v) in subsection (b)(2)(C), by inserting 
                        ``Fee collection and use.--'' before ``The 
                        Commandant''.
            (3) Child development center standards and inspections.--
        Part I is amended--
                    (A) in section 552, as redesignated--
                            (i) by striking subsections (c) and (e); 
                        and
                            (ii) by redesignating subsection (d) as 
                        subsection (c); and
                    (B) by adding after section 552, as redesignated, 
                the following:
``Sec. 553. Child development center standards and inspections
    ``(a) Early Childhood Development Standards.--The Commandant shall 
require that each child development center meets applicable health and 
safety standards.
    ``(b) Safety Standards.--The Commandant shall require that each 
child development center under this subchapter meets such safety 
standards as the Commandant considers appropriate to ensure the health, 
safety, and welfare of the children and employees at the child 
development center.
    ``(c) Inspections.--The Commandant shall provide for regular and 
unannounced inspections of each child development center under this 
subchapter to ensure compliance with this section.
    ``(d) National Reporting.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Commandant shall maintain and 
        publicize a means by which an individual can report--
                    ``(A) any suspected violation of--
                            ``(i) standards of operation;
                            ``(ii) health or safety standards; or
                            ``(iii) other law or standards;
                    ``(B) any suspected child abuse or neglect; or
                    ``(C) any other deficiency at a Coast Guard child 
                development center or in family home daycare.
            ``(2) Anonymous reporting.--The Commandant shall ensure 
        that a report under paragraph (1) can be made anonymously if so 
        desired by the individual making the report.
            ``(3) Procedures.--The Commandant shall establish 
        procedures for investigating a report under paragraph (1).''.
            (4) Additional child care provisions.--Part I is amended by 
        adding after section 553 the following:
``Sec. 554. Child development center employees
    ``(a) Training.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Commandant shall prescribe a 
        training program for Coast Guard child development center 
        employees. Satisfactory completion of the training program 
        shall be a condition of employment for an employee of a Coast 
        Guard child development center. The Commandant shall require 
        each employee complete the training program not later than 6 
        months after the date that the employee is employed as a Coast 
        Guard child development center employee.
            ``(2) Minimum requirements.--The training program shall 
        include, at a minimum, instruction in the following:
                    ``(A) Early childhood development.
                    ``(B) Activities and disciplinary techniques 
                appropriate to children of different ages.
                    ``(C) Child abuse and neglect prevention and 
                detection.
                    ``(D) Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other 
                emergency medical procedures.
            ``(3) Use of department of defense programs.--The 
        Commandant may use Department of Defense training programs on a 
        reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis, for purposes of 
        complying with the requirements of this subsection.
    ``(b) Training and Curriculum Specialists.--
            ``(1) Specialist required.--The Commandant shall require 
        that at least 1 employee at each Coast Guard child development 
        center be a specialist in training and curriculum development 
        with appropriate credentials and experience.
            ``(2) Duties.--The duties of the employee under paragraph 
        (1) shall include the following:
                    ``(A) Special teaching activities at the Coast 
                Guard child development center.
                    ``(B) Daily oversight and instruction of other 
                child care employees at the Coast Guard child 
                development center.
                    ``(C) Daily assistance in the preparation of lesson 
                plans.
                    ``(D) Assisting with child abuse and neglect 
                prevention and detection at the Coast Guard child 
                development center.
                    ``(E) Advising the director of the Coast Guard 
                child development center on the performance of the 
                other child care employees.
            ``(3) Competitive service.--Each employee under paragraph 
        (1) shall be an employee in a competitive service position.
``Sec. 555. Parent partnerships with child development centers
    ``(a) Parent Boards.--
            ``(1) Formation.--The Commandant shall require that there 
        be formed at each Coast Guard child development center a board 
        of parents, to be composed of parents of children attending the 
        center.
            ``(2) Functions.--Each parent board shall--
                    ``(A) meet periodically with the staff and the 
                commander of the unit served by the center at which the 
                parent board is formed, for the purpose of discussing 
                problems and concerns; and
                    ``(B) be responsible, together with the staff of 
                that center, for coordinating the parent participation 
                initiative required under subsection (b).
            ``(3) FACA.--A board of parents under this subsection shall 
        not be subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 
        App.).
    ``(b) Parent Participation Initiative.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Commandant is authorized to 
        establish a parent participation initiative at each Coast Guard 
        child development center to encourage and facilitate parent 
        participation in educational and related activities at the 
        center.
            ``(2) Fee reduction authority.--The Commandant, in the case 
        of a parent who participates in an initiative adopted under 
        paragraph (1), may establish fees at a lower rate than charged 
        under section 552(b)(2)(A) for that parent.''.
    (e) Commandant; General Powers.--Section 93(a)(7) is amended by 
inserting ``, and to eligible spouses under section 542,'' after 
``Coast Guard''.
    (f) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Section 652 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
        for Fiscal Year 1993 (14 U.S.C. 514 note) is amended by 
        striking ``section 514'' each place it appears and inserting 
        ``section 541''.
            (2) The table of contents for part I of title 14 is 
        amended--
                    (A) by striking the item relating to section 514;
                    (B) by striking the item relating to section 515; 
                and
                    (C) by adding after the item relating to section 
                518 the following:

  ``Chapter 14. Coast Guard Family Support and Child Care Authorities

                   ``subchapter a. general provisions

``531. Work-life policies and programs.
``532. Surveys of Coast Guard families
               ``subchapter b. coast guard family support

``541. Reimbursement for adoption expenses.
``542. Education and training opportunities for Coast Guard spouses.
``543. Youth sponsorship initiatives.
                 ``subchapter c. coast guard child care

``551. Definitions.
``552. Child development services.
``553. Child development center standards and inspections.
``554. Child development center employees.
``555. Parent partnerships with child development centers.''.

SEC. 6. TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM COVERAGE OF TEXTBOOKS AND OTHER 
              EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS.

    Section 93(a)(7), as amended by section 5(e) of this Act, is 
further amended by inserting ``and those textbooks, manuals, and other 
materials required as a part of such training or courses of 
instruction'' after ``correspondence courses,''.

SEC. 7. OFFICER EVALUATION REPORTS.

    (a) Assessment Required.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Commandant of the Coast Guard shall provide 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives a written assessment of the Coast Guard's current 
officer evaluation reporting system.
    (b) Contents of Assessment.--The assessment required under 
subsection (a) shall include, at a minimum, an analysis of--
            (1) the extent to which the Coast Guard's current officer 
        evaluation reports differ in length, form, and content from the 
        officer fitness reports used by the Navy and other branches of 
        the armed forces;
            (2) the extent to which such differences are the result of 
        inherent differences in the Coast Guard and the Navy, and in 
        the Coast Guard and other branches of the armed forces;
            (3) the feasibility of better aligning and conforming the 
        Coast Guard's officer evaluation reports with the officer 
        fitness reports of the Navy and other branches of the armed 
        forces; and
            (4) the costs and benefits of such improved alignment and 
        conformity, including with respect to Coast Guard 
        administrative efficiency and the Coast Guard's statutory 
        mission of defense readiness, including when operating as a 
        service in the Navy.

SEC. 8. HOUSING CHOICES FOR COAST GUARD FAMILIES WITH SPECIAL MEDICAL 
              NEEDS.

    (a) Section Redesignations.--Chapter 18 of part I is amended--
            (1) by redesignating section 685 as section 682;
            (2) by redesignating section 687 as section 683; and
            (3) by redesignating section 688 as section 684.
    (b) Housing Choices for Coast Guard Families With Special Medical 
Needs.--Chapter 18 of part I is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``SEC. 685. HOUSING CHOICES FOR COAST GUARD FAMILIES WITH SPECIAL 
              MEDICAL NEEDS.

    ``The remoteness or driving distance from a hospital of an area 
shall not be the basis, in policy, for preventing a member of the Coast 
Guard with a dependent with special medical needs, such as diabetes, 
asthma, or moderate disabilities, from residing in a particular area, 
unless the Commandant has determined that such needs cannot be 
sufficiently met with appropriate services while residing in that 
area.''.
    (c) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Section 682(b), as redesignated, is amended by striking 
        ``section 687'' and inserting ``section 683''.
            (2) The table of contents for part I of title 14 is 
        amended--
                    (A) by striking the item relating to section 685;
                    (B) by striking the item relating to section 687;
                    (C) by striking the item relating to section 688; 
                and
                    (D) by adding after the item relating to section 
                681 the following:

``682. Conveyance of real property.
``683. Coast Guard Housing Fund.
``684. Reports.
``685. Housing choices for Coast Guard families with special medical 
                            needs.''.

