3799 
SEC. 10303. OCEAN POLICY COMMITTEE. 
(a) SUBCOMMITTEES.—Section 8932(c) of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) SUBCOMMITTEES.—(1) The Committee shall in-
clude— 
‘‘(A) a subcommittee to be known as the ‘Ocean 
Science and Technology Subcommittee’; and 
‘‘(B) a subcommittee to be known as the ‘Ocean 
Resource Management Subcommittee’. 
‘‘(2) In discharging its responsibilities in support of 
agreed-upon scientific needs, and to assist in the execution 
of the responsibilities described in subsection (b), the Com-
mittee may delegate responsibilities to the Ocean Science 
and Technology Subcommittee, the Ocean Resource Man-
agement Subcommittee, or another subcommittee of the 
Committee, as the Committee determines appropriate.’’. 
(b) INCREASED ACCESS TO GEOSPATIAL DATA FOR 
MORE EFFICIENT AND INFORMED DECISIONMAKING.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT OF DOCUMENT SYSTEM.— 
Section 8932(b) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(A) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(B) in paragraph (4)(F), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
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(C) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(5) for projects under the purview of the Com-
mittee, establish or designate one or more systems for 
ocean-related and ocean-mapping-related documents 
prepared under the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), in accordance 
with subsection (h).’’. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—Section 8932 of such title is 
amended— 
(A) by redesignating subsection (h) as sub-
section (i); and 
(B) by inserting after subsection (g) the fol-
lowing new subsection (h): 
‘‘(h) ELEMENTS OF DOCUMENT SYSTEM.—The systems 
established or designated under subsection (b)(5) may in-
clude the following: 
‘‘(1) A publicly accessible, centralized digital ar-
chive of documents described in subsection (b)(5) that 
are finalized after the date of the enactment of the 
James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2023, including— 
‘‘(A) environmental impact statements; 
‘‘(B) environmental assessments; 
‘‘(C) records of decision; and 
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‘‘(D) other relevant documents as deter-
mined by the lead agency on a project. 
‘‘(2) Geospatially referenced data, if any, con-
tained in the documents under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(3) A mechanism to retrieve information 
through geo-information tools that can map and inte-
grate relevant geospatial information, such as— 
‘‘(A) Ocean Report Tools; 
‘‘(B) the Environmental Studies Program 
Information System; 
‘‘(C) Regional Ocean Partnerships; and 
‘‘(D) the Integrated Ocean Observing Sys-
tem. 
‘‘(4) Appropriate safeguards on the public acces-
sibility of data to protect national security equities.’’. 
SEC. 10304. NATIONAL OCEAN MAPPING, EXPLORATION, 
AND CHARACTERIZATION COUNCIL. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The President shall establish a 
council, to be known as the ‘‘National Ocean Mapping, Ex-
ploration, and Characterization Council’’ (in this section 
referred to as the ‘‘Council’’). 
(b) PURPOSE.—The Council shall— 
(1) update national priorities for ocean map-
ping, exploration, and characterization; and 
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(2) coordinate and facilitate activities to ad-
vance those priorities. 
(c) REPORTING.—The Council shall report to the 
Ocean Science and Technology Subcommittee of the Ocean 
Policy Committee established under section 8932(c) of title 
10, United States Code. 
(d) MEMBERSHIP.—The Council shall be composed of 
senior-level representatives from the appropriate Federal 
agencies. 
(e) CO-CHAIRS.—The Council shall be co-chaired by— 
(1) two senior-level representatives from the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and 
(2) one senior-level representative from the De-
partment of the Interior. 
(f) DUTIES.—The Council shall— 
(1) set national ocean mapping, exploration, and 
characterization priorities and strategies; 
(2) cultivate and facilitate transparent and sus-
tained partnerships among Federal and State agen-
cies, Indian Tribes, private industry, academia, and 
nongovernmental organizations to conduct ocean 
mapping, exploration, and characterization activities 
and related technology development; 
(3) coordinate improved processes for data com-
pilation, management, access, synthesis, and visual-
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ization with respect to ocean mapping, exploration, 
and characterization, with a focus on building on ex-
isting ocean data management systems and with ap-
propriate safeguards on the public accessibility of 
data to protect national security equities, as appro-
priate; 
(4) encourage education, workforce training, and 
public engagement activities that— 
(A) advance interdisciplinary principles 
that contribute to ocean mapping, exploration, 
research, and characterization; 
(B) improve public engagement with and 
understanding of ocean science; and 
(C) provide opportunities for underserved 
populations; 
(5) coordinate activities as appropriate with do-
mestic and international ocean mapping, exploration, 
and characterization initiatives or programs; and 
(6) establish and monitor metrics to track 
progress in achieving the priorities set under para-
graph (1). 
(g) INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP ON OCEAN EXPLO-
RATION AND CHARACTERIZATION.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The President shall estab-
lish a new interagency working group to be known as 
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the ‘‘Interagency Working Group on Ocean Explo-
ration and Characterization’’. 
(2) MEMBERSHIP.—The Interagency Working 
Group on Ocean Exploration and Characterization 
shall be comprised of senior representatives from Fed-
eral agencies with ocean exploration and character-
ization responsibilities. 
(3) 
FUNCTIONS.—The 
Interagency 
Working 
Group on Ocean Exploration and Characterization 
shall support the Council and the Ocean Science and 
Technology Subcommittee of the Ocean Policy Com-
mittee established under section 8932(c) of title 10, 
United States Code, on ocean exploration and charac-
terization activities and associated technology devel-
opment across the Federal Government, State govern-
ments, Indian Tribes, private industry, nongovern-
mental organizations, and academia. 
(h) OVERSIGHT.—The Council shall oversee— 
(1) the Interagency Working Group on Ocean 
Exploration and Characterization established under 
subsection (g)(1); and 
(2) the Interagency Working Group on Ocean 
and Coastal Mapping under section 12203 of the 
Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act (33 
U.S.C. 3502). 
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(i) PLAN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Council shall 
develop or update and submit to the appropriate com-
mittees of Congress a plan for an integrated cross-sec-
toral ocean mapping, exploration, and characteriza-
tion initiative. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The plan required by para-
graph (1) shall— 
(A) discuss the utility and benefits of ocean 
exploration and characterization; 
(B) identify and describe national ocean 
mapping, exploration, and characterization pri-
orities; 
(C) identify and describe Federal and feder-
ally funded ocean mapping, exploration, and 
characterization programs; 
(D) facilitate and incorporate non-Federal 
input into national ocean mapping, exploration, 
and characterization priorities; 
(E) ensure effective coordination of ocean 
mapping, exploration, and characterization ac-
tivities among programs described in subpara-
graph (C); 
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(F) identify opportunities for combining 
overlapping or complementary needs, activities, 
and resources of Federal agencies and non-Fed-
eral organizations relating to ocean mapping, 
exploration, and characterization while not re-
ducing benefits from existing mapping, explo-
rations, and characterization activities; 
(G) promote new and existing partnerships 
among Federal and State agencies, Indian 
Tribes, private industry, academia, and non-
governmental organizations to conduct or sup-
port ocean mapping, exploration, and character-
ization activities and technology development 
needs, including through coordination under sec-
tion 3 of the Commercial Engagement Through 
Ocean Technology Act of 2018 (33 U.S.C. 4102) 
and the National Oceanographic Partnership 
Program under section 8931 of title 10, United 
States Code; 
(H) develop a transparent and sustained 
mechanism for non-Federal partnerships and 
stakeholder engagement in strategic planning 
and mission execution to be implemented not 
later than December 31, 2023, for coordinating 
such activities with— 
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(i) institutions of higher education (as 
such term is defined in section 101(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1001(a)), the private sector, philanthropic 
organizations, and nonprofits; and 
(ii) international partners for activi-
ties relating to maritime areas (including 
the sea floor) beyond the jurisdiction of the 
Federal Government; 
(I) establish standardized collection and 
data management protocols, including with re-
spect to metadata, for ocean mapping, explo-
ration, and characterization which— 
(i) are publicly accessible and locatable 
via appropriate Federal repositories; 
(ii) can facilitate the integration of 
ocean data into products and use innova-
tions from non-Federal partners; and 
(iii) have appropriate safeguards on 
the public accessibility of data to protect 
national security; 
(J) encourage the development, testing, dem-
onstration, and adoption of innovative ocean 
mapping, exploration, and characterization tech-
nologies and applications; 
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(Q) to the extent practicable, align ocean ex-
ploration and characterization efforts with exist-
ing programs and identify key gaps; and 
(R) identify criteria for determining the op-
timal frequency of observations; and 
(S) provide recommendations, developed in 
coordination with the private sector, to improve 
incentives, access, and processes for the private 
sector to share ocean-related data with the public 
and Federal Government. 
(j) BRIEFINGS.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than 
once every 2 years thereafter, the Council shall brief the ap-
propriate committees of Congress on— 
(1) progress made toward meeting the national 
priorities described in subsection (i)(2)(B); and 
(2) recommendations for meeting such priorities, 
such as additional authorities that may be needed to 
develop a mechanism for non-Federal partnerships 
and stakeholder engagement described in subsection 
(i)(2)(H). 
(k) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate committees 
of Congress’’ means— 
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3810 
(1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation and the Committee on Armed Services 
of the Senate; and 
(2) the Committee on Natural Resources, the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and 
the Committee on Armed Services of the House of 
Representatives. 
SEC. 10305. MODIFICATIONS TO THE OCEAN EXPLORATION 
PROGRAM OF THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND 
ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION. 
(a) PURPOSE.—Section 12001 of the Omnibus Public 
Land Management Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3401) is amend-
ed by striking ‘‘and the national undersea research pro-
gram’’. 
(b) PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.—Section 12002 of such 
Act (33 U.S.C. 3402) is amended— 
(1) in the first sentence, by striking ‘‘and under-
sea’’; and 
(2) in the second sentence, by striking ‘‘and un-
dersea research and exploration’’ and inserting ‘‘re-
search and ocean exploration and characterization ef-
forts’’. 
(c) POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE ADMINISTRATOR.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 12003(a) of such Act 
(33 U.S.C. 3403(a)) is amended— 
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(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
by inserting ‘‘, in consultation with the Ocean 
Policy Committee established under section 8932 
of title 10, United States Code,’’ after ‘‘Adminis-
tration’’; 
(B) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘voyages’’ and inserting 
‘‘expeditions’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘Federal agencies’’ and 
all that follows through ‘‘and survey’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Federal and State agencies, Trib-
al Governments, private industry, academia 
(including secondary schools, community 
colleges, and universities), and nongovern-
mental organizations, to map, explore, and 
characterize’’; and 
(iii) by inserting ‘‘characterize,’’ after 
‘‘observe,’’; 
(C) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘of the 
exclusive economic zone’’ after ‘‘deep ocean re-
gions’’; 
(D) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘voyages’’ 
and inserting ‘‘expeditions’’; 
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(E) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘, in con-
sultation with the National Science Founda-
tion,’’; 
(F) by amending paragraph (5) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(5) support technological innovation of the 
United States marine science community by pro-
moting the development and use of new and emerging 
technologies for research, communication, navigation, 
and data collection, such as sensors and autonomous 
vehicles;’’; 
(G) in paragraph (6), by inserting ‘‘, in 
consultation with the National Ocean Mapping, 
Exploration, and Characterization Council es-
tablished under section 5405 of the James M. 
Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2023,’’ after ‘‘forum’’; 
(H) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(7) provide guidance, in consultation with the 
National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and Charac-
terization Council, to Federal and State agencies, 
Tribal Governments, private industry, academia (in-
cluding secondary schools, community colleges, and 
universities), and nongovernmental organizations on 
data standards, protocols for accepting data, and co-
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ordination of data collection, compilation, processing, 
archiving, and dissemination for data relating to 
ocean exploration and characterization; and 
‘‘(8) coordinate with applicable ocean mapping, 
ocean monitoring, and ocean observation programs to 
maximize coordination and collaboration opportuni-
ties, prevent duplication of such activities and iden-
tify gaps in data.’’. 
(2) DONATIONS.—Section 12003(b) of such Act 
(33 U.S.C. 3403(b)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(b) DONATIONS.—For the purpose of mapping, ex-
ploring, and characterizing the oceans or increasing the 
knowledge of the oceans, the Administrator may— 
‘‘(1) accept monetary donations, which shall be 
credited as discretionary offsetting collections to the 
currently applicable appropriation, account, or fund 
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion and shall be made available for such purposes 
only to the extent and in the amounts provided in ad-
vance in appropriations Acts; 
‘‘(2) accept donations of property, data, and 
equipment; and 
‘‘(3) pay all necessary expenses in connection 
with the conveyance or transfer of a gift, devise, or 
bequest.’’. 
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(3) 
DEFINITION
OF
EXCLUSIVE
ECONOMIC 
ZONE.—Section 12003 of such Act (33 U.S.C. 3403) 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) DEFINITION OF EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE.— 
In this section, the term ‘exclusive economic zone’ means 
the zone established by Presidential Proclamation Number 
5030, dated March 10, 1983 (16 U.S.C. 1453 note).’’. 
(d) REPEAL OF OCEAN EXPLORATION AND UNDERSEA 
RESEARCH
TECHNOLOGY
AND
INFRASTRUCTURE
TASK 
FORCE.—Section 12004 of such Act (33 U.S.C. 3404) is re-
pealed. 
(e) EDUCATION, WORKFORCE TRAINING, AND OUT-
REACH.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Such Act is further amended 
by inserting after section 12003 the following new sec-
tion 12004: 
‘‘SEC. 12004. EDUCATION, WORKFORCE TRAINING, AND OUT-
REACH. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall— 
‘‘(1) conduct education and outreach efforts in 
order to broadly disseminate information to the pub-
lic on the discoveries made by the program under sec-
tion 12002; 
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3815 
‘‘(2) to the extent possible, coordinate the efforts 
described in paragraph (1) with the outreach strate-
gies of other domestic or international ocean map-
ping, exploration, and characterization initiatives; 
and 
‘‘(3) establish a fellowship program at the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to 
provide year-long fellowships to undergraduate stu-
dents from institutions described in section 371(a) of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965. 
‘‘(b) EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EFFORTS.—Efforts 
described in subsection (a)(1) may include— 
‘‘(1) education of the general public, teachers, 
students, and ocean and coastal resource managers; 
and 
‘‘(2) workforce training, reskilling, and opportu-
nities to encourage development of ocean-related 
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 
technical training programs involving secondary 
schools, community colleges, and universities, includ-
ing institutions described in section 371(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965. 
‘‘(c) OUTREACH STRATEGY.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of the National Ocean Explo-
ration Act, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
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3816 
Atmospheric Administration shall develop an outreach 
strategy to broadly disseminate information on the discov-
eries made by the program under section 12002.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of con-
tents in section 1(b) of the Omnibus Public Land 
Management Act of 2009 (Public Law 111–11; 123 
Stat. 991) is amended by striking the item relating 
to section 12004 and inserting the following: 
‘‘Sec. 12004. Education, workforce training, and outreach.’’. 
(f) OCEAN EXPLORATION ADVISORY BOARD.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Section 12005(a) of such 
Act (33 U.S.C. 3505(a)) is amended— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘, including representatives 
from academic, commercial, nonprofit, philan-
thropic, policy, and Tribal entities’’ after ‘‘rel-
evant fields’’; 
(B) by amending paragraph (1) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(1) to advise the Administrator on priority 
areas for survey, discovery, and opportunities for ex-
tramural collaboration and partnerships;’’; 
(C) by redesignating paragraph (4) as 
paragraph (6); and 
(D) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol-
lowing: 
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3817 
‘‘(4) to identify market barriers to development 
or commercialization of novel ocean mapping, explo-
ration, and characterization products, processes, and 
tools; 
‘‘(5) to identify best practices to improve data 
management, processing, storage, and archiving 
standards; and’’. 
(2) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Section 12005(c) 
of such Act (33 U.S.C. 3505(c)) is amended by insert-
ing ‘‘this’’ before ‘‘part’’. 
(g) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
12006 of such Act (33 U.S.C. 3406) is amended by striking 
‘‘this part’’ and all that follows and inserting ‘‘this part 
$60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2028’’. 
(h) DEFINITIONS.—Such Act is further amended by in-
serting after section 12006 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 12007. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this part: 
‘‘(1) CHARACTERIZATION.—The terms ‘character-
ization’, ‘characterize’, and ‘characterizing’ mean ac-
tivities that provide comprehensive data and interpre-
tations for a specific area of interest of the sea floor, 
sub-bottom, water column, or hydrologic features, such 
as water masses and currents, in direct support of 
specific research, environmental protection, resource 
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3818 
management, policymaking, or applied mission objec-
tives. 
‘‘(2) EXPLORATION.—The term ‘exploration’, ‘ex-
plore’, and ‘exploring’ means activities that provide— 
‘‘(A) a multidisciplinary view of an un-
known or poorly understood area of the sea floor, 
sub-bottom, or water column; and 
‘‘(B) an initial assessment of the physical, 
chemical, geological, biological, archaeological, or 
other characteristics of such an area. 
