I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4082 
To require a report on Coast Guard personnel skills transfer to the dredging 
sector and the importance of certain waterways to national security, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 23, 2025 
Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana (for himself and Mr. EZELL) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To require a report on Coast Guard personnel skills transfer 
to the dredging sector and the importance of certain 
waterways to national security, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Industrial Certification 
for Coast Guard Veterans Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. REPORT ON COAST GUARD PERSONNEL SKILLS 
TRANSFER TO THE DREDGING SECTOR AND 
THE IMPORTANCE OF CERTAIN WATERWAYS 
TO NATIONAL SECURITY. 
Recognizing the critical role of Federal channels and 
other channels determined by the Secretary of Homeland 
Security to be strategically important in supporting na-
tional security and economic prosperity, and the essential 
function of the United States dredging industry in main-
taining such waterways, not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report that 
includes the following: 
(1) An analysis of the skills and experience of 
Coast Guard personnel, particularly such personnel 
with backgrounds in engineering, navigation, heavy 
equipment operation, and maintenance, that are di-
rectly transferable to the dredging industry, which is 
vital for the upkeep of Federal channels and other 
channels determined by the Secretary to be strategi-
cally important. 
(2) A plan for developing and implementing tar-
geted outreach and recruitment strategies to connect 
separating or retiring Coast Guard personnel with 
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employment opportunities in the dredging industry, 
thereby strengthening the workforce that supports 
national security interests. 
(3) An evaluation of the potential for estab-
lishing credentialing or certification programs to rec-
ognize and validate the skills of Coast Guard per-
sonnel for employment in the dredging industry, en-
suring a skilled workforce for maintaining Federal 
channels and other channels determined by the Sec-
retary to be strategically important. 
(4) A description of any existing or planned co-
ordination with the Army Corps of Engineers and 
other relevant agencies to facilitate the transition of 
Coast Guard personnel into the dredging industry, 
reinforcing the capacity of the United States to en-
sure the readiness and reliability of Federal channels 
and other channels determined by the Secretary to 
be strategically important. 
Æ 
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