IC 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2076 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 3, 2014 

Referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

AN ACT 

To amend the provisions of title 46, United States Code, 

related to the Board of Visitors to 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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘U.S. Merchant Marine 

3 Academy Board of Visitors Enhancement Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY 

5 BOARD OF VISITORS. 

6 Section 51312 of title 46, United States Code, is 

7 amended to read as follows: 

8 ‘‘§ 51312. Board of Visitors 

9 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—A Board of Visitors to the 

10 United States Merchant Marine Academy (referred to in 

11 this section as the ‘Board’ and the ‘Academy’, respec12 tively) shall be established to provide independent advice 

13 and recommendations on matters relating to the United 

14 States Merchant Marine Academy. 

15 ‘‘(b) APPOINTMENT AND MEMBERSHIP.— 

16 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days 

17 after the date of the enactment of the U.S. Mer18 chant Marine Academy Board of Visitors Enhance19 ment Act, the Board shall be composed of— 

20 ‘‘(A) 2 Senators appointed by the chair21 man, in consultation with the ranking member, 

22 of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

23 Transportation of the Senate; 

24 ‘‘(B) 3 members of the House of Rep25 resentatives appointed by the chairman, in con26 sultation with the ranking member, of the ComVerDate Mar 15 2010 07:05 Jul 04, 2014 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2076.RFH S2076

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1 mittee on Armed Services of the House of Rep2 resentatives; 

3 ‘‘(C) 1 Senator appointed by the Vice 

4 President, who shall be a member of the Com5 mittee on Appropriations of the Senate; 

6 ‘‘(D) 2 members of the House of Rep7 resentatives appointed by the Speaker of the 

8 House of Representatives, in consultation with 

9 the Minority Leader, at least 1 of whom shall 

10 be a member of the Committee on Appropria11 tions of the House of Representatives; 

12 ‘‘(E) the Commander of the Military Sea13 lift Command; 

14 ‘‘(F) the Assistant Commandant for Pre15 vention Policy of the United States Coast 

16 Guard; 

17 ‘‘(G) 4 individuals appointed by the Presi18 dent; and 

19 ‘‘(H) as ex officio members— 

20 ‘‘(i) the chairman of the Committee 

21 on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

22 of the Senate; 

23 ‘‘(ii) the chairman of the Committee 

24 on Armed Services of the House of Rep25 resentatives; 


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1 ‘‘(iii) the chairman of the Advisory 

2 Board to the Academy established under 

3 section 51313; and 

4 ‘‘(iv) the member of the House of 

5 Representatives in whose congressional dis6 trict the Academy is located, as a non-vot7 ing member, unless such member of the 

8 House of Representatives is appointed as a 

9 voting member of the Board under sub10 paragraph (B) or (D). 

11 ‘‘(2) PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTEES.—Of the indi12 viduals appointed by the President under paragraph 

13 (1)(H)— 

14 ‘‘(A) at least 2 shall be graduates of the 

15 Academy; 

16 ‘‘(B) at least 1 shall be a senior corporate 

17 officer from a United States maritime shipping 

18 company that participates in the Maritime Se19 curity Program, or in any Maritime Adminis20 tration program providing incentives for compa21 nies to register their vessels in the United 

22 States, and this appointment shall rotate bien23 nially among such companies; and 

24 ‘‘(C) 1 or more may be a Senate-confirmed 

25 Presidential appointee, a member of the Senior 


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1 Executive Service, or an officer of flag-rank 

2 who from the United States Coast Guard, the 

3 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra4 tion, or any of the military services that com5 mission graduates of the Academy, exclusive of 

6 the Board members described in subparagraph 

7 (E), (F), or (G) of paragraph (1). 

8 ‘‘(3) TERM OF SERVICE.—Each member of the 

9 Board shall serve for a term of 2 years commencing 

10 at the beginning of each Congress, except that any 

11 member whose term on the Board has expired shall 

12 continue to serve until a successor is designated. 

13 ‘‘(4) VACANCIES.—If a member of the Board is 

14 no longer able to serve on the Board or resigns, the 

15 Designated Federal Officer selected under subsection 

16 (g)(2) shall immediately notify the official who ap17 pointed such member. Not later than 60 days after 

18 that notification, such official shall designate a re19 placement to serve the remainder of such member’s 

20 term. 

21 ‘‘(5) CURRENT MEMBERS.—Each member of 

22 the Board serving as a member of the Board on the 

23 date of the enactment of the U.S. Merchant Marine 

24 Academy Board of Visitors Enhancement Act shall 


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1 continue to serve on the Board for the remainder of 

2 such member’s term. 

3 ‘‘(6) DESIGNATION AND RESPONSIBILITY OF

4 SUBSTITUTE BOARD MEMBERS.— 

5 ‘‘(A) AUTHORITY TO DESIGNATE.—A 

6 member of the Board described in subpara7 graph (E), (F), or (G) of paragraph (1) or sub8 paragraph (B) or (C) of paragraph (2) may, if 

9 unable to attend or participate in an activity 

10 described in subsection (d), (e), or (f), des11 ignate another individual to serve as a sub12 stitute member of the Board, on a temporary 

13 basis, to attend or participate in such activity. 

14 ‘‘(B) REQUIREMENTS.—A substitute mem15 ber of the Board designated under subpara16 graph (A) shall be— 

17 ‘‘(i) an individual who has been ap18 pointed by the President and confirmed by 

19 the Senate; 

20 ‘‘(ii) a member of the Senior Execu21 tive Service; or 

22 ‘‘(iii) an officer of flag-rank who is 

23 employed by— 

24 ‘‘(I) the United States Coast 

25 Guard; or 


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1 ‘‘(II) the Military Sealift Com2 mand. 