‘‘(3) MAPPING.—The terms ‘map’ and ‘mapping’ 
mean activities that provide comprehensive data and 
information needed to understand sea floor character-
istics, including depth, topography, bottom type, sedi-
ment composition and distribution, underlying geo-
logic structure, and benthic flora and fauna.’’. 
(i) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents in 
section 1(b) of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act 
of 2009 (Public Law 111–11; 123 Stat. 991) is amended 
by inserting after the item relating to section 12006 the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘Sec. 12007. Definitions.’’. 
SEC. 10306. REPEAL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The NOAA Undersea Research Pro-
gram Act of 2009 (part II of subtitle A of title XII of Public 
Law 111–11; 33 U.S.C. 3421 et seq.) is repealed. 
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3819 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents in 
section 1(b) of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act 
of 2009 (Public Law 111–11; 123 Stat. 991) is amended 
by striking the items relating to part II of subtitle A of 
title XII of such Act. 
SEC. 10307. MODIFICATIONS TO OCEAN AND COASTAL MAP-
PING PROGRAM OF THE NATIONAL OCEANIC 
AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 12202(a) of the Ocean 
and Coastal Mapping Integration Act (33 U.S.C. 
3501(a)) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘establish a program to de-
velop a coordinated and’’ and inserting ‘‘estab-
lish and maintain a program to coordinate’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘plan’’ and inserting ‘‘ef-
forts’’; and 
(C) by striking ‘‘that enhances’’ and all that 
follows and inserting ‘‘that— 
‘‘(1) enhances ecosystem approaches in decision-
making for natural resource and habitat management 
restoration and conservation, emergency response, and 
coastal resilience and adaptation; 
‘‘(2) establishes research and mapping priorities; 
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3821 
ing ‘‘of tide data and water-level data and the 
development and dissemination’’; 
(E) in paragraph (9), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 
and inserting a semicolon; 
(F) in paragraph (10), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(G) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(11) support— 
‘‘(A) the Ocean Science and Technology 
Subcommittee of the Ocean Policy Committee es-
tablished under section 8932(c) of title 10, 
United States Code; and 
‘‘(B) the National Ocean Mapping, Explo-
ration, and Characterization Council established 
under section 5405 of the National Ocean Explo-
ration Act.’’. 
(b) INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP ON OCEAN AND 
COASTAL MAPPING.— 
(1) NAME
CHANGE.—The Ocean and Coastal 
Mapping Integration Act (33 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) is 
amended— 
(A) in section 12202 (33 U.S.C. 3501)— 
(i) in subsection (a), by striking 
‘‘Interagency Committee on Ocean and 
Coastal Mapping’’ and inserting ‘‘Inter-
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3822 
agency Working Group on Ocean and 
Coastal Mapping under section 12203’’; and 
(ii) in subsection (b), as redesignated 
by subsection (a)(2), by striking ‘‘Com-
mittee’’ and inserting ‘‘Working Group’’; 
(B) in section 12203 (33 U.S.C. 3502)— 
(i) in the section heading, by striking 
‘‘COMMITTEE’’ and inserting ‘‘WORKING 
GROUP’’; 
(ii) in subsection (b), in the first sen-
tence, by striking ‘‘committee’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘Working Group’’; 
(iii) in subsection (e), by striking 
‘‘committee’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘Working 
Group’’; and 
(iv) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘com-
mittee’’ and inserting ‘‘Working Group’’; 
and 
(C) in section 12208 (33 U.S.C. 3507), by 
amending paragraph (3) to read as follows: 
‘‘(3) WORKING
GROUP.—The term ‘Working 
Group’ means the Interagency Working Group on 
Ocean and Coastal Mapping under section 12203.’’. 
(2) IN GENERAL.—Section 12203(a) of such Act 
(33 U.S.C. 3502(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘within 
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30 days’’ and all that follows and inserting ‘‘not later 
than 30 days after the date of the enactment of the 
National Ocean Exploration Act, shall use the Inter-
agency Working Group on Ocean and Coastal Map-
ping in existence as of the date of the enactment of 
such Act to implement section 12202.’’. 
(3) MEMBERSHIP.—Section 12203(b) of such Act 
(33 U.S.C. 3502(b)) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘senior’’ both places it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘senior-level’’; 
(B) by striking the second sentence; 
(C) by striking ‘‘the Minerals Management 
Service’’ and inserting ‘‘the Bureau of Ocean 
Energy Management of the Department of the 
Interior, the Office of the Assistant Secretary, 
Fish and Wildlife and Parks of the Department 
of the Interior’’; and 
(D) by striking ‘‘the Chief of Naval Oper-
ations’’ and inserting ‘‘the Department of the 
Navy’’. 
(4) CO-CHAIRS.—Section 12203(c) of such Act 
(33 U.S.C. 3502(c)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) CO-CHAIRS.—The Working Group shall be co- 
chaired by one representative from each of the following: 
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‘‘(1) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-
ministration. 
‘‘(2) The Department of the Interior.’’. 
(5) SUBORDINATE GROUPS.—Section 12203(d) of 
such Act (33 U.S.C. 3502(d)) is amended to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(d) SUBORDINATE GROUPS.—The co-chairs may es-
tablish such permanent or temporary subordinate groups 
as determined appropriate by the Working Group.’’. 
(6) MEETINGS.—Section 12203(e) of such Act 
(33 U.S.C. 3502(e)) is amended by striking ‘‘each 
subcommittee and each working group’’ and inserting 
‘‘each subordinate group’’. 
(7) COORDINATION.—Section 12203(f) of such 
Act (33 U.S.C. 3502(f)) is amended by striking para-
graphs (1) through (5) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(1) other Federal efforts; 
‘‘(2) international mapping activities; 
‘‘(3) coastal States; 
‘‘(4) coastal Indian Tribes; 
‘‘(5) data acquisition and user groups through 
workshops, partnerships, and other appropriate mech-
anisms; and 
‘‘(6) representatives of nongovernmental enti-
ties.’’. 
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(8) ADVISORY
PANEL.—Section 12203 of such 
Act (33 U.S.C. 3502) is amended by striking sub-
section (g). 
(9) FUNCTIONS.—Section 12203 of such Act (33 
U.S.C. 3502), as amended by paragraph (8), is fur-
ther amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(g) SUPPORT FUNCTIONS.—The Working Group shall 
support the National Ocean Mapping, Exploration, and 
Characterization Council established under section 5405 of 
the National Ocean Exploration Act and the Ocean Science 
and Technology Subcommittee of the Ocean Policy Com-
mittee established under section 8932(c) of title 10, United 
States Code, on ocean mapping activities and associated 
technology development across the Federal Government, 
State governments, coastal Indian Tribes, private industry, 
nongovernmental organizations, and academia.’’. 
(10) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of con-
tents in section 1(b) of the Omnibus Public Land 
Management Act of 2009 (Public Law 111–11; 123 
Stat. 991) is amended by striking the item relating 
to section 12203 and inserting the following: 
‘‘Sec. 12203. Interagency working group on ocean and coastal mapping.’’. 
(c) BIENNIAL REPORTS.—Section 12204 of the Ocean 
and Coastal Mapping Integration Act (33 U.S.C. 3503) is 
amended— 
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(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
striking ‘‘No later’’ and all that follows through 
‘‘House of Representatives’’ and inserting ‘‘Not later 
than 18 months after the date of the enactment of the 
National Ocean Exploration Act, and biennially 
thereafter until 2040, the co-chairs of the Working 
Group, in coordination with the National Ocean 
Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization Council 
established under section 5405 of such Act, shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation and the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources of the Senate, and the Committee 
on Natural Resources and the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology of the House of Representa-
tives,’’; 
(2) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘, including 
the data maintained by the National Centers for En-
vironmental Information of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration,’’ after ‘‘mapping data’’; 
(3) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘, including 
a plan to map the coasts of the United States on a 
requirements-based cycle, with mapping agencies and 
partners coordinating on a unified approach that fac-
tors in recent related studies, meets multiple user re-
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quirements, and identifies gaps’’ after ‘‘accom-
plished’’; 
(4) by striking paragraph (10) and redesig-
nating paragraphs (11), (12), and (13) as paragraphs 
(10), (11), and (12), respectively; 
(5) in paragraph (10), as so redesignated, by 
striking ‘‘with coastal State and local government 
programs’’ and inserting ‘‘with international, coastal 
State, and local government and nongovernmental 
mapping programs’’; 
(6) in paragraph (11), as redesignated by para-
graph (4)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘increase’’ and inserting 
‘‘streamline and expand’’; 
(B) by inserting ‘‘for the purpose of ful-
filling Federal mapping and charting respon-
sibilities, plans, and strategies’’ after ‘‘entities’’; 
and 
(C) by striking ‘‘; and’’ and inserting a 
semicolon; 
(7) in paragraph (12), as redesignated by para-
graph (4), by striking the period at the end and in-
serting a semicolon; and 
(8) by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(13) a progress report on the development of 
new and innovative technologies and applications 
through research and development, including coopera-
tive or other agreements with joint or cooperative re-
search institutes and centers and other nongovern-
mental entities; 
‘‘(14) a description of best practices in data 
processing and distribution and leveraging opportuni-
ties among agencies represented on the Working 
Group and with coastal States, coastal Indian Tribes, 
and nongovernmental entities; 
‘‘(15) an identification of any training, tech-
nology, or other requirements for enabling Federal 
mapping programs, vessels, and aircraft to support a 
coordinated ocean and coastal mapping program; and 
‘‘(16) a timetable for implementation and com-
pletion of the plan described in paragraph (3), in-
cluding recommendations for integrating new ap-
proaches into the program.’’. 
(d) NOAA JOINT OCEAN AND COASTAL MAPPING CEN-
TERS.— 
(1) CENTERS.—Section 12205(c) of such Act (33 
U.S.C. 3504(c)) is amended— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
by striking ‘‘3’’ and inserting ‘‘three’’; and 
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(B) in paragraph (4), by inserting ‘‘and 
uncrewed’’ after ‘‘sensing’’. 
(2) PLAN.—Section 12205 of such Act (33 U.S.C. 
3504) is amended— 
(A) in the section heading, by striking 
‘‘PLAN’’ and inserting ‘‘NOAA JOINT OCEAN 
AND COASTAL MAPPING CENTERS’’; 
(B) by striking subsections (a), (b), and (d); 
and 
(C) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘(c) 
NOAA JOINT OCEAN
AND COASTAL MAPPING 
CENTERS.—’’. 
(3) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of con-
tents in section 1(b) of the Omnibus Public Land 
Management Act of 2009 (Public Law 111–11; 123 
Stat. 991) is amended by striking the item relating 
to section 12205 and inserting the following: 
‘‘Sec. 12205. NOAA joint ocean and coastal mapping centers.’’. 
(e) OCEAN AND COASTAL MAPPING FEDERAL FUNDING 
OPPORTUNITY.—The Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integra-
tion Act (33 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating sections 12206, 12207, and 
12208 as sections 12208, 12209, and 12210, respec-
tively; and 
(2) by inserting after section 12205 the fol-
lowing: 
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‘‘SEC. 12206. OCEAN AND COASTAL MAPPING FEDERAL 
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of the National Ocean Exploration 
Act, the Administrator shall develop an integrated ocean 
and coastal mapping Federal funding match opportunity, 
to be known as the ‘Brennan Ocean Mapping Fund’ in 
memory of Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan, within the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with 
Federal, State, Tribal, local, nonprofit, private industry, or 
academic partners in order to increase the coordinated ac-
quisition, processing, stewardship, and archival of new 
ocean and coastal mapping data in United States waters. 
‘‘(b) RULES.—The Administrator shall develop admin-
istrative and procedural rules for the ocean and coastal 
mapping Federal funding match opportunity developed 
under subsection (a), to include— 
‘‘(1) specific and detailed criteria that must be 
addressed by an applicant, such as geographic overlap 
with preestablished priorities, number and type of 
project partners, benefit to the applicant, coordina-
tion with other funding opportunities, and benefit to 
the public; 
‘‘(2) determination of the appropriate funding 
match amounts and mechanisms to use, such as 
grants, agreements, or contracts; and 
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‘‘(3) other funding award criteria as are nec-
essary or appropriate to ensure that evaluations of 
proposals and decisions to award funding under this 
section are based on objective standards applied fairly 
and equitably to those proposals. 
‘‘(c) GEOSPATIAL SERVICES
AND CONTRACT VEHI-
CLES.—The ocean and coastal mapping Federal funding 
match opportunity developed under subsection (a) shall le-
verage Federal expertise and capacities for geospatial serv-
ices and Federal geospatial contract vehicles using the pri-
vate sector for acquisition efficiencies. 
‘‘SEC. 12207. AGREEMENTS AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. 
‘‘(a) AGREEMENTS.—Subject to the availability of ap-
propriations for such purpose, the head of a Federal agency 
that is represented on the Interagency Committee on Ocean 
and Coastal Mapping may enter into agreements with any 
other agency that is so represented to provide, on a reim-
bursable or nonreimbursable basis, facilities, equipment, 
services, personnel, and other support services to carry out 
the purposes of this subtitle. 
‘‘(b) FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE.—The Administrator 
may make financial assistance awards (grants of coopera-
tive agreements) to any State or subdivision thereof or any 
public or private organization or individual to carry out 
the purposes of this subtitle.’’. 
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3832 
(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
12209 of such Act, as redesignated by subsection (e)(1), is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘this subtitle’’ 
and all that follows and inserting ‘‘this subtitle 
$45,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 
2028.’’; 
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘this subtitle’’ 
and all that follows and inserting ‘‘this subtitle 
$15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 
2028.’’; 
(3) by striking subsection (c); and 
(4) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(c) OCEAN AND COASTAL MAPPING FEDERAL FUND-
ING OPPORTUNITY.—Of amounts authorized pursuant to 
subsection (a), $20,000,000 is authorized to carry out sec-
tion 12206.’’. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.— 
(1) OCEAN AND COASTAL MAPPING.—Paragraph 
(5) of section 12210 of such Act, as redesignated by 
subsection (e)(1), is amended by striking ‘‘processing, 
and management’’ and inserting ‘‘processing, man-
agement, maintenance, interpretation, certification, 
and dissemination’’. 
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3833 
(2) COASTAL INDIAN TRIBE.—Section 12210 of 
such Act, as redesignated by subsection (e)(1), is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(9) COASTAL INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘coastal 
Indian Tribe’ means an ‘Indian Tribe’, as defined in 
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu-
cation Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304), the land of 
which is located in a coastal State.’’. 
(h) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—The table of contents in 
section 1(b) of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act 
of 2009 (Public Law 111–11; 123 Stat. 991) is amended 
by striking the items relating to sections 12206 through 
12208 and inserting the following: 
‘‘Sec. 12206. Ocean and coastal mapping Federal funding opportunity. 
‘‘Sec. 12207. Cooperative agreements, contracts, and grants. 
‘‘Sec. 12208. Effect on other laws. 
‘‘Sec. 12209. Authorization of appropriations. 
‘‘Sec. 12210. Definitions.’’. 
SEC. 10308. MODIFICATIONS TO HYDROGRAPHIC SERVICES 
IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1998. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 302(4)(A) of the Hydro-
graphic Services Improvement Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 
892(4)(A)) is amended by inserting ‘‘hydrodynamic forecast 
and datum transformation models,’’ after ‘‘nautical infor-
mation databases,’’. 
(b) FUNCTIONS
OF
THE ADMINISTRATOR.—Section 
303(b) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 892a(b)) is amended— 
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3834 
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
inserting ‘‘precision navigation,’’ after ‘‘promote’’; 
and 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘and hydrodynamic fore-
cast models’’ after ‘‘monitoring systems’’; 
(B) by inserting ‘‘and provide foundational 
information and services required to support 
coastal resilience planning for coastal transpor-
tation and other infrastructure, coastal protec-
tion and restoration projects, and related activi-
ties’’ after ‘‘efficiency’’; and 
(C) by striking ‘‘; and’’ and inserting a 
semicolon. 
(c) QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM.—Section 304(a) 
of such Act (33 U.S.C. 892b(a)) is amended by striking 
‘‘product produced’’ and inserting ‘‘product or service pro-
duced or disseminated’’. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
306(a) of such Act (33 U.S.C. 892d(a)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘$70,814,000 
for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023’’ and in-
serting ‘‘$71,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 
through 2028’’; 
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3835 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘$25,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023’’ and in-
serting ‘‘$34,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 
through 2028’’; 
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘$29,932,000 
for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023’’ and in-
serting ‘‘$38,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 
through 2028’’; 
(4) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘$26,800,000 
for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023’’ and in-
serting ‘‘$45,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 
through 2028’’; and 
(5) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘$30,564,000 
for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023’’ and in-
serting ‘‘$35,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 
through 2028’’. 
TITLE CIV—MARINE MAMMAL 
RESEARCH AND RESPONSE 
SEC. 10401. DATA COLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION. 
