I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2901 
To amend title 14, United States Code, to improve benefits for members 
of the Coast Guard, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 16, 2009 
Mr. LOBIONDO (for himself, Mr. COBLE, Mr. TAYLOR, Mr. DELAHUNT, and 
Mr. MICA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Com-
mittees on Armed Services and Energy and Commerce, for a period to 
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To amend title 14, United States Code, to improve benefits 
for members of the Coast Guard, 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 ‘‘United States Coast 
Guard Servicemember Benefits Improvements Act’’. 
SEC. 2. COAST GUARD HOUSING AUTHORITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 18 of title 14, United 
States Code, is amended— 
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(1) in section 681— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) 
of subsection (a)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘acquisition or con-
struction’’ both times it appears and in-
serting ‘‘acquisition, construction, recon-
struction, or maintenance’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘by private persons, 
including a small business concern quali-
fied under section 8(a) of the Small Busi-
ness Act (15 U.S.C. 637(a)),’’; and 
(B) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘No ap-
propriation shall be made’’ and inserting ‘‘Ex-
cept as provided in section 687(c), no appro-
priation shall be made’’; 
(2) in section 685(a)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘any real’’ after ‘‘convey 
or lease’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘under the administrative 
control of the Coast Guard’’ after ‘‘facilities (in-
cluding ancillary support facilities)’’; 
(3) in section 687— 
(A) in subsection (b)(3), by striking ‘‘for 
the purpose of carrying out activities under this 
chapter with respect to military family and mili-
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tary unaccompanied housing.’’ and inserting a 
period; 
(B) in subsection (c)(1)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘In such amounts as 
provided in appropriation Acts and except’’ 
and inserting ‘‘Except’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘the Secretary may’’ 
and inserting ‘‘the Secretary may, without 
further appropriation,’’; 
(C) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘or 
(b)(3)’’; 
(D) by striking subsection (f); and 
(E) by striking subsection (g); 
(4) in section 688, by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(5) A report that identifies— 
‘‘(A) all real property, facilities, and struc-
tures under the administrative control of the 
Coast Guard to be disposed or demolished and 
the estimated cost thereof; and 
‘‘(B) any family or unaccompanied housing 
initiatives and capital construction projects 
planned under this chapter.’’; and 
(5) by repealing section 689. 
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(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The chapter analysis 
at the beginning of chapter 18 of such title is amended 
by striking the item relating to section 689. 
SEC. 3. CHILD DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. 
Section 515 of title 14, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(b)(1) The Commandant is authorized to use appro-
priated funds available to the Coast Guard to provide child 
development services. 
‘‘(2)(A) The Commandant is authorized to establish, 
by regulations, fees to be charged parents for the attend-
ance of children at Coast Guard child development centers. 
‘‘(B) Fees to be charged, pursuant to subparagraph 
(A), shall be based on family income, except that the Com-
mandant may, on a case-by-base basis, establish fees at 
lower rates if such rates would not be competitive with 
rates at local child development centers. 
‘‘(C) The Commandant is authorized to collect and 
expend fees, established pursuant to this subparagraph, 
and such fees shall, without further appropriation, remain 
available until expended for the purpose of providing serv-
ices, including the compensation of employees and the pur-
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chase of consumable and disposable items, at Coast Guard 
child development centers. 
‘‘(3) The Commandant is authorized to use appro-
priated funds available to the Coast Guard to provide as-
sistance to family home daycare providers so that family 
home daycare services can be provided to uniformed 
servicemembers and civilian employees of the Coast Guard 
at a cost comparable to the cost of services provided by 
Coast Guard child development centers.’’; 
(2) by repealing subsections (d) and (e); and 
(3) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as 
subsections (d) and (e), respectively. 
SEC. 4. COMPULSORY RETIREMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 11 of title 14, United 
States Code, is amended by striking section 293 and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘§ 293. Compulsory retirement 
‘‘(a) REGULAR COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.—Any reg-
ular commissioned officer, except a commissioned warrant 
officer, serving in a grade below rear admiral (lower half), 
shall be retired on the first day of the month following 
the month in which the officer becomes 62 years of age. 
‘‘(b) FLAG OFFICER GRADES.—(1) Except as pro-
vided in paragraph (2), any regular commissioned officer 
serving in a flag officer grade shall be retired on the first 
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day of the month following the month in which the officer 
becomes 64 years of age. 
‘‘(2) In the case of any regular commissioned officer 
serving in a flag officer grade position, the retirement 
under paragraph (1) of that officer may be deferred— 
‘‘(A) by the President, but such a deferment 
may not extend beyond the first day of the month 
following the month in which the officer becomes 68 
years of age; or 
‘‘(B) by the Secretary of the department in 
which the Coast Guard is operating, but such a 
deferment may not extend beyond the first day of 
the month following the month in which the officer 
becomes 66 years of age.’’. 