3 ‘‘(C) PARTICIPATION.—A substitute mem4 ber of the Board designated under subpara5 graph (A)— 

6 ‘‘(i) shall be permitted to fully partici7 pate in the proceedings and activities of 

8 the Board; 

9 ‘‘(ii) shall report back to the member 

10 on the Board’s activities not later than 15 

11 days following the substitute member’s 

12 participation in such activities; and 

13 ‘‘(iii) shall be permitted to participate 

14 in the preparation of reports described in 

15 paragraph (j) related to any proceedings or 

16 activities of the Board in which such sub17 stitute member participates. 

18 ‘‘(c) CHAIRPERSON.— 

19 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—On a biennial basis, the 

20 Board shall select from among its members, a mem21 ber of the House of Representatives or a Senator to 

22 serve as the Chairperson. 

23 ‘‘(2) ROTATION.—A member of the House of 

24 Representatives and a member of the Senate shall 


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1 alternately serve as the Chair of the Board on a bi2 ennial basis. 

3 ‘‘(3) TERM.—An individual may not serve as 

4 Chairperson for more than 1 consecutive term. 

5 ‘‘(d) MEETINGS.— 

6 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Board shall meet sev7 eral times each year as provided for in the Charter 

8 described in paragraph (2)(B), including at least 1 

9 meeting held at the Academy. 

10 ‘‘(2) SELECTION AND CONSIDERATION.—Not 

11 later than 60 days after the date of the enactment 

12 of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Board of 

13 Visitors Enhancement Act, the Designated Federal 

14 Officer selected under subsection (g)(2) shall orga15 nize a meeting of the Board for the purposes of— 

16 ‘‘(A) selecting a Chairperson; and 

17 ‘‘(B) considering an official Charter for the 

18 Board, which shall provide for the meeting of 

19 the Board several times each year. 

20 ‘‘(e) VISITING THE ACADEMY.— 

21 ‘‘(1) ANNUAL VISIT.—The Board shall visit the 

22 Academy annually on a date selected by the Board, 

23 in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation 

24 and the Superintendent of the Academy. 


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1 ‘‘(2) OTHER VISITS.—In cooperation with the 

2 Superintendent, the Board or its members may 

3 make other visits to the Academy in connection with 

4 the duties of the Board. 

5 ‘‘(3) ACCESS.—While visiting the Academy 

6 under this subsection, members of the Board shall 

7 have reasonable access to the grounds, facilities, 

8 midshipmen, faculty, staff, and other personnel of 

9 the Academy for the purpose of carrying out the du10 ties of the Board. 

11 ‘‘(f) RESPONSIBILITY.—The Board shall inquire into 

12 the state of morale and discipline, the curriculum, instruc13 tion, physical equipment, fiscal affairs, academic methods, 

14 and other matters relating to the Academy that the Board 

15 decides to consider. 

16 ‘‘(g) DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SUP17 PORT.—The Secretary of Transportation shall— 

18 ‘‘(1) provide support as deemed necessary by 

19 the Board for the performance of the Board’s func20 tions; 

21 ‘‘(2) not later than 30 days after the date of 

22 the enactment of the U.S. Merchant Marine Acad23 emy Board of Visitors Enhancement Act, select a 

24 Designated Federal Officer to support the perform25 ance of the Board’s functions; and 


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1 ‘‘(3) in cooperation with the Maritime Adminis2 trator and the Superintendent of the Academy, ad3 vise the Board of any institutional issues, consistent 

4 with applicable laws concerning the disclosure of in5 formation. 

6 ‘‘(h) STAFF.—Staff members may be designated to 

7 serve without reimbursement as staff for the Board by— 

8 ‘‘(1) the Chairperson of the Board; 

9 ‘‘(2) the chairman of the Committee on Com10 merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; 

11 and 

12 ‘‘(3) the chairman of the Committee on Armed 

13 Services of the House of Representatives. 

14 ‘‘(i) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—While serving away from 

15 home or regular place of business, a member of the Board 

16 or a staff member designated under subsection (h) shall 

17 be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 

18 subsistence, as authorized under section 5703 of title 5, 

19 United States Code. 

20 ‘‘(j) REPORTS.— 

21 ‘‘(1) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than 60 days 

22 after each annual visit required under subsection 

23 (e)(1), the Board shall submit to the President a 

24 written report of its actions, views, and rec25 ommendations pertaining to the Academy. 


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1 ‘‘(2) OTHER REPORTS.—If the members of the 

2 Board visit the Academy under subsection (e)(2), 

3 the Board may— 

4 ‘‘(A) prepare a report on such visit; and 

5 ‘‘(B) if approved by a majority of the 

6 members of the Board, submit such report to 

7 the President not later than 60 days after the 

8 date of the approval. 

9 ‘‘(3) ADVISORS.—The Board may call in advis10 ers— 

11 ‘‘(A) for consultation regarding the execu12 tion of the Board’s responsibility under sub13 section (f); or 

14 ‘‘(B) to assist in the preparation of a re15 port described in paragraph (1) or (2). 

16 ‘‘(4) SUBMISSION.—A report submitted to the 

17 President under paragraph (1) or (2) shall be con18 currently submitted to— 

19 ‘‘(A) the Secretary of Transportation; 

20 ‘‘(B) the Committee on Commerce, 

21 Science, and Transportation of the Senate; and 


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1 ‘‘(C) the Committee on Armed Services of 

2 the House of Representatives.’’. 

Passed the Senate June 26, 2014. 

Attest: NANCY ERICKSON, 

Secretary. 


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