274 
chapter 121 of title 46, and graduates make up 
more than 80 percent of the United States Navy’s 
Strategic Sealift Officer Program. 
(3) The United States defense readiness and 
economic security relies on a strong investment in 
training and cultivating United States Merchant Ma-
rine officers at the United States Merchant Marine 
Academy. 
(4) Most of the facilities at the United States 
Merchant Marine Academy date back to the Acad-
emy’s founding, have not been modernized since, and 
are not conducive to the immersive training and de-
manding coursework today’s Midshipmen are re-
quired to complete. 
(5) Rehabilitating and modernizing the campus 
infrastructure at the United States Merchant Ma-
rine Academy is necessary to ensuring current and 
future generations of Midshipmen receive a first- 
class education. 
(b) SENSE OF THE SENATE.—It is the sense of the 
Senate— 
(1) to ensure that the United States continues 
to have a sufficient number of service-obligated li-
censed merchant mariners to meet current and fu-
ture economic and national security needs, the Mari-
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time Administration and the Department of Trans-
portation have a responsibility to provide suitable 
academic, training, and dormitory facilities at the 
United States Merchant Marine Academy by rapidly 
implementing a comprehensive plan for campus-wide 
modernization in accordance with section 51329 of 
title 46, United States Code, (referred to in this sec-
tion as the ‘‘Campus Modernization Plan’’) and pro-
viding sufficient accountability and oversight to en-
sure that milestones in such plan are met; 
(2) in developing the comprehensive Campus 
Modernization Plan for the United States Merchant 
Marine Academy, the Maritime Administration, and 
the Department of Transportation should utilize, to 
the maximum extent practicable, the ‘‘Merchant Ma-
rine Academy Full Speed Ahead Plan’’ developed by 
the Maritime Security Infrastructure Council as 
summarized in the Congressional Record, dated Feb-
ruary 28, 2024; 
(3) given the conditions of the United States 
Merchant Marine Academy as of the date of enact-
ment of this section, a comprehensive, campus-wide 
modernization is needed to significantly upgrade or 
replace facilities throughout the campus; and 
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(4) the Maritime Administration and the De-
partment of Transportation should identify opportu-
nities to utilize design-build contracts to increase de-
livery times and reduce costs. 
(c) CAMPUS MODERNIZATION PLAN.—Chapter 513 
of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘§ 51329. 10-year Campus Modernization Plan 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall 
develop and begin to implement a comprehensive Campus 
Modernization Plan (referred to in this section as the 
‘Campus Modernization Plan’), informed by the ‘United 
States Merchant Marine Academy Full Speed Ahead Plan’ 
developed by the Maritime Security Infrastructure Council 
as summarized in the Congressional Record, dated Feb-
ruary 28, 2024, to carry out a campus-wide modernization 
at the United States Merchant Marine Academy. 
‘‘(b) OBJECTIVES.—In carrying out the Campus 
Modernization Plan authorized under subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall prioritize the following objectives: 
‘‘(1) Promoting modern education best prac-
tices by constructing learning facilities that leverage 
state-of-the art technologies and learning best prac-
tices. 
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‘‘(2) Providing Midshipmen with access to fa-
cilities needed to pass the United States Coast 
Guard License Exam for Third Mate or Third As-
sistant Engineer Unlimited. 
‘‘(3) Ensuring Midshipmen have access to fa-
cilities sufficient to enable Midshipmen to maintain 
physical readiness standards required of United 
States Navy officers. 
‘‘(4) Developing campus infrastructure to en-
sure the Academy attracts a diverse pool of appli-
cants. 
‘‘(5) Providing facilities that enable industry 
engagement and continuing education opportunities. 
‘‘(6) Maintaining a safe and secure campus en-
vironment for all Midshipmen, which shall include 
any facilities or infrastructure needed to meet the 
requirements of sections 51326, 51327, or 51328 of 
this title. 
‘‘(7) Implementing, to the extent practicable, 
the facilities and infrastructure recommendations in 
chapter 4 of the report titled ‘Organizational Assess-
ment of the United States Merchant Marine Acad-
emy: A Path Forward’ issued by the National Acad-
emy of Public Administration in November 2021. 
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‘‘(c) INCLUSIONS.—In meeting the objectives of sub-
section (b), the Campus Modernization Plan authorized 
under subsection (a) shall include— 
‘‘(1) construction of new facilities or significant 
renovation of existing facilities to provide— 
‘‘(A) Standards of Training, Certification, 
and Watchkeeping applications laboratories; 
‘‘(B) a Safety Of Life At Sea training 
pool; 
‘‘(C) engineering powerplant laboratories; 
‘‘(D) athletic facilities that meet the needs 
of both male and female students; 
‘‘(E) enhanced waterfront facilities, to in-
clude a new pier; 
‘‘(F) a visitor welcome center and main 
campus security office building; 
‘‘(G) housing facilities for senior staff and 
faculty; and 
‘‘(H) sufficient parking facilities for fac-
ulty, staff, and campus visitors; 
‘‘(2) upgrades to all classrooms and laboratories 
with modern information technology infrastructure; 
‘‘(3) a campus-wide upgrade and retrofit of— 
‘‘(A) the electric distribution power grid; 
‘‘(B) the sanitary sewer system piping; 
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‘‘(C) the storm drainage system; and 
‘‘(D) the drinking water system, including 
development of a separate and redundant fire 
suppression system; and 
‘‘(4) renovations of existing campus facilities to 
ensure all campus facilities— 
‘‘(A) are structurally sound; 
‘‘(B) have reliable heating and air condi-
tioning systems; 
‘‘(C) have functioning plumbing and elec-
trical systems; 
‘‘(D) are protected from the elements, in-
cluding through roof replacements and window 
repairs or replacements, as needed; 
‘‘(E) are accessible in accordance with the 
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; and 
‘‘(F) have working fire alarm and fire sup-
pression systems. 