(b) APPLICATION.—This section shall not apply to 
any individual who reaches the age of 62 before July 1, 
2011. With regard to an individual who reaches the age 
of 62 before July 1, 2011, any provision of law, providing 
for compulsory retirement, that was in effect prior to the 
date of enactment shall continue to be applicable in the 
same manner and to the same extent as if this section 
had not been enacted. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis at the be-
ginning of chapter 11 of such title is amended by striking 
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the item relating to section 293 and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘293. Compulsory retirement.’’. 
SEC. 5. CHAPLAIN ACTIVITY EXPENSE. 
Section 145 of title 14, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(4) detail personnel from the Chaplain Corps 
to provide services, pursuant to section 1789 of title 
10, to the Coast Guard.’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(d)(1) As part of the services provided by the Sec-
retary of the Navy pursuant to subsection (a)(4), the Sec-
retary may provide support services to chaplain-led pro-
grams to assist members of the Coast Guard on active 
duty and their dependents, and members of the reserve 
component in an active status and their dependents, in 
building and maintaining a strong family structure. 
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‘‘(2) In this subsection, the term ‘support services’ 
include transportation, food, lodging, child care, supplies, 
fees, and training materials for members of the Coast 
Guard on active duty and their dependents, and members 
of the reserve component in an active status and their de-
pendents, while participating in programs referred to in 
paragraph (1), including participation at retreats and con-
ferences. 
‘‘(3) In this subsection, the term ‘dependents’ has the 
same meaning as defined in section 1072(2) of title 10.’’. 
SEC. 6. COAST GUARD CROSS; SILVER STAR MEDAL. 
(a) COAST GUARD CROSS.—Chapter 13 of title 14, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 
491 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 491a. Coast Guard cross 
‘‘The President may award a Coast Guard cross of 
appropriate design, with ribbons and appurtenances, to a 
person who, while serving in any capacity with the Coast 
Guard, when the Coast Guard is not operating under the 
Department of the Navy, distinguishes himself or herself 
by extraordinary heroism not justifying the award of a 
medal of honor— 
‘‘(1) while engaged in an action against an 
enemy of the United States; 
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‘‘(2) while engaged in military operations in-
volving conflict with an opposing foreign force or 
international terrorist organization; or 
‘‘(3) while serving with friendly foreign forces 
engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing 
armed force in which the United States is not a bel-
ligerent party.’’. 
(b) SILVER STAR MEDAL.—Such chapter is further 
amended— 
(1) by striking the heading of section 492a and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘§ 492b. Distinguished flying cross’’; 
and 
(2) by inserting after section 492 the following 
new section: 
‘‘§ 492a. Silver star medal 
‘‘The President may award a silver star medal of ap-
propriate design, with ribbons and appurtenances, to a 
person who, while serving in any capacity with the Coast 
Guard, when the Coast Guard is not operating under the 
Department of the Navy, is cited for gallantry in action 
that does not warrant a medal of honor or Coast Guard 
cross— 
‘‘(1) while engaged in an action against an 
enemy of the United States; 
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‘‘(2) while engaged in military operations in-
volving conflict with an opposing foreign force or 
international terrorist organization; or 
‘‘(3) while serving with friendly foreign forces 
engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing 
armed force in which the United States is not a bel-
ligerent party.’’. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Such chapter is 
further amended— 
(1) in section 494, by striking ‘‘distinguished 
service medal, distinguished flying cross,’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Coast Guard cross, distinguished service 
medal, silver star medal, distinguished flying cross,’’ 
in both places it appears; 
(2) in section 496— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) 
of subsection (a), by striking ‘‘distinguished 
service medal, distinguished flying cross,’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Coast Guard cross, distinguished 
service medal, silver star medal, distinguished 
flying cross,’’; and 
(B) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ‘‘dis-
tinguished service medal, distinguished flying 
cross,’’ and inserting ‘‘Coast Guard cross, dis-
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tinguished service medal, silver star medal, dis-
tinguished flying cross,’’; and 
(3) in section 497, by striking ‘‘distinguished 
service medal, distinguished flying cross,’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Coast Guard cross, distinguished service 
medal, silver star medal, distinguished flying cross,’’. 
(d) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—The analysis at the 
beginning of such chapter is amended— 
(1) by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 491 the following new item: 
‘‘491a. Coast Guard cross.’’. 
(2) by striking the item relating to section 492a 
and inserting the following new items: 
‘‘492a. Silver star medal. 
‘‘492b. Distinguished flying cross.’’. 
SEC. 7. COAST GUARD PARTICIPATION IN THE ARMED 
FORCES RETIREMENT HOME (AFRH) SYSTEM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1502 of the Armed 
Forces Retirement Home Act of 1991 (24 U.S.C. 401) 
is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (4); 
(2) in paragraph (5)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of sub-
paragraph (C); 
(B) by striking the period at the end of 
subparagraph (D) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
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