Section 402 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 
1972 (16 U.S.C. 1421a) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ‘‘or 
entangled’’ after ‘‘stranded’’; 
(B) in paragraph (3)— 
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3836 
(i) by striking ‘‘strandings,’’ and in-
serting ‘‘strandings and entanglements, in-
cluding unusual mortality events,’’; 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘stranding’’ before 
‘‘region’’; and 
(iii) by striking ‘‘marine mammals; 
and’’ and inserting ‘‘marine mammals and 
entangled marine mammals to allow com-
parison of the causes of illness and deaths 
in stranded marine mammals and entan-
gled marine mammals with physical, chem-
ical, and biological environmental param-
eters; and’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘analyses, 
that would allow comparison of the causes of ill-
ness and deaths in stranded marine mammals 
with physical, chemical, and biological environ-
mental parameters.’’ and inserting ‘‘analyses.’’; 
and 
(2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(c) INFORMATION REQUIRED TO BE SUBMITTED AND 
COLLECTED.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—After each response to a 
stranding or entanglement event, the Secretary shall 
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3837 
collect (including from any staff of the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration that respond 
directly to such an event), and shall require each 
stranding network participant who responds to that 
stranding or entanglement to submit to the Adminis-
trator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-
ministration or the Director of the United States Fish 
and Wildlife Service— 
‘‘(A) data on the stranding event, including 
NOAA Form 89–864 (OMB #0648–0178), 
NOAA Form 89–878 (OMB #0648–0178), simi-
lar successor forms, or similar information in an 
appropriate format required by the United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service for species 
under its management authority; 
‘‘(B) supplemental data to the data de-
scribed in subparagraph (A), which may include, 
as available, relevant information about— 
‘‘(i) weather and tide conditions; 
‘‘(ii) offshore human, predator, or prey 
activity; 
‘‘(iii) morphometrics; 
‘‘(iv) behavior; 
‘‘(v) health assessments; 
‘‘(vi) life history samples; or 
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‘‘(vii) stomach and intestinal contents; 
and 
‘‘(C) data and results from laboratory anal-
ysis of tissues, which may include, as appro-
priate and available— 
‘‘(i) histopathology; 
‘‘(ii) toxicology; 
‘‘(iii) microbiology; 
‘‘(iv) virology; or 
‘‘(v) parasitology. 
‘‘(2) TIMELINE.—A stranding network partici-
pant shall submit— 
‘‘(A) the data described in paragraph (1)(A) 
not later than 30 days after the date of a re-
sponse to a stranding or entanglement event; 
‘‘(B) the compiled data described in para-
graph (1)(B) not later than 30 days after the 
date on which the data is available to the strand-
ing network participant; and 
‘‘(C) the compiled data described in para-
graph (1)(C) not later than 30 days after the 
date on which the laboratory analysis has been 
reported to the stranding network participant. 
‘‘(3) ONLINE
DATA
INPUT
SYSTEM.—The Sec-
retary, acting through the Under Secretary of Com-
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3839 
merce for Oceans and Atmosphere, in consultation 
with the stranding network and the Office of Evalua-
tion Sciences of the General Services Administration, 
shall establish an online system for the purposes of ef-
ficient and timely submission of data described in 
paragraph (1). 
‘‘(d) AVAILABILITY OF DATA.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall develop 
a program to make information, including any data 
and metadata collected under paragraph (3) or (4) of 
subsection (b) or subsection (c), available to research-
ers, stranding network participants, and the public— 
‘‘(A) to improve real-time coordination of 
response to stranding and entanglement events 
across geographic areas and between stranding 
coordinators; 
‘‘(B) to identify and quickly disseminate in-
formation on potential public health risks; 
‘‘(C) to facilitate integrated interdiscipli-
nary research; 
‘‘(D) to facilitate peer-reviewed publica-
tions; 
‘‘(E) to archive regional data into 1 na-
tional database for future analyses; and 
‘‘(F) for education and outreach activities. 
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3841 
has completed a written release stating that such 
data may be made publicly available. 
‘‘(B) 
LAW
ENFORCEMENT.—Notwith-
standing paragraph (2), the Secretary may with-
hold data for a longer period than the period of 
time described in paragraph (2) in the event of 
a law enforcement action or legal action that 
may be related to that data. 
‘‘(e) STANDARDS.—The Secretary, in consultation 
with the marine mammal stranding community, shall— 
‘‘(1) make publicly available guidance about 
uniform data and metadata standards to ensure that 
data collected in accordance with this section can be 
archived in a form that is readily accessible and un-
derstandable to the public through the Health MAP 
and the Observation System; and 
‘‘(2) periodically update such guidance. 
‘‘(f) MANAGEMENT POLICY.—In collaboration with the 
regional stranding networks, the Secretary shall develop, 
and periodically update, a data management and public 
outreach collaboration policy for stranding or entanglement 
events. 
‘‘(g) AUTHORSHIP AGREEMENTS AND ACKNOWLEDG-
MENT POLICY.—The Secretary, acting through the Under 
Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, shall 
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3842 
include authorship agreements or other acknowledgment 
considerations for use of data by the public, as determined 
by the Secretary. 
‘‘(h) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—The Secretary shall not re-
quire submission of research data that are not described in 
subsection (c).’’. 
SEC. 10402. STRANDING OR ENTANGLEMENT RESPONSE 
AGREEMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 403 of the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1421b) is amended— 
(1) in the section heading by inserting ‘‘OR EN-
TANGLEMENT’’ before ‘‘RESPONSE’’; 
(2) in subsection (a), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘or entanglement.’’; and 
(3) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘and’’ 
after the semicolon; 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period 
at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) include a description of the data manage-
ment and public outreach policy established under 
section 402(f).’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS AMENDMENT.—The table of 
contents in the first section of the Marine Mammal Protec-
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3843 
tion Act of 1972 (Public Law 92–522; 86 Stat. 1027) is 
amended by striking the item related to section 403 and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘Sec. 403. Stranding or entanglement response agreements.’’. 
SEC. 10403. UNUSUAL MORTALITY EVENT ACTIVITY FUND-
ING. 
Section 405(b) the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 
1972 (16 U.S.C. 1421d(b)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(b) USES.—Amounts in the Fund shall be available 
only for use by the Secretary, in consultation with the Sec-
retary of the Interior, and dispersed among claimants based 
on budgets approved by the Secretary prior to expendi-
ture— 
‘‘(1) to make advance, partial, or progress pay-
ments under contracts or other funding mechanisms 
for property, supplies, salaries, services, and travel 
costs incurred in acting in accordance with the con-
tingency plan issued under section 404(b) or under 
the direction of an Onsite Coordinator for an unusual 
mortality 
event 
designated 
under 
section 
404(a)(2)(B)(iii); 
‘‘(2) for reimbursing any stranding network par-
ticipant for costs incurred in the collection, prepara-
tion, analysis, and transportation of marine mammal 
tissues and samples collected with respect to an un-
usual mortality event for the Tissue Bank; and 
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‘‘(3) for the care and maintenance of a marine 
mammal seized under section 104(c)(2)(D); and’’. 
SEC. 10404. LIABILITY. 
Section 406(a) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act 
of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1421e(a)) is amended, in the matter pre-
ceding paragraph (1)— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘or entanglement’’ after ‘‘to a 
stranding’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘government’’ and inserting 
‘‘Government’’. 
SEC. 10405. NATIONAL MARINE MAMMAL TISSUE BANK AND 
TISSUE ANALYSIS. 
Section 407 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 
1972 (16 U.S.C. 1421f) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)(2)(A), by striking ‘‘the 
health of marine mammals and’’ and inserting ‘‘ma-
rine mammal health and mortality and the health 
of’’; and 
(2) in subsection (d), in the matter preceding 
paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘public’’ before ‘‘access’’. 
SEC. 10406. MARINE MAMMAL RESCUE AND RESPONSE 
GRANT 
PROGRAM 
AND 
RAPID 
RESPONSE 
FUND. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 408 of the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1421f–1) is amended— 
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(1) by striking the section heading and inserting 
‘‘MARINE
MAMMAL
RESCUE
AND
RESPONSE 
GRANT
PROGRAM
AND
RAPID
RESPONSE 
FUND’’; 
(2) by striking subsections (a) through (d) and 
subsections (f) through (h); 
(3) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection 
(f); and 
(4) by inserting before subsection (f), as redesig-
nated by paragraph (3), the following: 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘emergency 
assistance’ means— 
‘‘(i) financial assistance provided to 
respond to, or that results from, a stranding 
event or entanglement event that— 
‘‘(I) causes an immediate increase 
in the cost of a response, recovery, or 
rehabilitation that is greater than the 
usual cost of a response, recovery, or 
rehabilitation; 
‘‘(II) is cyclical or endemic; or 
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‘‘(III) involves a marine mammal 
that is out of the normal range for that 
marine mammal; or 
‘‘(ii) financial assistance provided to 
respond to, or that results from, a stranding 
event or an entanglement event that— 
‘‘(I) the applicable Secretary con-
siders to be an emergency; or 
‘‘(II) with the concurrence of the 
applicable Secretary, a State, terri-
torial, or Tribal Government considers 
to be an emergency. 
‘‘(B) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘emergency 
assistance’ does not include financial assistance 
to respond to an unusual mortality event. 
‘‘(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘Secretary’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 3(12)(A). 
‘‘(3) STRANDING REGION.—The term ‘stranding 
region’ means a geographic region designated by the 
applicable Secretary for purposes of administration of 
this title. 
‘‘(b) JOHN H. PRESCOTT MARINE MAMMAL RESCUE 
AND RESPONSE GRANT PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The applicable Secretary 
shall carry out a grant program, to be known as the 
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‘John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Re-
sponse Grant Program’ (referred to in this section as 
the ‘grant program’), to award grants to eligible 
stranding network participants or stranding network 
collaborators, as described in this subsection. 
‘‘(2) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the grant pro-
gram are to provide for— 
‘‘(A) the recovery, care, or treatment of sick, 
injured, or entangled marine mammals; 
‘‘(B) responses to marine mammal strand-
ing events that require emergency assistance; 
‘‘(C) the collection of data and samples from 
living or dead stranded marine mammals for 
scientific research or assessments regarding ma-
rine mammal health; 
‘‘(D) facility operating costs that are di-
rectly related to activities described in subpara-
graph (A), (B), or (C); and 
‘‘(E) development of stranding network ca-
pacity, including training for emergency re-
sponse, where facilities do not exist or are sparse. 
‘‘(3) CONTRACT, 
GRANT, 
AND
COOPERATIVE 
AGREEMENT AUTHORITY.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The applicable Sec-
retary may enter into a contract, grant, or coop-
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erative agreement with any eligible stranding 
network participant or stranding network col-
laborator, as the Secretary determines to be ap-
propriate, for the purposes described in para-
graph (2). 
‘‘(B) EMERGENCY
AWARD
FLEXIBILITY.— 
Following a request for emergency award flexi-
bility and analysis of the merits of and necessity 
for such a request, the applicable Secretary 
may— 
‘‘(i) amend any contract, grant, or co-
operative agreement entered into under this 
paragraph, including provisions concerning 
the period of performance; or 
‘‘(ii) waive the requirements under 
subsection (f) for grant applications sub-
mitted during the provision of emergency 
assistance. 
‘‘(4) EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall en-
sure, to the extent practicable, that funds award-
ed under the grant program are distributed equi-
tably among the stranding regions. 
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‘‘(B) 
CONSIDERATIONS.—In 
determining 
priorities among the stranding regions under 
this paragraph, the Secretary may consider— 
‘‘(i) equitable distribution within the 
stranding regions, including the subregions 
(including, but not limited to, the Gulf of 
Mexico); 
‘‘(ii) any episodic stranding, entangle-
ment, or mortality events, except for un-
usual mortality events, that occurred in any 
stranding region in the preceding year; 
‘‘(iii) any data with respect to average 
annual stranding, entanglements, and mor-
tality events per stranding region; 
‘‘(iv) the size of the marine mammal 
populations inhabiting a stranding region; 
‘‘(v) the importance of the region’s ma-
rine mammal populations to the well-being 
of indigenous communities; and 
‘‘(vi) the conservation of protected, de-
pleted, threatened, or endangered marine 
mammal species. 
‘‘(C) STRANDINGS.—For the purposes of 
this program, priority is to be given to applica-
tions focusing on marine mammal strandings. 
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‘‘(5) APPLICATION.—To be eligible for a grant 
under the grant program, a stranding network partic-
ipant shall— 
‘‘(A) submit an application in such form 
and manner as the applicable Secretary pre-
scribes; and 
‘‘(B) be in compliance with the data report-
ing requirements under section 402(d) and any 
applicable reporting requirements of the United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service for species 
under its management jurisdiction. 
‘‘(6) GRANT CRITERIA.—The Secretary shall, in 
consultation with the Marine Mammal Commission, a 
representative from each of the stranding regions, and 
other individuals who represent public and private 
organizations that are actively involved in rescue, re-
habilitation, release, scientific research, marine con-
servation, and forensic science with respect to strand-
ed marine mammals under that Department’s juris-
diction, develop criteria for awarding grants under 
their respective grant programs. 
‘‘(7) MAXIMUM GRANT AMOUNT.—No grant made 
under the grant program for a single award may ex-
ceed $150,000 in any 12-month period. 
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‘‘(8) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS AND EXPENSES.— 
The Secretary’s administrative costs and expenses re-
lated to reviewing and awarding grants under the 
grant program, in any fiscal year may not exceed the 
greater of— 
‘‘(A) 6 percent of the amounts made avail-
able each fiscal year to carry out the grant pro-
gram; or 
‘‘(B) $80,000. 
‘‘(9) TRANSPARENCY.—The Secretary shall make 
publicly available a list of grant proposals for the up-
coming fiscal year, funded grants, and requests for 
grant flexibility under this subsection. 
‘‘(c) JOSEPH R. GERACI MARINE MAMMAL RESCUE 
AND RAPID RESPONSE FUND.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There is established in the 
Treasury of the United States an interest-bearing 
fund, to be known as the ‘Joseph R. Geraci Marine 
Mammal Rescue and Rapid Response Fund’ (referred 
to in this section as the ‘Rapid Response Fund’). 
‘‘(2) USE OF FUNDS.—Amounts in the Rapid 
Response Fund shall be available only for use by the 
Secretary to provide emergency assistance. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.— 
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3852 
‘‘(A) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated 
to carry out the grant program $7,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2023 through 2028, to re-
main available until expended, of which for each 
fiscal year— 
‘‘(i) $6,000,000 shall be made available 
to the Secretary of Commerce; and 
‘‘(ii) $1,000,000 shall be made avail-
able to the Secretary of the Interior. 
‘‘(B) DERIVATION
OF
FUNDS.—Funds to 
carry out the activities under this section shall 
be derived from amounts authorized to be appro-
priated pursuant to subparagraph (A) that are 
enacted after the date of enactment of the James 
M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2023. 
‘‘(2) JOSEPH R. GERACI MARINE MAMMAL RES-
CUE AND RAPID RESPONSE FUND.—There is author-
ized to be appropriated to the Rapid Response Fund 
$500,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2028. 
‘‘(e) ACCEPTANCE OF DONATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For the purposes of carrying 
out this section, the Secretary may solicit, accept, re-
ceive, hold, administer, and use gifts, devises, and be-
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3853 
quests without any further approval or administra-
tive action. 
‘‘(2) MONETARY DONATIONS.—A monetary gift, 
devise, or bequest accepted by the Secretary under 
paragraph (1) shall be credited as discretionary off-
setting collections to the currently applicable appro-
priation, account, or fund of the Department of Com-
merce and shall be made available for such purposes 
only to the extent and in the amounts provided in ad-
vance in appropriations Acts.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL EDITS.—Section 408 of the Marine 
Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1421f–1), as 
amended by subsection (a), is further amended in subsection 
(f), as redesignated by subsection (a)(3)— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘the costs of an activity con-
ducted with a grant under this section shall be’’ 
and inserting ‘‘a project conducted with funds 
awarded under the grant program under this 
section shall be not less than’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘such costs’’ and inserting 
‘‘such project’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘an activity’’ and inserting 
‘‘a project’’; and 
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(B) by striking ‘‘the activity’’ and inserting 
‘‘the project’’. 
(c) TABLE OF CONTENTS AMENDMENT.—The table of 
contents in the first section of the Marine Mammal Protec-
tion Act of 1972 (Public Law 92–522; 86 Stat. 1027) (as 
amended by section 5503(b)) is amended by striking the 
item related to section 408 and inserting the following: 
‘‘Sec. 408. Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program and Rapid Re-
sponse Fund.’’. 
SEC. 10407. HEALTH MAP. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title IV of the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1421 et seq.) is amended 
by inserting after section 408 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 408A. MARINE MAMMAL HEALTH MONITORING AND 
ANALYSIS PLATFORM (HEALTH MAP). 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of the James M. Inhofe National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, the Secretary, act-
ing through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, in consultation with the Sec-
retary of the Interior and the Marine Mammal Commis-
sion, shall— 
‘‘(1) establish a marine mammal health moni-
toring and analysis platform (referred to in this Act 
as the ‘Health MAP’); 
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‘‘(2) incorporate the Health MAP into the Obser-
vation System; and 
‘‘(3) make the Health MAP— 
‘‘(A) publicly accessible through the web 
portal of the Observation System; and 
‘‘(B) interoperable with other national data 
systems or other data systems for management or 
research purposes, as practicable. 