SEC. 9. AUTHORITY TO CONSTRUCT COAST GUARD CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER 
              FACILITIES.

    (a) General Authority.--Section 681 is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``housing or military unaccompanied 
                housing,'' and inserting ``housing, military 
                unaccompanied housing, or Coast Guard child development 
                center facilities,''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) Coast Guard child development center facilities.''; 
        and
            (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``housing or military 
        unaccompanied housing'' and inserting ``housing, military 
        unaccompanied housing, or Coast Guard child development center 
        facilities''.
    (b) Conveyance of Real Property.--Section 682, as redesignated, is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``housing and military 
        unaccompanied housing'' and inserting ``housing, military 
        unaccompanied housing, and Coast Guard child development center 
        facilities'';
            (2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``housing and 
        military unaccompanied housing'' and inserting ``housing, 
        military unaccompanied housing, and Coast Guard child 
        development center facilities''; and
            (3) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ``housing or military 
        unaccompanied housing'' and inserting ``housing, military 
        unaccompanied housing, or Coast Guard child development center 
        facilities''.
    (c) Coast Guard Housing Fund.--Section 683, as redesignated, is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ``housing or military 
        unaccompanied housing'' and inserting ``housing, military 
        unaccompanied housing, or Coast Guard child development center 
        facilities'';
            (2) in subsection (b)(3), by striking ``housing and 
        military unaccompanied housing'' and inserting ``housing, 
        military unaccompanied housing, and Coast Guard child 
        development center facilities''; and
            (3) in subsection (c), by striking ``housing and military 
        unaccompanied housing'' and inserting ``housing, military 
        unaccompanied housing, and Coast Guard child development center 
        facilities''.
    (d) Definitions.--Section 680 is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (4) as 
        paragraphs (2) through (6), respectively;
            (2) by inserting before paragraph (2), as redesignated, the 
        following:
            ``(1) The term `Coast Guard child development center 
        facilities' means buildings and ancillary supporting facilities 
        constructed and maintained by the Coast Guard to provide child 
        care services for members of the Coast Guard.'';
            (3) in paragraph (2), as redesignated, by striking 
        ``housing and military unaccompanied housing'' and inserting 
        ``housing, military unaccompanied housing, and Coast Guard 
        child development center facilities''; and
            (4) in paragraph (3), as redesignated, by striking 
        ``housing and military unaccompanied housing'' and inserting 
        ``housing, military unaccompanied housing, and Coast Guard 
        child development center facilities''.

SEC. 10. POST-SERVICE MARITIME EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.

    (a) Merchant Marine Post-Service Career Opportunities.--Not later 
than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commandant 
shall take steps to promote better awareness, on an ongoing basis, 
among Coast Guard personnel regarding post-service use of Coast Guard 
training, education, and practical experience as qualifying experience 
in satisfaction of requirements for merchant mariner credentials under 
section 11.213 of title 46, Code of Federal Regulations.
    (b) Timely Provision of Sea Service Letters.--Chapter 11 of title 
14, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 427 the 
following:
``Sec. 428. Timely provision of sea service letters
    ``A member of the Coast Guard who retires or separates from the 
Service and who is eligible to receive a sea service letter shall be 
provided such sea service letter, at the member's request, on or before 
the member's retirement or separation date.''.
    (c) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--The table of contents for 
chapter 11 of title 14 is amended by inserting after the item relating 
to section 427 the following:

``428. Timely provision of sea service letters.''.

SEC. 11. RETIRED SERVICE MEMBERS AND FAMILY MEMBERS SERVING ON ADVISORY 
              COMMITTEES.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 17 is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
``Sec. 679. Retired service members and family members serving on 
              advisory committees
    ``A committee within the Coast Guard that advises or assists the 
Coast Guard in the performance of any function that affects members of 
military families and includes in its membership a retired Coast Guard 
member or a member of a military family shall not be considered an 
advisory committee under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 
App.) solely because of such membership.''.
    (b) Technical Amendment.--The table of contents for chapter 17 is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 678 the 
following:

``679. Retired service members and family members serving on advisory 
                            committees.''.
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