‘‘(d) REQUIREMENTS.—For the duration of the Cam-
pus Modernization Plan authorized under subsection (a), 
the Administrator shall ensure that the Academy remains 
fully operational. 
‘‘(e) USE OF A FEDERAL CONSTRUCTION AGENT.— 
Consistent with the requirements of section 3515(d)(3) of 
the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act 
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for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263), the Adminis-
trator shall seek to enter into an agreement with a Federal 
construction agent to carry out the Campus Modernization 
Plan authorized under subsection (a). 
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Department of 
Transportation, out of the Maritime Security Trust Fund 
established under section 9512 of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986, for fiscal years 2025 through 2034, for the 
phased rehabilitation, modernization, and construction of 
facilities and infrastructure at the United States Merchant 
Marine Academy, in accordance with this section, includ-
ing the Campus Modernization Plan authorized in sub-
section (a), $1,020,000,000 of which— 
‘‘(1) $54,000,000 is authorized to be appro-
priated for fiscal year 2025 for design and planning 
purposes, which shall be used for the development of 
a design-build plan for the phased rehabilitation, 
modernization, and construction of facilities and in-
frastructure at the United States Merchant Marine 
Academy in accordance with the Campus Moderniza-
tion Plan; and 
‘‘(2) for fiscal years 2026 through 2034, 
$107,333,333 is authorized to be appropriated for 
each year for construction and contingency pur-
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chases necessary to execute the Campus Moderniza-
tion Plan.’’. 
(d) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
for chapter 513 of title 46, United States Code, is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘51329. 10-Year Campus Modernization Plan.’’. 
SEC. 622. UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) the United States Merchant Marine Acad-
emy, one of our Nation’s 5 Federal service acad-
emies, is vital to our national security, and modern-
izing the Academy’s aging infrastructure and invest-
ing in faculty and students must be congressional 
priorities; 
(2) sufficient funding must be provided to en-
able the maximum student enrollment that the cam-
pus infrastructure of the United States Merchant 
Marine Academy can support; and 
(3) considering the Academy’s role as a co- 
equal military service academy, the United States 
Merchant Marine Academy should be included in the 
rotation of presidential attendance at graduations. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
51301 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
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‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Department of 
Transportation $125,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 
through 2034 for Academy operations.’’. 
(c) REPORT ON ENROLLMENT.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Maritime 
Administrator shall submit a report to the appropriate 
committees of Congress identifying the additional re-
sources needed to increase enrollment at the United States 
Merchant Marine Academy. 
SEC. 623. RETIREMENT SERVICE CREDIT FOR SERVICE AS 
A MIDSHIPMAN AT THE UNITED STATES MER-
CHANT MARINE ACADEMY. 
(a) CIVIL SERVICE RETIREMENT SYSTEM.—Section 
8331(13) of title 5, United States Code, is amended, in 
the flush text following subparagraph (C), by inserting ‘‘or 
the United States Merchant Marine Academy’’ after 
‘‘Naval Academy’’. 
(b) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM.— 
Section 8401(31) of title 5, United States Code, is amend-
ed, in the flush text following subparagraph (C), by insert-
ing ‘‘or the United States Merchant Marine Academy’’ 
after ‘‘Naval Academy’’. 
(c) APPLICABILITY.—The amendments made by this 
section shall apply to— 
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(1) any annuity, the eligibility for which is 
based on a separation occurring before, on, or after 
the date of enactment of this Act; and 
(2) any period of service as a midshipman at 
the United States Merchant Marine Academy occur-
ring before, on, or after the date of enactment of 
this Act. 
SEC. 624. STATE MARITIME ACADEMIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Maritime Administrator 
shall submit a report to Congress containing the results 
of a study to evaluate the additional resources needed to 
allow State maritime academies to increase enrollment and 
produce additional mariners. 
(b) NEED FOR ADDITIONAL STATE MARITIME ACAD-
EMIES.—Such study shall consider whether there is a need 
for additional State maritime academies in States that do 
not operate a maritime academy. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
51501 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
is authorized to be appropriated out of the Maritime Secu-
rity Trust Fund established under section 9512 of the In-
ternal Revenue Code of 1986, $10,000,000 for assistance 
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