‘‘(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the Health MAP 
are— 
‘‘(1) to promote— 
‘‘(A) interdisciplinary research among indi-
viduals with knowledge and experience in ma-
rine mammal science, marine mammal veteri-
nary and husbandry practices, medical science, 
and oceanography, and with other marine sci-
entists; 
‘‘(B) timely and sustained dissemination 
and availability of marine mammal health, 
stranding, entanglement, and mortality data; 
‘‘(C) identification of spatial and temporal 
patterns of marine mammal mortality, disease, 
and stranding; 
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‘‘(D) evaluation of marine mammal health 
in terms of mortality, as well as sublethal ma-
rine mammal health impacts; 
‘‘(E) improved collaboration and forecasting 
of marine mammal and larger ecosystem health 
events; 
‘‘(F) rapid communication and dissemina-
tion of information regarding marine mammal 
strandings that may have implications for 
human health, such as those caused by harmful 
algal blooms; and 
‘‘(G) increased accessibility of data in a 
user friendly visual interface for public edu-
cation and outreach; and 
‘‘(2) to contribute to an ocean health index that 
incorporates marine mammal health data. 
‘‘(c) REQUIREMENTS.—The Health MAP shall— 
‘‘(1) integrate in situ, remote, and other marine 
mammal health, stranding, and mortality data, in-
cluding visualizations and metadata, collected by ma-
rine mammal stranding networks, Federal, State, 
local, and Tribal governments, private partners, and 
academia; and 
‘‘(2) be designed— 
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‘‘(A) to enhance data and information 
availability, including data sharing among 
stranding network participants, scientists, and 
the public within and across stranding network 
regions; 
‘‘(B) to facilitate data and information ac-
cess across scientific disciplines, scientists, and 
managers; 
‘‘(C) to facilitate public access to national 
and regional marine mammal health, stranding, 
entanglement, and mortality data, including vis-
ualizations and metadata, through the national 
and regional data portals of the Observation 
System; and 
‘‘(D) in collaboration with, and with input 
from, States and stranding network partici-
pants. 
‘‘(d) PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES.—The Secretary 
shall establish and implement policies, protocols, and stand-
ards for— 
‘‘(1) reporting marine mammal health data col-
lected by stranding networks consistent with sub-
sections (c) and (d) of section 402; 
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‘‘(2) promptly transmitting health data from the 
stranding networks and other appropriate data pro-
viders to the Health MAP; 
‘‘(3) disseminating and making publicly avail-
able data on marine mammal health, stranding, en-
tanglement, and mortality data in a timely and sus-
tained manner; and 
‘‘(4) integrating additional marine mammal 
health, stranding, or other relevant data as the Sec-
retary determines appropriate. 
‘‘(e) CONSULTATION.—The Administrator of the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall 
maintain and update the Health MAP in consultation with 
the Secretary of the Interior and the Marine Mammal Com-
mission. 
‘‘(f) ACCEPTANCE OF DONATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For the purposes of carrying 
out this section, the Secretary may solicit, accept, re-
ceive, hold, administer, and use gifts, devises, and be-
quests without any further approval or administra-
tive action. 
‘‘(2) MONETARY DONATIONS.—A monetary gift, 
devise, or bequest accepted by the Secretary under 
paragraph (1) shall be credited as discretionary off-
setting collections to the currently applicable appro-
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3859 
priation, account, or fund of the Department of Com-
merce and shall be made available for such purposes 
only to the extent and in the amounts provided in ad-
vance in appropriations Acts.’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS AMENDMENT.—The table of 
contents in the first section of the Marine Mammal Protec-
tion Act of 1972 (Public Law 92–522; 86 Stat. 1027) (as 
amended by section 5507(b)) is amended by inserting after 
the item related to section 408 the following: 
‘‘Sec. 408A. Marine Mammal Health Monitoring and Analysis Platform (Health 
MAP).’’. 
SEC. 10408. REPORTS TO CONGRESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title IV of the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1421 et seq.) (as amended 
by section 5508(a)) is amended by inserting after section 
408A the following: 
‘‘SEC. 408B. REPORTS TO CONGRESS. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITION OF APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF 
CONGRESS.—In this section, the term ‘appropriate commit-
tees of Congress’ means— 
‘‘(1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate; 
‘‘(2) the Committee on Environment and Public 
Works of the Senate; 
‘‘(3) the Committee on Natural Resources of the 
House of Representatives; and 
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‘‘(4) the Committee on Science, Space, and Tech-
nology of the House of Representatives. 
‘‘(b) HEALTH MAP STATUS REPORT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after 
the date of enactment of the James M. Inhofe Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2023, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, in consultation with the 
Marine Mammal Commission, the Secretary of the 
Interior, and the National Ocean Research Leader-
ship Council, shall submit to the appropriate commit-
tees of Congress a report describing the status of the 
Health MAP. 
‘‘(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The report under para-
graph (1) shall include— 
‘‘(A) a detailed evaluation of the data made 
publicly available through the Health MAP; 
‘‘(B) a detailed list of any gaps in data col-
lected pursuant to the Health MAP, a descrip-
tion of the reasons for those gaps, and rec-
ommended actions to close those gaps; 
‘‘(C) an analysis of the effectiveness of using 
the website of the Observation System as the 
platform to collect, organize, visualize, archive, 
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and disseminate marine mammal stranding and 
health data; 
‘‘(D) a list of publications, presentations, or 
other relevant work product resulting from, or 
produced in collaboration with, the Health MAP; 
‘‘(E) a description of emerging marine 
mammal health concerns and the applicability of 
those concerns to human health; 
‘‘(F) an analysis of the feasibility of the Ob-
servation System being used as an alert system 
during stranding events, entanglement events, 
and unusual mortality events for the stranding 
network, Observation System partners, Health 
MAP partners, Federal and State agencies, and 
local and Tribal governments; 
‘‘(G) an evaluation of the use of Health 
MAP data to predict broader ecosystem events 
and changes that may impact marine mammal 
or human health and specific examples of proven 
or potential uses of Observation System data for 
those purposes; and 
‘‘(H) recommendations for the Health MAP 
with respect to— 
‘‘(i) filling any identified data gaps; 
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‘‘(ii) standards that could be used to 
improve data quality, accessibility, trans-
mission, interoperability, and sharing; 
‘‘(iii) any other strategies that would 
contribute to the effectiveness and usefulness 
of the Health MAP; and 
‘‘(iv) the funding levels needed to 
maintain and improve the Health MAP. 
‘‘(c) DATA GAP ANALYSIS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 5 years after 
the date on which the report required under sub-
section (b)(1) is submitted, and every 10 years there-
after, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, in consultation with the 
Marine Mammal Commission and the Director of the 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service, shall— 
‘‘(A) make publicly available a report on 
the data gap analysis described in paragraph 
(2); and 
‘‘(B) provide a briefing to the appropriate 
committees of Congress concerning that data gap 
analysis. 
‘‘(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The data gap analysis 
under paragraph (1) shall include— 
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‘‘(A) an overview of existing participants 
within a marine mammal stranding network; 
‘‘(B) an identification of coverage needs and 
participant gaps within a network; 
‘‘(C) an identification of data and reporting 
gaps from members of a network; and 
‘‘(D) an analysis of how stranding and 
health data are shared and made available to 
scientists, academics, State, local, and Tribal 
governments, and the public. 
‘‘(d) MARINE MAMMAL RESPONSE CAPABILITIES IN 
THE ARCTIC.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of the James M. Inhofe Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2023, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, the Director of the 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Di-
rector of the United States Geologic Survey, in con-
sultation with the Marine Mammal Commission, 
shall— 
‘‘(A) make publicly available a report de-
scribing the response capabilities for sick and in-
jured marine mammals in the Arctic regions of 
the United States; and 
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‘‘(B) provide a briefing to the appropriate 
committees of Congress on that report. 
‘‘(2) ARCTIC.—The term ‘Arctic’ has the mean-
ing given the term in section 112 of the Arctic Re-
search and Policy Act of 1984 (15 U.S.C. 4111). 
‘‘(3) REQUIREMENTS.—The report under para-
graph (1) shall include— 
‘‘(A) a description, developed in consulta-
tion with the Fish and Wildlife Service of the 
Department of the Interior, of all marine mam-
mal stranding agreements in place for the Arctic 
region of the United States, including species 
covered, response capabilities, facilities and 
equipment, and data collection and analysis ca-
pabilities; 
‘‘(B) a list of State and local government 
agencies that have personnel trained to respond 
to marine mammal strandings in the Arctic re-
gion of the United States; 
‘‘(C) an assessment of potential response 
and data collection partners and sources of local 
information and knowledge, including Alaska 
Native people and villages; 
‘‘(D) an analysis of spatial and temporal 
trends in marine mammal strandings and un-
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usual mortality events that are correlated with 
changing environmental conditions in the Arctic 
region of the United States; 
‘‘(E) a description of training and other re-
source needs to meet emerging response require-
ments in the Arctic region of the United States; 
‘‘(F) an analysis of oiled marine mammal 
response and rehabilitation capabilities in the 
Arctic region of the United States, including per-
sonnel, equipment, facilities, training, and hus-
bandry capabilities, and an assessment of factors 
that affect response and rehabilitation success 
rates; and 
‘‘(G) recommendations to address future 
stranding response needs for marine mammals 
in the Arctic region of the United States.’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS AMENDMENT.—The table of 
contents in the first section of the Marine Mammal Protec-
tion Act of 1972 (Public Law 92–522; 86 Stat. 1027) (as 
amended by section 5508(b)) is amended by inserting after 
the item related to section 408A the following: 
‘‘Sec. 408B. Reports to Congress.’’. 
SEC. 10409. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
Section 409 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 
1972 (16 U.S.C. 1421g) is amended— 
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(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘1993 and 
1994;’’ and inserting ‘‘2023 through 2028;’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘1993 and 
1994;’’ and inserting ‘‘2023 through 2028;’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘fiscal year 
1993.’’ and inserting ‘‘for each of fiscal years 2023 
through 2028.’’. 
SEC. 10410. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 410 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 
1972 (16 U.S.C. 1421h) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (6) 
as paragraphs (2), (5), (6), (7), (8), and (9), respec-
tively; 
(2) by inserting before paragraph (2) (as so re-
designated) the following: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘entangle’ or ‘entanglement’ means 
an event in the wild in which a living or dead ma-
rine mammal has gear, rope, line, net, or other mate-
rial wrapped around or attached to the marine mam-
mal and is— 
‘‘(A) on lands under the jurisdiction of the 
United States, including beaches and shorelines; 
or 
‘‘(B) in waters under the jurisdiction of the 
United States, including any navigable waters.’’; 
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(3) in paragraph (2) (as so redesignated) by 
striking ‘‘The term’’ and inserting ‘‘Except as used in 
section 408, the term’’; 
(4) by inserting after paragraph (2) (as so redes-
ignated) the following: 
‘‘(3) The term ‘Health MAP’ means the Marine 
Mammal Health Monitoring and Analysis Platform 
established under section 408A(a)(1). 
‘‘(4) The term ‘Observation System’ means the 
National Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation 
System established under section 12304 of the Inte-
grated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 
2009 (33 U.S.C. 3603).’’. 
SEC. 10411. STUDY ON MARINE MAMMAL MORTALITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 12 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Undersecretary of Com-
merce for Oceans and Atmosphere shall, in consultation 
with the Secretary of the Interior and the Marine Mammal 
Commission, conduct a study evaluating the connections 
among marine heat waves, frequency and intensity of 
harmful algal blooms, prey availability, and habitat deg-
radation, and the impacts of these conditions on marine 
mammal mortality. 
(b) REPORT.—The Undersecretary of Commerce for 
Oceans and Atmosphere, in consultation with the Secretary 
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of the Interior and the Marine Mammal Commission, shall 
prepare, post to a publicly available website, and brief the 
appropriate committees of Congress on, a report containing 
the results of the study described in subsection (a). The re-
port shall identify priority research activities, opportuni-
ties for collaboration, and current gaps in effort and re-
source limitations related to advancing scientific under-
standing of how ocean heat waves, harmful algae blooms, 
availability of prey, and habitat degradation impact ma-
rine mammal mortality. The report shall include rec-
ommendations for policies needed to mitigate and respond 
to mortality events. 
TITLE CV—VOLCANIC ASH AND 
FUMES 
SEC. 10501. MODIFICATIONS TO NATIONAL VOLCANO EARLY 
WARNING AND MONITORING SYSTEM. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Subsection (a) of section 5001 of 
the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and 
Recreation Act (43 U.S.C. 31k) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraph (2) as para-
graph (3); 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(2) SECRETARY OF COMMERCE.—The term ‘Sec-
retary of Commerce’ means the Secretary of Com-
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merce, acting through the Under Secretary of Com-
merce for Oceans and Atmosphere.’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) VOLCANIC
ASH
ADVISORY
CENTER.—The 
term ‘Volcanic Ash Advisory Center’ means an entity 
designated by the International Civil Aviation Orga-
nization that is responsible for informing aviation in-
terests about the presence of volcanic ash in the air-
space.’’. 
(b) PURPOSES.—Subsection (b)(1)(B) of such section 
is amended— 
(1) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(2) in clause (ii), by striking the period at the 
end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(iii) to strengthen the warning and 
monitoring systems of volcano observatories 
in the United States by integrating relevant 
capacities of the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration, including with 
the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers located 
in Anchorage, Alaska, and Washington, 
D.C., to observe and model emissions of 
gases, aerosols, and ash, atmospheric dy-
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namics and chemistry, and ocean chemistry 
resulting from volcanic eruptions.’’. 
(c) SYSTEM COMPONENTS.—Subsection (b)(2) of such 
section is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (B)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ before ‘‘spectrom-
etry’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘, and unoccupied aerial 
vehicles’’ after ‘‘emissions’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.— 
The Secretary and the Secretary of Commerce 
shall develop and execute a memorandum of un-
derstanding to establish cooperative support for 
the activities of the System from the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in-
cluding environmental observations, modeling, 
and temporary duty assignments of personnel to 
support emergency activities, as necessary or ap-
propriate.’’. 
(d) MANAGEMENT.—Subsection (b)(3) of such section 
is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(iii) UPDATE.— 
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‘‘(I) NATIONAL OCEANIC AND AT-
MOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION COST ES-
TIMATES.—The Secretary of Commerce 
shall submit to the Secretary annual 
cost estimates for modernization activi-
ties and support of the System for the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-
ministration. 
‘‘(II) UPDATE
OF
MANAGEMENT 
PLAN.—The Secretary shall update the 
management plan submitted under 
clause (i) to include the cost estimates 
submitted under subclause (I).’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(E) COLLABORATION.—The Secretary of 
Commerce shall collaborate with the Secretary to 
implement activities carried out under this sec-
tion related to the expertise of the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration, including 
observations and modeling of emissions of gases, 
aerosols, and ash, atmospheric dynamics and 
chemistry, and ocean chemistry resulting from 
volcanic eruptions.’’. 
(e) FUNDING.—Subsection (c) of such section is 
amended— 
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(1) DEVELOPMENT OF PLAN.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Sec-
retary of the Interior, shall develop a plan to imple-
ment the amendments made by this Act during the 5- 
year period beginning on the date on which the plan 
is developed. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The plan developed under 
paragraph (1) shall include an estimate of the cost 
and schedule required for the implementation de-
scribed in such paragraph. 
(3) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—Upon completion of 
the plan developed under paragraph (1), the Sec-
retary of Commerce shall make the plan publicly 
available. 
TITLE 
CVI—LEARNING 
EXCEL-
LENCE AND GOOD EXAMPLES 
FROM NEW DEVELOPERS 
SEC. 10601. LEARNING EXCELLENCE AND GOOD EXAMPLES 
FROM NEW DEVELOPERS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ADMINISTRATION.—The term ‘‘Administra-
tion’’ means the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration. 
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(2) 
ADMINISTRATOR.—The 
term 
‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Under Secretary of Commerce for 
Oceans and Atmosphere and Administrator of the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 
(3) EARTH PREDICTION INNOVATION CENTER.— 
The term ‘‘Earth Prediction Innovation Center’’ 
means the community global weather research mod-
eling system described in paragraph (5)(E) of section 
102(b) of the Weather Research Forecasting and Inno-
vation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8512(b)), as redesig-
nated by this section. 
(4) MODEL.—The term ‘‘model’’ means any vet-
ted numerical model and associated data assimilation 
of the Earth’s system or its components— 
(A) developed, in whole or in part, by sci-
entists and engineers employed by the Adminis-
tration; or 
(B) otherwise developed, in whole or in 
part, using Federal funds. 
(5) OPEN
LICENSE.—The term ‘‘open license’’ 
has the same meaning given such term in section 
3502(21) of title 44, United States Code. 
(6) OPERATIONAL
MODEL.—The term ‘‘oper-
ational model’’ means any model that has an output 
used by the Administration for operational functions. 
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(7) SUITABLE
MODEL.—The term ‘‘suitable 
model’’ means a model that meets the requirements 
described in paragraph (5)(E)(ii) of section 102(b) of 
the Weather Research Forecasting and Innovation Act 
of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8512(b)), as redesignated by this 
title, as determined by the Administrator. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this section are— 
(1) to support innovation in modeling by allow-
ing interested stakeholders to have easy and complete 
access to operational model codes and to other models, 
as the Administrator determines appropriate; and 
(2) to use vetted innovations arising from access 
described in paragraph (1) to improve modeling by 
the Administration. 
(c) PLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PLAN TO MAKE 
CERTAIN MODELS AND DATA AVAILABLE TO THE PUB-
LIC.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall de-
velop and implement a plan to make available to the 
public, at no cost and with no restrictions on copy-
ing, publishing, distributing, citing, adapting, or oth-
erwise using under an open license, the following: 
(A) Operational models developed by the 
Administration. 
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(B) Models that are not operational models, 
including experimental and developmental mod-
els, as the Administrator determines appropriate. 
(C) Applicable information and documenta-
tion for models described in subparagraphs (A) 
and (B), including a description of intended 
model outputs. 
(D) Subject to subsection (f), all data owned 
by the Federal Government and data that the 
Administrator has the legal right to redistribute 
that are associated with models made available 
to the public pursuant to the plan and used in 
operational forecasting by the Administration, 
including— 
(i) relevant metadata; and 
(ii) data used for operational models 
used by the Administration as of the date of 
the enactment of this Act. 
(2) ACCOMMODATIONS.—In developing and im-
plementing the plan under paragraph (1), the Admin-
istrator may make such accommodations as the Ad-
ministrator considers appropriate to ensure that the 
public release of any model, information, documenta-
tion, or data pursuant to the plan do not jeop-
ardize— 
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(A) national security; 
(B) intellectual property or redistribution 
rights, including under titles 17 and 35, United 
States Code; 
(C) any trade secret or commercial or fi-
nancial information subject to section 552(b)(4) 
of title 5, United States Code; 
(D) any models or data that are otherwise 
restricted by contract or other written agreement; 
or 
(E) the mission of the Administration to 
protect lives and property. 
(3) PRIORITY.—In developing and implementing 
the plan under paragraph (1), the Administrator 
shall prioritize making available to the public the 
models described in paragraph (1)(A). 
(4) PROTECTIONS FOR PRIVACY AND STATISTICAL 
INFORMATION.—In developing and implementing the 
plan under subsection (a), the Administrator shall en-
sure that all requirements incorporated into any mod-
els described in paragraph (1)(A) ensure compliance 
with statistical laws and other relevant data protec-
tion requirements, including the protection of any 
personally identifiable information. 
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(5) EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN MODELS.—In devel-
oping and implementing the plan under paragraph 
(1), the Administrator may exclude models that the 
Administrator determines will be retired or super-
seded in fewer than 5 years after the date of the en-
actment of this Act. 
(6) PLATFORMS.—In carrying out paragraphs 
(1) and (2), the Administrator may use government 
servers, contracts or agreements with a private ven-
dor, or any other platform consistent with the purpose 
of this title. 
(7) SUPPORT
PROGRAM.—The Administrator 
shall plan for and establish a program to support in-
frastructure, including telecommunications and tech-
nology infrastructure of the Administration and the 
platforms described in paragraph (6), relevant to 
making operational models and data available to the 
public pursuant to the plan under subsection (a). 
(8) TECHNICAL CORRECTION.—Section 102(b) of 
the Weather Research Forecasting and Innovation Act 
of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8512(b)) is amended by redesig-
nating the second paragraph (4) (as added by section 
4(a) of the National Integrated Drought Information 
System Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 
115–423; 132 Stat. 5456)) as paragraph (5). 
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(d) REQUIREMENT TO REVIEW MODELS AND LEVER-
AGE INNOVATIONS.—The Administrator shall— 
(1) consistent with the mission of the Earth Pre-
diction Innovation Center, periodically review inno-
vations and improvements made by persons not em-
ployed by the Administration as Federal employees to 
the operational models made available to the public 
pursuant to the plan under subsection (c)(1) in order 
to improve the accuracy and timeliness of forecasts of 
the Administration; and 
(2) if the Administrator identifies an innovation 
for a suitable model, develop and implement a plan 
to use the innovation to improve the model. 
(e) REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees a report on the implementation of this 
section that includes a description of— 
(A) the implementation of the plan required 
by subsection (c); 
(B) the process of the Administration under 
subsection (d)— 
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(i) for engaging with interested stake-
holders to learn what innovations those 
stakeholders have found; 
(ii) for reviewing those innovations; 
and 
(iii) for operationalizing innovations 
to improve suitable models; and 
(C) the use of any Federal financial assist-
ance, including under section 24 of the Steven-
son-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1990 
(15 U.S.C. 3719) or the Crowdsourcing and Cit-
izen Science Act (15 U.S.C. 3724), in order to 
facilitate and incentivize the sharing of exter-
nally developed improvements for testing, evalua-
tion, validation, and application to further im-
prove the mission of the Administration, and 
any other Administration priorities. 
(2) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES 
DEFINED.—In this subsection, the term ‘‘appropriate 
congressional committees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation and the Committee on Ap-
propriations of the Senate; and 
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(B) the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology and the Committee on Appropria-
tions of the House of Representatives. 
(f) PROTECTION
OF NATIONAL SECURITY INTER-
ESTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of this section, for models developed in 
whole or in part with the Department of Defense, the 
Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Defense, as appropriate, shall withhold any model or 
data if the Administrator or the Secretary of Defense 
determines doing so to be necessary to protect the na-
tional security interests of the United States. 
(2) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 
section shall be construed to supersede any other pro-
vision of law governing the protection of the national 
security interests of the United States. 
(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027. 
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DIVISION K—DON YOUNG COAST 
GUARD AUTHORIZATION ACT 
OF 2022 
SEC. 11001. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This division may be cited as the 
‘‘Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this division is as follows: 
Sec. 11001. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 11002. Definitions. 
Sec. 11003. Rule of construction. 
TITLE CXI—AUTHORIZATIONS 
Sec. 11101. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 11102. Authorized levels of military strength and training. 
Sec. 11103. Authorization for certain programs and services. 
Sec. 11104. Availability of amounts for acquisition of additional vessels. 
Sec. 11105. Shoreside infrastructure and facilities. 
Sec. 11106. Coast Guard yard resilient infrastructure and construction improve-
ment. 
TITLE CXII—COAST GUARD 
Subtitle A—Infrastructure and Assets 
Sec. 11201. Report on shoreside infrastructure and facilities projects. 
Sec. 11202. Report and briefing on resourcing strategy for Western Pacific region. 
Sec. 11203. Study and report on national security and drug trafficking threats 
in Florida Straits, Cuba, and Caribbean region. 
Sec. 11204. Coast Guard Yard. 
Sec. 11205. Authority to enter into transactions other than contracts and grants 
to procure cost-effective technology for mission needs. 
Sec. 11206. Improvements to infrastructure and operations planning. 
Sec. 11207. Aqua alert notification system pilot program. 
Sec. 11208. Pilot project for enhancing Coast Guard cutter readiness through con-
dition-based maintenance. 
Sec. 11209. Study on laydown of Coast Guard Cutters. 
Sec. 11210. Acquisition life-cycle cost estimates. 
Sec. 11211. Disposition of infrastructure related to E–LORAN. 
Subtitle B—Great Lakes 
Sec. 11212. Great Lakes winter commerce. 
Sec. 11213. Database on icebreaking operations in Great Lakes. 
Sec. 11214. Center of expertise for Great Lakes oil spill search and response. 
Sec. 11215. Great Lakes snowmobile acquisition plan. 
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Sec. 11216. Great Lakes barge inspection exemption. 
Sec. 11217. Study on sufficiency of Coast Guard aviation assets to meet mission 
demands. 
Subtitle C—Arctic 
Sec. 11218. Establishment of medium icebreaker program office. 
Sec. 11219. Arctic activities. 
Sec. 11220. Study on Arctic operations and infrastructure. 
Sec. 11221. Pribilof Island transition completion actions. 
Sec. 11222. Report on shipyards of Finland and Sweden. 
Sec. 11223. Acquisition of icebreaker. 
Subtitle D—Maritime Cyber and Artificial Intelligence 
Sec. 11224. Enhancing maritime cybersecurity. 
Sec. 11225. Establishment of unmanned system program and autonomous control 
and computer vision technology project. 
Sec. 11226. Artificial intelligence strategy. 
Sec. 11227. Review of artificial intelligence applications and establishment of 
performance metrics. 
Sec. 11228. Cyber data management. 
Sec. 11229. Data management. 
Sec. 11230. Study on cyber threats to United States marine transportation sys-
tem. 
Subtitle E—Aviation 
Sec. 11231. Space-available travel on Coast Guard aircraft: program authoriza-
tion and eligible recipients. 
Sec. 11232. Report on Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point hangar. 
Sec. 11233. Study on operational availability of Coast Guard aircraft and strat-
egy for Coast Guard Aviation. 
Subtitle F—Workforce Readiness 
Sec. 11234. Authorized strength. 
Sec. 11235. Continuation of officers with certain critical skills on active duty. 
Sec. 11236. Number and distribution of officers on active duty promotion list. 
Sec. 11237. Career incentive pay for marine inspectors. 
Sec. 11238. Expansion of ability for selection board to recommend officers of par-
ticular merit for promotion. 
Sec. 11239. Modification to education loan repayment program. 
Sec. 11240. Retirement of Vice Commandant. 
Sec. 11241. Report on resignation and retirement processing times and denial. 
Sec. 11242. Calculation of active service. 
Sec. 11243. Physical Disability Evaluation System procedure review. 
Sec. 11244. Expansion of authority for multirater assessments of certain per-
sonnel. 
Sec. 11245. Promotion parity. 
Sec. 11246. Partnership program to diversify Coast Guard. 
Sec. 11247. Expansion of Coast Guard Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. 
Sec. 11248. Improving representation of women and racial and ethnic minorities 
among Coast Guard active-duty members. 
Sec. 11249. Strategy to enhance diversity through recruitment and accession. 
Sec. 11250. Support for Coast Guard Academy. 
Sec. 11251. Training for congressional affairs personnel. 
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Sec. 11252. Strategy for retention of cuttermen. 
Sec. 11253. Study on performance of Coast Guard Force Readiness Command. 
Sec. 11254. Study on frequency of weapons training for Coast Guard personnel. 
Subtitle G—Miscellaneous Provisions 
Sec. 11255. Modification of prohibition on operation or procurement of foreign- 
made unmanned aircraft systems. 
Sec. 11256. Budgeting of Coast Guard relating to certain operations. 
Sec. 11257. Report on San Diego maritime domain awareness. 
Sec. 11258. Conveyance of Coast Guard vessels for public purposes. 
Sec. 11259. National Coast Guard Museum funding plan. 
Sec. 11260. Report on Coast Guard explosive ordnance disposal. 
Sec. 11261. Transfer and conveyance. 
Sec. 11262. Transparency and oversight. 
Sec. 11263. Study on safety inspection program for containers and facilities. 
Sec. 11264. Operational data sharing capability. 
Sec. 11265. Feasibility study on construction of Coast Guard station at Port 
Mansfield. 
Sec. 11266. Procurement of tethered aerostat radar system for Coast Guard Sta-
tion South Padre Island. 
Sec. 11267. Prohibition on major acquisition contracts with entities associated 
with Chinese Communist Party. 
Sec. 11268. Review of drug interdiction equipment and standards; testing for 
fentanyl during interdiction operations. 
Sec. 11269. Public availability of information on monthly migrant interdictions. 
Sec. 11270. Cargo waiting time reduction. 
Sec. 11271. Study on Coast Guard oversight and investigations. 
Subtitle H—Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Response and Prevention 
Sec. 11272. Administration of sexual assault forensic examination kits. 
Sec. 11273. Policy on requests for permanent changes of station or unit transfers 
by persons who report being the victim of sexual assault. 
Sec. 11274. Sex offenses and personnel records. 
Sec. 11275. Study on Special Victims’ Counsel program. 
TITLE CXIII—ENVIRONMENT 
Subtitle A—Marine Mammals 
Sec. 11301. Definitions. 
Sec. 11302. Assistance to ports to reduce impacts of vessel traffic and port oper-
ations on marine mammals. 
Sec. 11303. Near real-time monitoring and mitigation program for large 
cetaceans. 
Sec. 11304. Pilot program to establish a Cetacean Desk for Puget Sound region. 
Sec. 11305. Monitoring ocean soundscapes. 
Subtitle B—Oil Spills 
Sec. 11306. Report on changing salvors. 
Sec. 11307. Limited indemnity provisions in standby oil spill response contracts. 
Sec. 11308. Improving oil spill preparedness. 
Sec. 11309. Western Alaska oil spill planning criteria. 
Sec. 11310. Coast Guard claims processing costs. 
Sec. 11311. Calculation of interest on debt owed to national pollution fund. 
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Sec. 11312. Per-incident limitation. 
Sec. 11313. Access to Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund. 
Sec. 11314. Cost-reimbursable agreements. 
Sec. 11315. Oil spill response review. 
Sec. 11316. Additional exceptions to regulations for towing vessels. 
Sec. 11317. Port Coordination Council for Point Spencer. 
Subtitle C—Environmental Compliance 
Sec. 11318. Providing requirements for vessels anchored in established anchorage 
grounds. 
Sec. 11319. Study on impacts on shipping and commercial, Tribal, and rec-
reational fisheries from development of renewable energy on West 
Coast. 
Sec. 11320. Use of devices broadcasting on AIS for purposes of marking fishing 
gear. 
Subtitle D—Environmental Issues 
Sec. 11321. Notification of communication outages. 
Sec. 11322. Improvements to communication with fishing industry and related 
stakeholders. 
Sec. 11323. Advance notification of military or other exercises. 
Sec. 11324. Modifications to Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund ad-
ministration. 
Sec. 11325. Load lines. 
Sec. 11326. Actions by National Marine Fisheries Service to increase energy pro-
duction. 
Sec. 11327. Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force. 
Sec. 11328. Safety standards. 
Subtitle E—Illegal Fishing and Forced Labor Prevention 
Sec. 11329. Definitions. 
CHAPTER 1—COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING THROUGH SEAFOOD IMPORT 
MONITORING 
Sec. 11330. Enhancement of Seafood Import Monitoring Program Message Set in 
Automated Commercial Environment system. 
Sec. 11331. Data sharing and aggregation. 
Sec. 11332. Import audits. 
Sec. 11333. Availability of fisheries information. 
Sec. 11334. Report on Seafood Import Monitoring Program. 
Sec. 11335. Authorization of appropriations. 
CHAPTER 2—STRENGTHENING INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES MANAGEMENT TO 
COMBAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING 
Sec. 11336. Denial of port privileges. 
Sec. 11337. Identification and certification criteria. 
Sec. 11338. Equivalent conservation measures. 
Sec. 11339. Capacity building in foreign fisheries. 
Sec. 11340. Training of United States observers. 
Sec. 11341. Regulations. 
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TITLE CXIV—SUPPORT FOR COAST GUARD WORKFORCE 
Subtitle A—Support for Coast Guard Members and Families 
Sec. 11401. Coast Guard child care improvements. 
Sec. 11402. Armed Forces access to Coast Guard child development services. 
Sec. 11403. Cadet pregnancy policy improvements. 
Sec. 11404. Combat-related special compensation. 
Sec. 11405. Study on food security. 
Subtitle B—Healthcare 
Sec. 11406. Development of medical staffing standards for Coast Guard. 
Sec. 11407. Healthcare system review and strategic plan. 
Sec. 11408. Data collection and access to care. 
Sec. 11409. Behavioral health policy. 
Sec. 11410. Members asserting post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain 
injury. 
Sec. 11411. Improvements to Physical Disability Evaluation System and transi-
tion program. 
Sec. 11412. Expansion of access to counseling. 
Sec. 11413. Expansion of postgraduate opportunities for members of Coast Guard 
in medical and related fields. 
Sec. 11414. Study on Coast Guard medical facilities needs. 
Sec. 11415. Study on Coast Guard telemedicine program. 
Subtitle C—Housing 
Sec. 11416. Study on Coast Guard housing access, cost, and challenges. 
Sec. 11417. Audit of certain military housing conditions of enlisted members of 
Coast Guard in Key West, Florida. 
Sec. 11418. Study on Coast Guard housing authorities and privatized housing. 
Sec. 11419. Strategy to improve quality of life at remote units. 
Subtitle D—Other Matters 
Sec. 11420. Report on availability of emergency supplies for Coast Guard per-
sonnel. 
Sec. 11421. Fleet mix analysis and shore infrastructure investment plan. 
TITLE CXV—MARITIME 
Subtitle A—Vessel Safety 
Sec. 11501. Responses to safety recommendations. 
Sec. 11502. Requirements for DUKW amphibious passenger vessels. 
Sec. 11503. Exoneration and limitation of liability for small passenger vessels. 
Sec. 11504. At-sea recovery operations pilot program. 
Sec. 11505. Historic wood sailing vessels. 
Sec. 11506. Certificates of numbers for undocumented vessels. 
Sec. 11507. Comptroller General review and report on Coast Guard oversight of 
third-party organizations. 
Sec. 11508. Articulated tug-barge manning. 
Sec. 11509. Fishing vessel safety. 
Sec. 11510. Exemptions for certain passenger vessels. 
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Subtitle B—Merchant Mariner Credentialing 
Sec. 11511. Modernizing merchant mariner credentialing system. 
Sec. 11512. Assessment regarding application process for merchant mariner cre-
dentials. 
Sec. 11513. GAO report. 
Sec. 11514. Military to Mariners Act of 2022. 
Sec. 11515. Definitions. 
Subtitle C—Other Matters 
Sec. 11516. Nonoperating individual. 
Sec. 11517. Oceanographic research vessels. 
Sec. 11518. Port access routes briefing. 
Sec. 11519. Definition of stateless vessel. 
Sec. 11520. Limitation on recovery for certain injuries incurred in aquaculture 
activities. 
Sec. 11521. Report on securing vessels and cargo. 
Sec. 11522. Report on enforcement of coastwise laws. 
Sec. 11523. Land conveyance, Sharpe Army Depot, Lathrop, California. 
Sec. 11524. Prohibition on entry and operation. 
Sec. 11525. Floating dry docks. 
Sec. 11526. Updated requirements for fishing crew agreements. 
TITLE CXVI—SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT 
PREVENTION AND RESPONSE 
Sec. 11601. Definitions. 
Sec. 11602. Convicted sex offender as grounds for denial. 
Sec. 11603. Sexual harassment or sexual assault as grounds for suspension or rev-
ocation. 
Sec. 11604. Accommodation; notices. 
Sec. 11605. Protection against discrimination. 
Sec. 11606. Alcohol at sea. 
Sec. 11607. Surveillance requirements. 
Sec. 11608. Master key control. 
Sec. 11609. Requirement to report sexual assault and harassment. 
Sec. 11610. Safety management system. 
Sec. 11611. Reports to Congress. 
TITLE CXVII—NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC 
ADMINISTRATION 
Subtitle A—National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned 
Officer Corps 
Sec. 11701. Definitions. 
Sec. 11702. Requirement for appointments. 
Sec. 11703. Repeal of requirement to promote ensigns after 3 years of service. 
Sec. 11704. Authority to provide awards and decorations. 
Sec. 11705. Retirement and separation. 
Sec. 11706. Improving professional mariner staffing. 
Sec. 11707. Legal assistance. 
Sec. 11708. Acquisition of aircraft for agency air, atmosphere, and weather recon-
naissance and research mission. 
Sec. 11709. Report on professional mariner staffing models. 
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Subtitle B—Other Matters 
Sec. 11710. Conveyance of certain property of National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration in Juneau, Alaska. 
TITLE CXVIII—TECHNICAL, CONFORMING, AND CLARIFYING 
AMENDMENTS 
Sec. 11801. Terms and vacancies. 
Sec. 11802. Passenger vessel security and safety requirements. 
Sec. 11803. Technical corrections. 
Sec. 11804. Transportation worker identification credential technical amend-
ments. 
Sec. 11805. Reinstatement. 
Sec. 11806. Determination of budgetary effects. 
Sec. 11807. Technical amendment. 
Sec. 11808. Lighthouse service amendments. 
SEC. 11002. DEFINITIONS. 
In this division: 
(1) COMMANDANT.—The term ‘‘Commandant’’ 
means the Commandant of the Coast Guard. 
(2) SECRETARY.—Except as otherwise provided, 
the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of the de-
partment in which the Coast Guard is operating. 
SEC. 11003. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this division may be 
construed— 
(1) to satisfy any requirement for government-to- 
government consultation with Tribal governments; or 
(2) to affect or modify any treaty or other right 
of any Tribal government. 
(b) TRIBAL GOVERNMENT DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘Tribal government’’ means the recognized gov-
erning body of any Indian or Alaska Native Tribe, band, 
nation, pueblo, village, community, component band, or 
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component reservation, individually identified (including 
parenthetically) in the list published most recently as of the 
date of the enactment of this Act pursuant to section 104 
of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 
(25 U.S.C. 5131). 
TITLE CXI—AUTHORIZATIONS 
SEC. 11101. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
Section 4902 of title 14, United States Code, is amend-
ed— 
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by 
striking ‘‘fiscal years 2020 and 2021’’ and inserting 
‘‘fiscal years 2022 and 2023’’; 
(2) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A) by striking clauses 
(i) and (ii) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(i) $10,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; 
and 
‘‘(ii) $10,750,000,000 for fiscal year 2023.’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (B) by striking 
‘‘$17,035,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$23,456,000’’; and 
(C) in subparagraph (C) by striking ‘‘, 
(A)(ii) $17,376,000’’ and inserting ‘‘(A)(ii), 
$24,353,000’’; 
(3) in paragraph (2)— 
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(A) in subparagraph (A) by striking clauses 
(i) and (ii) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(i) $3,312,114,000 for fiscal year 2022; 
and 
‘‘(ii) $3,477,600,000 for fiscal year 2023.’’; 
and 
(B) in subparagraph (B) by striking clauses 
(i) and (ii) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(i) $20,400,000 for fiscal year 2022; and 
‘‘(ii) $20,808,000 for fiscal year 2023.’’; 
(4) in paragraph (3) by striking subparagraphs 
(A) and (B) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) $7,476,000 for fiscal year 2022; and 
‘‘(B) $14,681,084 for fiscal year 2023.’’; and 
(5) in paragraph (4) by striking subparagraphs 
(A) and (B) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) $240,577,000 for fiscal year 2022; and 
‘‘(B) $252,887,000 for fiscal year 2023.’’. 
SEC. 11102. AUTHORIZED LEVELS OF MILITARY STRENGTH 
AND TRAINING. 
Section 4904 of title 14, United States Code, is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (a) by striking ‘‘fiscal years 
2020 and 2021’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal years 2022 and 
2023’’; and 
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(2) in subsection (b) by striking ‘‘fiscal years 
2020 and 2021’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal years 2022 and 
2023’’. 
SEC. 11103. AUTHORIZATION FOR CERTAIN PROGRAMS AND 
SERVICES. 
Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under 
section 4902(1)(A) of title 14, United States Code, there are 
authorized to the Commandant for each of fiscal years 2022 
and 2023— 
(1) $25,000,000 for the child care subsidy pro-
gram as established under section 11401and any ad-
ditional eligible uses established by the Commandant 
under the amendment made by subsection (c) of sec-
tion 11401; 
(2) $1,300,000 for expansion of behavioral health 
services in the Coast Guard under section 11412; 
(3) $3,000,000 for the Aqua Alert Notification 
System pilot program established under section 
11207; and 
(4) $1,000,000 to prepare the evaluation of re-
quirements for the Arctic Security Cutter. 
SEC. 11104. AVAILABILITY OF AMOUNTS FOR ACQUISITION 
OF ADDITIONAL VESSELS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Of the amounts authorized to be 
appropriated under section 4902(2)(A)(ii) of title 14, 
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United States Code, as amended by section 11101, for fiscal 
year 2023— 
(1) $300,000,000 shall be authorized for the ac-
quisition of a twelfth National Security Cutter; 
(2) $420,000,000 shall be authorized for the ac-
quisition of 6 Fast Response Cutters; 
(3) $172,500,000 is authorized for the program 
management, design, and acquisition of 12 Pacific 
Northwest heavy weather boats that are at least as ca-
pable as the Coast Guard 52-foot motor surfboat; 
(4) $167,200,000 is authorized for the third 
Polar Security Cutter; 
(5) $150,000,000 is authorized for the acquisi-
tion or procurement of an available icebreaker (as 
such term is defined under section 11223); 
(6) for fiscal year 2022, $350,000,000 shall be 
authorized for the acquisition of a Great Lakes ice-
breaker at least as capable as Coast Guard cutter 
Mackinaw (WLBB–30); 
(7) in addition to amounts authorized under 
paragraph (6), $20,000,000 shall be authorized for the 
design and selection of icebreaking cutters for oper-
ation in the Great Lakes, the Northeastern United 
States, and the Arctic as appropriate, that are at 
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least as capable as the Coast Guard 140-foot 
icebreaking tugs; and 
(8) $650,000,000 is authorized for the continued 
acquisition of Offshore Patrol Cutters. 
(b) TREATMENT OF ACQUIRED CUTTER.—Any cutter 
acquired using amounts authorized under subsection (a) 
shall be in addition to the National Security Cutters and 
Fast Response Cutters approved under the existing acquisi-
tion baseline in the program of record for the National Se-
curity Cutter and Fast Response Cutter. 
SEC. 11105. SHORESIDE INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Of the amounts authorized to be 
appropriated under section 4902(2)(A) of title 14, United 
States Code— 
(1) for each of fiscal years 2022 and 2023, 
$1,000,000,000 is authorized to fund maintenance, 
construction, and repairs for Coast Guard shoreside 
infrastructure; and 
(2) for fiscal year 2023, $127,000,000 is author-
ized for improvements to facilities of the Coast Guard 
Yard. 
(b) SET-ASIDES.—Of the amounts authorized under 
subsection (a)(1)— 
(1) up to $60,000,000 is authorized to fund 
Phase I, in fiscal year 2022, and $60,000,000 is au-
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thorized to fund Phase II, in fiscal year 2023, for the 
recapitalization of the barracks at the United States 
Coast Guard Training Center Cape May in Cape 
May, New Jersey; 
(2) $67,500,000 is authorized for the construc-
tion of additional new child care development centers 
not constructed using funds authorized by title V of 
the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public 
Law 117–58); and 
(3) up to $1,200,000 is authorized to— 
(A) complete repairs to the United States 
Coast Guard Station, New York, waterfront, in-
cluding repairs to the concrete pier; and 
(B) replace floating piers Alpha and Bravo, 
the South Breakwater and Ice Screen, the North 
Breakwater and Ice Screen and the seawall. 
(c) MITIGATION OF HAZARD RISKS.—In carrying out 
projects with funds authorized under subsection (a), the 
Coast Guard shall mitigate, to the greatest extent prac-
ticable, natural hazard risks identified in any Shore Infra-
structure Vulnerability Assessment for Phase I related to 
such projects. 
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SEC. 11106. COAST GUARD YARD RESILIENT INFRASTRUC-
TURE AND CONSTRUCTION IMPROVEMENT. 
There is authorized to appropriated for the period of 
fiscal years 2023 through 2028 for the Secretary— 
(1) $273,000,000 for the purposes of improve-
ments to facilities of the Coast Guard Yard; and 
(2) $236,000,000 for the acquisition of a new 
floating drydock at the Yard. 
TITLE CXII—COAST GUARD 
Subtitle A—Infrastructure and 
Assets 
SEC. 11201. REPORT ON SHORESIDE INFRASTRUCTURE AND 
FACILITIES PROJECTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not less frequently than annually, 
the Commandant shall submit to the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
House of Representatives a report that includes— 
(1) a detailed list of Coast Guard shoreside in-
frastructure projects contemplated in each Coast 
Guard Sector area of responsibility and planned 
within the 7 years following the submission of the an-
nual report for all Coast Guard facilities located 
within each Coast Guard Sector area of responsibility 
in the order of priority, including recapitalization, 
maintenance needs in excess of $100,000, dredging, 
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and other shoreside infrastructure needs of the Coast 
Guard; 
(2) the estimated cost of projects to fulfill each 
project, to the extent available; and 
(3) a general description of the state of planning, 
including design and engineering, for each such 
project. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The report submitted under sub-
section (a) shall include all unfunded shoreside infrastruc-
ture and facility priorities meeting the criteria under sub-
section (a) recommended to the Commandant for consider-
ation for inclusion in the unfunded priority list report to 
Congress under section 5108 of title 14, United States Code, 
regardless of whether the unfunded shoreside infrastructure 
project is included in the final annual unfunded priority 
list to Congress. 
SEC. 11202. REPORT AND BRIEFING ON RESOURCING 
STRATEGY FOR WESTERN PACIFIC REGION. 
(a) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Commandant, 
in consultation with the Coast Guard Commander of 
the Pacific Area, the Commander of United States 
Indo-Pacific Command, and the Under Secretary of 
Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, shall submit 
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to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Trans-
portation of the Senate and the Committee on Trans-
portation and Infrastructure of the House of Rep-
resentatives a report outlining the resourcing needs of 
the Coast Guard to achieve optimum operations in 
the Western Pacific region. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required under 
paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) An assessment of the risks and associ-
ated needs— 
(i) to United States strategic maritime 
interests, in particular such interests in 
areas west of the International Date Line, 
including risks to bilateral maritime part-
ners of the United States, posed by not fully 
staffing and equipping Coast Guard oper-
ations in the Western Pacific region; 
(ii) to the Coast Guard mission and 
force posed by not fully staffing and equip-
ping Coast Guard operations in the Western 
Pacific region; and 
(iii) to support the call of the Presi-
dent, as set forth in the Indo-Pacific Strat-
egy, to expand Coast Guard presence and 
cooperation in Southeast Asia, South Asia, 
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and the Pacific Islands, with a focus on ad-
vising, training, deployment, and capacity 
building. 
(B) A description of the additional re-
sources, including shoreside resources, required to 
fully implement the needs described in subpara-
graph (A), including the United States commit-
ment to bilateral fisheries law enforcement in the 
Pacific Ocean. 
(C) A description of the operational and 
personnel assets required and a dispersal plan 
for available and projected future Coast Guard 
cutters and aviation forces to conduct optimum 
operations in the Western Pacific region. 
(D) An analysis with respect to whether a 
national security cutter or fast response cutter 
located at a United States military installation 
in a foreign country in the Western Pacific re-
gion would enhance United States national secu-
rity, partner country capacity building, and 
prevention and effective response to illegal, unre-
ported, and unregulated fishing. 
(E) An assessment of the benefits and asso-
ciated costs involved in— 
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(i) increasing staffing of Coast Guard 
personnel within the command elements of 
United States Indo-Pacific Command or 
subordinate commands; and 
(ii) designating a Coast Guard patrol 
force under the direct authority of the Com-
mander of the United States Indo-Pacific 
Command with associated forward-based as-
sets and personnel. 
(F) An identification of any additional au-
thority necessary, including proposals for legisla-
tive change, to meet the needs identified in ac-
cordance with subparagraphs (A) through (E) 
and any other mission requirement in the West-
ern Pacific region. 
(3) FORM.—The report required under para-
graph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form but 
may include a classified annex. 
(b) BRIEFING.—Not later than 60 days after the date 
on which the Commandant submits the report under sub-
section (a), the Commandant, or a designated individual, 
shall provide to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Trans-
portation and Infrastructure of the House of Representa-
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tives a briefing on the findings and conclusions of such re-
port. 
SEC. 11203. STUDY AND REPORT ON NATIONAL SECURITY 
AND DRUG TRAFFICKING THREATS IN FLOR-
IDA STRAITS, CUBA, AND CARIBBEAN REGION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commandant shall conduct a 
study on threats to national security, drug trafficking, and 
other relevant threats the Commandant considers appro-
priate in the Florida Straits and Caribbean region, includ-
ing Cuba. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The study required under subsection 
(a) shall include the following: 
(1) An assessment of— 
(A) new technology and evasive maneuvers 
used by transnational criminal organizations to 
evade detection and interdiction by Coast Guard 
law enforcement units and interagency partners; 
and 
(B) capability gaps of the Coast Guard with 
respect to— 
(i) the detection and interdiction of il-
licit drugs in the Florida Straits and Car-
ibbean region, including Cuba; and 
(ii) the detection of national security 
threats in such region. 
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(2) An identification of— 
(A) the critical technological advancements 
required for the Coast Guard to meet current 
and anticipated threats in such region; 
(B) the capabilities required to enhance in-
formation sharing and coordination between the 
Coast Guard and interagency partners, foreign 
governments, and related civilian entities; and 
(C) any significant developing threats to the 
United States posed by illicit actors in such re-
gion. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall submit to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and In-
frastructure of the House of Representatives a report on the 
results of the study under subsection (a). 
SEC. 11204. COAST GUARD YARD. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—With respect to the Coast Guard 
Yard, the uses of the amounts authorized under sections 
11105(a)(2) and 11106 are to— 
(1) improve resilience and capacity; 
(2) maintain and expand Coast Guard organic 
manufacturing capacity; 
(3) expand training and recruitment; 
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(4) enhance safety; 
(5) improve environmental compliance; and 
(6) ensure that the Coast Guard Yard is pre-
pared to meet the growing needs of the modern Coast 
Guard fleet. 
(b) INCLUSIONS.—The Secretary shall ensure that the 
Coast Guard Yard receives improvements that include the 
following: 
(1) Facilities upgrades needed to improve resil-
ience of the shipyard, its facilities, and associated in-
frastructure. 
(2) Acquisition of a large-capacity drydock. 
(3) Improvements to piers and wharves, dry-
docks, and capital equipment utilities. 
(4) Environmental remediation. 
(5) Construction of a new warehouse and paint 
facility. 
(6) Acquisition of a new travel lift. 
(7) Dredging necessary to facilitate access to the 
Coast Guard Yard. 
(c) WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN.—Not later 
than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Commandant shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Com-
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mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House 
of Representatives, a workforce development plan that— 
(1) outlines the workforce needs of the Coast 
Guard Yard with respect to civilian employees and 
active duty members of the Coast Guard, including 
engineers, individuals engaged in trades, cyber spe-
cialists, and other personnel necessary to meet the 
evolving mission set of the Coast Guard Yard; and 
(2) includes recommendations for Congress with 
respect to the authorities, training, funding, and ci-
vilian and active-duty recruitment, including the re-
cruitment of women and underrepresented minorities, 
necessary to meet workforce needs of the Coast Guard 
Yard for the 10-year period beginning on the date of 
submission of the plan. 
SEC. 11205. AUTHORITY TO ENTER INTO TRANSACTIONS 
OTHER THAN CONTRACTS AND GRANTS TO 
PROCURE 
COST-EFFECTIVE 
TECHNOLOGY 
FOR MISSION NEEDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter III of chapter 11 of 
title 14, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
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‘‘§ 1158. Authority to enter into transactions other 
than contracts and grants to procure cost- 
effective, advanced technology for mis-
sion-critical needs 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsections (b) and (c), 
the Commandant may enter into transactions (other than 
contracts, cooperative agreements, and grants) to operate, 
test, and acquire cost-effective technology for the purpose of 
meeting the mission needs of the Coast Guard. 
‘‘(b) OPERATION, TESTING, AND ACQUISITION.—Oper-
ation, testing, and acquisition of technologies under sub-
section (a) shall be— 
‘‘(1) carried out in accordance with Coast Guard 
policies and guidance; and 
‘‘(2) consistent with the operational requirements 
of the Coast Guard. 
‘‘(c) LIMITATIONS.—The Commandant may not enter 
into a transaction under subsection (a) with respect to a 
technology that— 
‘‘(1) does not comply with the cybersecurity 
standards of the Coast Guard; or 
‘‘(2) is sourced from an entity domiciled in the 
People’s Republic of China, unless the Commandant 
determines that the prototype or procurement of such 
a technology is for the purpose of— 
‘‘(A) counter-UAS or surrogate testing; or 
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‘‘(B) intelligence, electronic warfare, and 
information warfare, testing, and analysis. 
‘‘(d) EDUCATION AND TRAINING.—The Commandant 
shall ensure that management, technical, and contracting 
personnel of the Coast Guard involved in the award or ad-
ministration of transactions under this section are provided 
adequate education and training with respect to the author-
ity under this section. 
‘‘(e) REGULATIONS.—The Commandant shall prescribe 
regulations as necessary to carry out this section. 
‘‘(f) COUNTER-UAS DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘counter-UAS’ has the meaning given such term in 
section 44801 of title 49.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis for chapter 
11 of title 14, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 1157 the following: 
‘‘1158. Authority to enter into transactions other than contracts and grants to 
procure cost-effective, advanced technology for mission-critical 
needs.’’. 
(c) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 5 years after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Com-
mandant shall submit to the appropriate committees 
of Congress a report that— 
(A) describes the use of the authority pursu-
ant to section 1158 of title 14, United States 
Code (as added by this section); and 
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(B) assesses the mission and operational 
benefits of such authority. 
(2) APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CONGRESS 
DEFINED.—In this subsection, the term ‘‘appropriate 
committees of Congress’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate; and 
(B) the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives. 
SEC. 11206. IMPROVEMENTS TO INFRASTRUCTURE AND OP-
ERATIONS PLANNING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall incorporate 
the most recent oceanic and atmospheric data relating to 
the increasing rates of extreme weather, including flooding, 
into planning scenarios for Coast Guard infrastructure and 
mission deployments with respect to all Coast Guard Mis-
sions. 
(b) COORDINATION WITH NATIONAL OCEANIC AND AT-
MOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION.—In carrying out subsection 
(a), the Commandant shall— 
(1) coordinate with the Under Secretary of Com-
merce for Oceans and Atmosphere to ensure the incor-
poration of the most recent environmental and cli-
matic data; and 
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(2) request technical assistance and advice from 
the Under Secretary in planning scenarios, as appro-
priate. 
(c) BRIEFING.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall provide to 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a briefing on 
the manner in which the best-available science from the Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has been 
incorporated into at least 1 key mission area of the Coast 
Guard, and the lessons learned from incorporating such 
science. 
SEC. 11207. AQUA ALERT NOTIFICATION SYSTEM PILOT 
PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall, sub-
ject to the availability of appropriations, establish a pilot 
program to improve the issuance of alerts to facilitate co-
operation with the public to render aid to distressed indi-
viduals under section 521 of title 14, United States Code. 
(b) PILOT PROGRAM CONTENTS.—In carrying out the 
pilot program established under subsection (a), the Com-
mandant shall, to the maximum extent possible— 
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(1) include a voluntary opt-in program under 
which members of the public, as appropriate, and the 
entities described in subsection (c), may receive notifi-
cations on cellular devices regarding Coast Guard ac-
tivities to render aid to distressed individuals under 
section 521 of title 14, United States Code; 
(2) cover areas located within the area of respon-
sibility of 3 different Coast Guard sectors in diverse 
geographic regions; and 
(3) provide that the dissemination of an alert 
shall be limited to the geographic areas most likely to 
facilitate the rendering of aid to distressed individ-
uals. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—In developing the pilot program 
under subsection (a), the Commandant shall consult— 
(1) the head of any relevant Federal agency; 
(2) the government of any relevant State; 
(3) any Tribal Government; 
(4) the government of any relevant territory or 
possession of the United States; and 
(5) any relevant political subdivision of an enti-
ty described in paragraph (2), (3), or (4). 
(d) REPORT TO CONGRESS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, and annually there-
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after through 2026, the Commandant shall submit to 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate and the Committee on Transpor-
tation and Infrastructure of the House of Representa-
tives a report on the implementation of this section. 
(2) PUBLIC
AVAILABILITY.—The Commandant 
shall make the report submitted under paragraph (1) 
available to the public. 
SEC. 11208. PILOT PROJECT FOR ENHANCING COAST 
GUARD CUTTER READINESS THROUGH CON-
DITION-BASED MAINTENANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall con-
duct a pilot project to enhance cutter readiness and reduce 
lost patrol days through the deployment of condition-based 
program standards for cutter maintenance, in accordance 
with the criteria set forth in subsection (b). 
(b) CRITERIA FOR CONDITION-BASED MAINTENANCE 
EVALUATION.—In conducting the pilot project under sub-
section (a), the Commandant, in cooperation with govern-
ment and industry partners, shall— 
(1) select at least 1 class of cutters under con-
struction with respect to which the application of the 
pilot project would enhance readiness; 
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(2) use condition-based program standards 
which incorporate artificial, intelligence, prognostic 
based maintenance planning; 
(3) create and model a full ship digital twin for 
the cutters selected under paragraph (1); 
(4) install or modify instrumentation capable of 
producing full hull, mechanical, and electrical data 
necessary to analyze cutter operational conditions 
with active maintenance alerts; and 
(5) evaluate and weight efficacy of potential 
emergent repairs as well as planned depot mainte-
nance activities. 
(c) CONSIDERATION.—Prior to developing the pilot 
project in this section, the Commandant shall evaluate com-
mercially available products, technology, applications, 
standards, and technology for development and implemen-
tation of the pilot program. 
(d) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The Commandant shall 
submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Trans-
portation of the Senate and the Committee on Transpor-
tation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives— 
(1) an interim report not later than 12 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act on the progress 
in carrying out the pilot project described in sub-
section (a); and 
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(2) a final report not later than 3 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act on the results of the 
pilot project described in subsection (a) that in-
cludes— 
(A) options to integrate condition-based 
program standards with prognostic based main-
tenance planning to Coast Guard cutters; and 
(B) plans to deploy condition-based pro-
gram standards with prognostic based mainte-
nance planning to Coast Guard cutters. 
SEC. 11209. STUDY ON LAYDOWN OF COAST GUARD CUT-
TERS. 
Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall conduct a study on the 
laydown of Coast Guard Fast Response Cutters to assess 
Coast Guard mission readiness and to identify areas of need 
for asset coverage. 
SEC. 11210. ACQUISITION LIFE-CYCLE COST ESTIMATES. 
Section 1132(e) of title 14, United States Code, is 
amended by striking paragraphs (2) and (3) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(2) TYPES OF ESTIMATES.—For each Level 1 or 
Level 2 acquisition project or program, in addition to 
life-cycle cost estimates developed under paragraph 
(1), the Commandant shall require that— 
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‘‘(A) life-cycle cost estimates developed 
under paragraph (1) be updated before— 
‘‘(i) each milestone decision is con-
cluded; and 
‘‘(ii) the project or program enters a 
new acquisition phase; and 
‘‘(B) an independent cost estimate or inde-
pendent cost assessment, as appropriate, be de-
veloped to validate life-cycle cost estimates devel-
oped under paragraph (1).’’. 
SEC. 11211. DISPOSITION OF INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED 
TO E–LORAN. 
Section 914 of title 14, United States Code, is amended 
to read as follows: 
‘‘§ 914. Disposition of infrastructure related to E– 
LORAN 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law, the Commandant may dismantle or dispose of 
any real or personal property under the administrative con-
trol of the Coast Guard and used for the LORAN–C system. 
‘‘(b) RESTRICTION.—No action described in subsection 
(a) may be taken unless and until— 
‘‘(1) the Commandant notifies the Secretary of 
Transportation and the Secretary of Defense in writ-
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ing of the proposed dismantling or disposal of a 
LORAN–C system; and 
‘‘(2) a period of 90 calendar days expires fol-
lowing the day on which the notice has been sub-
mitted. 
‘‘(c) RECEIPT OF NOTIFICATION.—If, not later than 90 
calendar days of receipt of the written notification under 
subsection (b), the Secretary of Transportation or the Sec-
retary of Defense notifies the Commandant, in writing, of 
a determination under section 312(d) of title 49 that the 
property is required to provide a positioning, navigation, 
and timing system to provide redundant capability in the 
event the Global Positioning System signals are disrupted, 
the Commandant shall transfer the property to the Depart-
ment of Transportation without any consideration. 
‘‘(d) NOTIFICATION EXPIRATION.—If, at the end of the 
90 calendar day period no notification under subsection (b) 
has been received, the Commandant shall notify the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Com-
mittee on Appropriations in the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate 
that the period in subsection (b)(2) has expired, and may 
proceed with the dismantling and disposal of the personal 
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property, and disposing of the real property in accordance 
with section 2945 of this title. 
‘‘(e) EXCEPTION.—The prohibition on actions in sub-
section (b) does not apply to actions necessary for the safety 
of human life.’’. 
Subtitle B—Great Lakes 
SEC. 11212. GREAT LAKES WINTER COMMERCE. 
(a) GREAT LAKES ICEBREAKING OPERATIONS.— 
(1) GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE RE-
PORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall 
submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 
the House of Representatives a report on Coast 
Guard icebreaking in the Great Lakes. 
(B) ELEMENTS.—The report required under 
subparagraph (A) shall evaluate— 
(i) the economic impact of vessel delays 
or cancellations associated with ice coverage 
on the Great Lakes; 
(ii) mission needs of the Coast Guard 
Great Lakes icebreaking program; 
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(iii) the impact that the proposed 
standards described in paragraph (2) would 
have on— 
(I) Coast Guard operations in the 
Great Lakes; 
(II) Northeast icebreaking mis-
sions; and 
(III) inland waterway operations; 
(iv) a fleet mix analysis for meeting 
such proposed standards; 
(v) a description of the resources nec-
essary to support the fleet mix resulting 
from such fleet mix analysis, including bil-
lets for crew and operating costs; and 
(vi) recommendations to the Com-
mandant for Improvements to the Great 
Lakes icebreaking program, including with 
respect to facilitating commerce and meet-
ing all Coast Guard mission needs. 
(2) PROPOSED
STANDARDS
FOR
ICEBREAKING 
OPERATIONS.—The proposed standards described in 
this subsection are the following: 
(A) Except as provided in subparagraph 
(B), the Commandant shall keep ice-covered wa-
terways in the Great Lakes open to navigation 
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during not less than 90 percent of the hours that 
commercial vessels and ferries attempt to transit 
such ice-covered waterways. 
(B) In a year in which the Great Lakes are 
not open to navigation, because of ice of a thick-
ness that occurs on average only once every 10 
years, the Commandant shall keep ice-covered 
waterways in the Great Lakes open to naviga-
tion during not less than 70 percent of the hours 
that commercial vessels and ferries attempt to 
transit such ice-covered waterways. 
(3) REPORT BY COMMANDANT.—Not later than 
90 days after the date on which the Comptroller Gen-
eral submits the report under paragraph (1), the 
Commandant shall submit to the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
of the House of Representatives a report that includes 
the following: 
(A) A plan for Coast Guard implementation 
of any recommendation made by the Comptroller 
General under paragraph (1)(B)(ii) that the 
Commandant considers appropriate. 
(B) With respect to any recommendation 
made under such paragraph that the Com-
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mandant declines to implement and a justifica-
tion for such decision. 
(C) A review of, and a proposed implemen-
tation plan for, the results of the fleet mix anal-
ysis under paragraph (1)(B)(iv). 
(D) Any proposed modifications to the 
standards for icebreaking operations in the Great 
Lakes. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COMMERCIAL VESSEL.—The term ‘‘commer-
cial vessel’’ means any privately owned cargo vessel 
operating in the Great Lakes during the winter sea-
son of at least 500 tons, as measured under section 
14502 of title 46, or an alternate tonnage measured 
under section 14302 of such title, as prescribed by the 
Secretary under section 14104 of such title. 
(2) GREAT
LAKES.—The term ‘‘Great Lakes’’ 
means the United States waters of Lake Superior, 
Lake Michigan, Lake Huron (including Lake St. 
Clair), Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario, their connecting 
waterways, and their adjacent harbors, and the con-
necting channels (including the following rivers and 
tributaries of such rivers: Saint Mary’s River, Saint 
Clair River, Detroit River, Niagara River, Illinois 
River, Chicago River, Fox River, Grand River, St. 
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Joseph River, St. Louis River, Menominee River, 
Muskegon River, Kalamazoo River, and Saint Law-
rence River to the Canadian border). 
(3) ICE-COVERED
WATERWAY.—The term ‘‘ice- 
covered waterway’’ means any portion of the Great 
Lakes in which commercial vessels or ferries operate 
that is 70 percent or greater covered by ice, but does 
not include any waters adjacent to piers or docks for 
which commercial icebreaking services are available 
and adequate for the ice conditions. 
(4) OPEN TO NAVIGATION.—The term ‘‘open to 
navigation’’ means navigable to the extent necessary, 
in no particular order of priority, to meet the reason-
able demands of commerce, minimize delays to pas-
senger ferries, extricate vessels and individuals from 
danger, prevent damage due to flooding, and conduct 
other Coast Guard missions (as required). 
(5) REASONABLE DEMANDS OF COMMERCE.—The 
term ‘‘reasonable demands of commerce’’ means the 
safe movement of commercial vessels and ferries 
transiting ice-covered waterways in the Great Lakes, 
regardless of type of cargo, at a speed consistent with 
the design capability of Coast Guard icebreakers oper-
ating in the Great Lakes and appropriate to the ice 
capability of the commercial vessel. 
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SEC. 11213. DATABASE ON ICEBREAKING OPERATIONS IN 
GREAT LAKES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commandant shall establish 
and maintain a database for collecting, archiving, and dis-
seminating data on icebreaking operations and commercial 
vessel and ferry transit in the Great Lakes during ice sea-
son. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The database required under sub-
section (a) shall include the following: 
(1) Attempts by commercial vessels and ferries to 
transit ice-covered waterways in the Great Lakes that 
are unsuccessful because of inadequate icebreaking. 
(2) The period of time that each commercial ves-
sel or ferry was unsuccessful at transit described in 
paragraph (1) due to inadequate icebreaking. 
(3) The amount of time elapsed before each such 
commercial vessel or ferry was successfully broken out 
of the ice and whether it was accomplished by the 
Coast Guard or by commercial icebreaking assets. 
(4) Relevant communications of each such com-
mercial vessel or ferry with the Coast Guard and with 
commercial icebreaking services during such period. 
(5) A description of any mitigating cir-
cumstance, such as Coast Guard icebreaker diversions 
to higher priority missions, that may have contrib-
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uted to the amount of time described in paragraph 
(3). 
(c) VOLUNTARY REPORTING.—Any reporting by opera-
tors of commercial vessels or ferries under this section shall 
be voluntary. 
(d) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—The Commandant shall 
make the database available to the public on a publicly ac-
cessible website of the Coast Guard. 
(e) CONSULTATION WITH INDUSTRY.—With respect to 
the Great Lakes icebreaking operations of the Coast Guard 
and the development of the database required under sub-
section (a), the Commandant shall consult operators of com-
mercial vessels and ferries. 
(f) PUBLIC REPORT.—Not later than July 1 after the 
first winter in which the Commandant is subject to the re-
quirements of section 564 of title 14, United States Code, 
the Commandant shall publish on a publicly accessible 
website of the Coast Guard a report on the cost to the Coast 
Guard of meeting the requirements of such section. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COMMERCIAL VESSEL.—The term ‘‘commer-
cial vessel’’ means any privately owned cargo vessel 
operating in the Great Lakes during the winter sea-
son of at least 500 tons, as measured under section 
14502 of title 46, United States Code, or an alternate 
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tonnage measured under section 14302 of such title, 
as prescribed by the Secretary under section 14104 of 
such title. 
(2) GREAT
LAKES.—The term ‘‘Great Lakes’’ 
means the United States waters of Lake Superior, 
Lake Michigan, Lake Huron (including Lake St. 
Clair), Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario, their connecting 
waterways, and their adjacent harbors, and the con-
necting channels (including the following rivers and 
tributaries of such rivers: Saint Mary’s River, Saint 
Clair River, Detroit River, Niagara River, Illinois 
River, Chicago River, Fox River, Grand River, St. 
Joseph River, St. Louis River, Menominee River, 
Muskegon River, Kalamazoo River, and Saint Law-
rence River to the Canadian border). 
(3) ICE-COVERED
WATERWAY.—The term ‘‘ice- 
covered waterway’’ means any portion of the Great 
Lakes in which commercial vessels or ferries operate 
that is 70 percent or greater covered by ice, but does 
not include any waters adjacent to piers or docks for 
which commercial icebreaking services are available 
and adequate for the ice conditions. 
(4) OPEN TO NAVIGATION.—The term ‘‘open to 
navigation’’ means navigable to the extent necessary 
to— 
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(A) extricate vessels and individuals from 
danger; 
(B) prevent damage due to flooding; 
(C) meet the reasonable demands of com-
merce; 
(D) minimize delays to passenger ferries; 
and 
(E) conduct other Coast Guard missions as 
required. 
(5) REASONABLE DEMANDS OF COMMERCE.—The 
term ‘‘reasonable demands of commerce’’ means the 
safe movement of commercial vessels and ferries 
transiting ice-covered waterways in the Great Lakes, 
regardless of type of cargo, at a speed consistent with 
the design capability of Coast Guard icebreakers oper-
ating in the Great Lakes and appropriate to the ice 
capability of the commercial vessel. 
SEC. 11214. CENTER OF EXPERTISE FOR GREAT LAKES OIL 
SPILL SEARCH AND RESPONSE. 
Section 807(d) of the Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard 
Authorization Act of 2018 (14 U.S.C. 313 note) is amended 
to read as follows: 
‘‘(d) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘Great 
Lakes’ means— 
‘‘(1) Lake Ontario; 
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‘‘(2) Lake Erie; 
‘‘(3) Lake Huron (including Lake St. Clair); 
‘‘(4) Lake Michigan; 
‘‘(5) Lake Superior; and 
‘‘(6) the connecting channels (including the fol-
lowing rivers and tributaries of such rivers: Saint 
Mary’s River, Saint Clair River, Detroit River, Niag-
ara River, Illinois River, Chicago River, Fox River, 
Grand River, St. Joseph River, St. Louis River, Me-
nominee River, Muskegon River, Kalamazoo River, 
and Saint Lawrence River to the Canadian border).’’. 
SEC. 11215. GREAT LAKES SNOWMOBILE ACQUISITION 
PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commandant shall develop a 
plan to expand snowmobile procurement for Coast Guard 
units for which snowmobiles may improve ice rescue re-
sponse times while maintaining the safety of Coast Guard 
personnel engaged in ice search and rescue. The plan shall 
include consideration of input from Officers in Charge, 
commanding officers, and commanders of such units. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The plan required under subsection 
(a) shall include— 
(1) a consideration of input from Officers in 
Charge, commanding officers, and commanders of 
Coast Guard units described in subsection (a); 
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(2) a detailed description of the estimated costs 
of procuring, maintaining, and training members of 
the Coast Guard at such units to use snowmobiles; 
and 
(3) an assessment of— 
(A) the degree to which snowmobiles may 
improve ice rescue response times while main-
taining the safety of Coast Guard personnel en-
gaged in ice search and rescue; 
(B) the operational capabilities of a snow-
mobile, as compared to an airboat, and a force 
laydown assessment with respect to the assets 
needed for effective operations at Coast Guard 
units conducting ice search and rescue activities; 
and 
(C) the potential risks to members of the 
Coast Guard and members of the public posed by 
the use of snowmobiles by members of the Coast 
Guard for ice search and rescue activities. 
(c) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall 
finalize the plan required under subsection (a) and make 
the plan available on a publicly accessible website of the 
Coast Guard. 
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SEC. 11216. GREAT LAKES BARGE INSPECTION EXEMPTION. 
Section 3302(m) of title 46, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by in-
serting ‘‘or a Great Lakes barge’’ after ‘‘seagoing 
barge’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘section 3301(6) of this title’’ and 
inserting ‘‘paragraph (6) or (13) of section 3301 of 
this title’’. 
SEC. 11217. STUDY ON SUFFICIENCY OF COAST GUARD 
AVIATION ASSETS TO MEET MISSION DE-
MANDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall submit to 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report on— 
(1) the force laydown of Coast Guard aviation 
assets; and 
(2) any geographic gaps in coverage by Coast 
Guard assets in areas in which the Coast Guard has 
search and rescue responsibilities. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required under subsection 
(a) shall include the following: 
(1) The distance, time, and weather challenges 
that MH–65 and MH–60 units may face in reaching 
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the outermost limits of the area of operation of Coast 
Guard District 8 and Coast Guard District 9 for 
which such units are responsible. 
(2) An assessment of the advantages that Coast 
Guard fixed-wing assets, or an alternate rotary wing 
asset, would offer to the outermost limits of any area 
of operation for purposes of search and rescue, law 
enforcement, ice operations, and logistical missions. 
(3) A comparison of advantages and disadvan-
tages of the manner in which each of the Coast Guard 
fixed-wing aircraft would operate in the outermost 
limits of any area of operation. 
(4) A specific assessment of the coverage gaps, 
including gaps in fixed-wing coverage, and potential 
solutions to address such gaps in the area of oper-
ation of Coast Guard District 8 and Coast Guard 
District 9, including the eastern region of such area 
of operation with regard to Coast Guard District 9 
and the southern region of such area of operation 
with regard to Coast Guard District 8. 
Subtitle C—Arctic 
SEC. 11218. ESTABLISHMENT OF MEDIUM ICEBREAKER PRO-
GRAM OFFICE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Commandant, in con-
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sultation with the heads of the other Federal agencies as 
appropriate, shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House 
of Representatives a report to establish a fleet mix analysis 
with respect to polar icebreakers and icebreaking tugs. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The report required under subsection 
(a) shall include— 
(1) a full fleet mix of heavy and medium ice-
breaker and 140-foot icebreaking tug replacements, in-
cluding cost and timelines for the acquisition of such 
vessels; 
(2) a revised time table showing the construction, 
commissioning, and acceptance of planned Polar Se-
curity Cutters 1 through 3, as of the date of report; 
(3) a comparison and alternatives analysis of 
the costs and timeline of constructing 2 Polar Secu-
rity Cutters beyond the construction of 3 such vessels 
rather than constructing 3 Arctic Security Cutters, 
including the cost of planning, design, and engineer-
ing of a new class of ships, which shall include the 
increased costs resulting from the delays in building 
a new class of cutters rather than building 2 addi-
tional cutters from an ongoing production line; 
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(4) the operational benefits, limitations, and 
risks of a common hull design for polar icebreaking 
cutters for operation in the polar regions; 
(5) the operational benefits, limitations, and 
risks of a common hull design for icebreaking tugs for 
operation in the Northeastern United States; and 
(6) the cost and timetable for replacing the Coast 
Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB 20) as— 
(A) a Polar Security Cutter; 
(B) an Arctic Security Cutter; or 
(C) other platform as determined by the 
Commandant. 
(c) QUARTERLY BRIEFINGS.—As part of quarterly ac-
quisition briefings provided by the Commandant to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and In-
frastructure of the House of Representatives, the Com-
mandant shall include an update on the status of— 
(1) all acquisition activities related to the Polar 
Security Cutter; 
(2) the performance of the entity which the Coast 
Guard has contracted with for detailed design and 
construction of the Polar Security Cutter; and 
(3) the requirements for the planning, detailed 
design, engineering, and construction of the— 
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(A) Arctic Security Cutter; and 
(B) Great Lakes Icebreaker. 
(d) LIMITATION.—The report required to be submitted 
under subsection (a) shall not include an analysis of the 
Great Lakes Icebreaker authorized under section 11104. 
(e) ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ARCTIC SECURITY CUT-
TER PROGRAM OFFICE.— 
(1) DETERMINATION.—Not later than 90 days 
after the submission of the report under subsection 
(a), the Commandant shall determine if constructing 
additional Polar Security Cutters is more cost effec-
tive and efficient than constructing 3 Arctic Security 
Cutters. 
(2) ESTABLISHMENT.—If the Commandant de-
termines under paragraph (1) that it is more cost ef-
fective to build 3 Arctic Security Cutters than to 
build additional Polar Security Cutters or if the 
Commandant fails to make a determination under 
paragraph (1) by June 1, 2024, the Commandant 
shall establish a program office for the acquisition of 
the Arctic Security Cutter not later than January 1, 
2025. 
(3) REQUIREMENTS
AND
DESIGN
PHASE.—Not 
later than 270 days after the date on which the Com-
mandant establishes a program office under para-
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graph (2), the Commandant shall complete the eval-
uation of requirements for the Arctic Security Cutter 
and initiate the design phase of the Arctic Security 
Cutter vessel class. 
(f) QUARTERLY BRIEFINGS.—Not less frequently than 
quarterly until the date on which a contract for acquisition 
of the Arctic Security Cutter is awarded under chapter 11 
of title 14, United States Code, the Commandant shall pro-
vide to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Trans-
portation of the Senate and the Committee on Transpor-
tation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives 
a briefing on the status of requirements evaluations, design 
of the vessel, and schedule of the program. 
SEC. 11219. ARCTIC ACTIVITIES. 
(a) ARCTIC
OPERATIONAL
IMPLEMENTATION
RE-
PORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report that describes the ability 
and timeline to conduct a transit of the Northern Sea Route 
and periodic transits of the Northwest Passage. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS.— 
The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Congress’’ 
means— 
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(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate; and 
(B) the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives. 
(2) ARCTIC.—The term ‘‘Arctic’’ has the mean-
ing given such term in section 112 of the Arctic Re-
search and Policy Act of 1984 (15 U.S.C. 4111). 
SEC. 11220. STUDY ON ARCTIC OPERATIONS AND INFRA-
STRUCTURE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the 
United States shall commence a study on the Arctic oper-
ations and infrastructure of the Coast Guard. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The study required under subsection 
(a) shall assess the following: 
(1) The extent of the collaboration between the 
Coast Guard and the Department of Defense to assess, 
manage, and mitigate security risks in the Arctic re-
gion. 
(2) Actions taken by the Coast Guard to manage 
risks to Coast Guard operations, infrastructure, and 
workforce planning in the Arctic. 
(3) The plans the Coast Guard has in place for 
managing and mitigating the risks to commercial 
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maritime operations and the environment in the Arc-
tic region. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after commencing 
the study required under subsection (a), the Comptroller 
General shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House 
of Representatives a report on the findings of the study. 
SEC. 11221. PRIBILOF ISLAND TRANSITION COMPLETION 
ACTIONS. 
(a) ACTUAL USE AND OCCUPANCY REPORTS.—Not 
later than 90 days after enactment of this Act, and quar-
terly thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate a report describing— 
(1) the degree to which Coast Guard personnel 
and equipment are deployed to St. Paul Island, Alas-
ka, in actual occupancy of the facilities, as required 
under section 524 of the Pribilof Island Transition 
Completion Act of 2016 (Public Law 114–120); and 
(2) the status of the activities described in sub-
sections (c) and (d) until such activities have been 
completed. 
(b) AIRCRAFT HANGER.—The Secretary may— 
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(1) enter into a lease for a hangar to house de-
ployed Coast Guard aircraft if such hanger was pre-
viously under lease by the Coast Guard for purposes 
of housing such aircraft; and 
(2) enter into an agreement with the lessor of 
such a hanger in which the Secretary may carry out 
repairs necessary to support the deployment of such 
aircraft and the cost of such repairs may be offset 
under the terms of the lease. 
(c) FUEL TANK.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Commandant 
shall notify the Alaska Native Village Corporation for 
St. Paul Island, Alaska of the availability of any fuel 
tank— 
(A) which is located on property on St. 
Paul Island, Alaska, which is leased by the Coast 
Guard for the purpose of housing such a fuel 
tank; and 
(B) for which the Commandant has deter-
mined that the Coast Guard no longer has an 
operational need. 
(2) TRANSFER.—If not later than 30 days after 
a notification under subsection (a), the Alaska Native 
Village Corporation for St. Paul Island, Alaska re-
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quests that the ownership of the tank be transferred 
to such corporation then the Commandant shall— 
(A) after conducting any necessary environ-
mental remediation pursuant to the lease re-
ferred to in paragraph (1)(A), transfer owner-
ship of such fuel tank to such corporation; and 
(B) upon the date of such transfer, termi-
nate the lease referred to in paragraph (1)(A). 
(d) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this section shall 
be construed to limit any rights of the Alaska Native Village 
Corporation for St. Paul to receive conveyance of all or part 
of the lands and improvements related to Tract 43 under 
the same terms and conditions as prescribed in section 524 
of the Pribilof Island Transition Completion Act of 2016 
(Public Law 114–120). 
SEC. 11222. REPORT ON SHIPYARDS OF FINLAND AND SWE-
DEN. 
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Commandant, in consultation with the Comp-
troller General of the United States, shall submit to Con-
gress a report that analyzes the shipyards of Finland and 
Sweden to assess future opportunities for technical assist-
ance related to engineering to aid the Coast Guard in ful-
filling its future mission needs. 
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SEC. 11223. ACQUISITION OF ICEBREAKER. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commandant may acquire or 
procure 1 United States built available icebreaker. 
(b) EXEMPTIONS FROM REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Sections 1131, 1132(a)(2), 
1132(c), 1133, and 1171 of title 14, United States 
Code, shall not apply to an acquisition or procure-
ment under subsection (a). 
(2) ADDITIONAL EXCEPTIONS.—Paragraphs (1), 
(3), (4), and (5) of subsection (a) and subsections (b), 
(d), and (e) of section 1132 of title 14, United States 
Code, shall apply to an acquisition or procurement 
under subsection (a) until the first phase of the initial 
acquisition or procurement is complete and initial 
operating capacity is achieved. 
(c) SCIENCE
MISSION
REQUIREMENTS.—For any 
available icebreaker acquired or procured under subsection 
(a), the Commandant shall ensure scientific research capac-
ity comparable to the Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB 
20), for the purposes of hydrographic, bathymetric, oceano-
graphic, weather, atmospheric, climate, fisheries, marine 
mammals, genetic and other data related to the Arctic, and 
other research as the Under Secretary determines appro-
priate. 
(d) OPERATIONS AND AGREEMENTS.— 
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(1) COAST GUARD.—With respect to any avail-
able icebreaker acquired or procured under subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall be responsible for any acquisi-
tion, retrofitting, operation, and maintenance costs 
necessary to achieve full operational capability, in-
cluding testing, installation, and acquisition, includ-
ing for the suite of hull-mounted, ship-provided sci-
entific instrumentation and equipment for data col-
lection. 
(2) NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC AD-
MINISTRATION.—The Under Secretary shall not be re-
sponsible for the costs of retrofitting any available ice-
breaker acquired or procured under subsection (a), in-
cluding costs relating to— 
(A) vessel maintenance, construction, oper-
ations, and crewing other than the science party; 
and 
(B) making such icebreaker capable of con-
ducting the research described in subsection (c), 
including design, procurement of laboratory 
space and equipment, and modification of living 
quarters. 
(3) RESPONSIBILITY OF UNDER SECRETARY.— 
The Under Secretary shall be responsible for costs re-
lated to— 
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(A) the science party; 
(B) the scientific mission; and 
(C) other scientific assets and equipment 
that augment such icebreaker beyond full oper-
ational capacity as determined by the Under 
Secretary and Commandant. 
(4) MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT.—The Com-
mandant and the Under Secretary shall enter into a 
memorandum of agreement to facilitate science activi-
ties, data collection, and other procedures necessary to 
meet the requirements of this section. 
(e) RESTRICTION AND BRIEFING.—Not later than 60 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Com-
mandant shall brief the appropriate congressional commit-
tees with respect to available icebreaker acquired or pro-
cured under subsection (a) on— 
(1) a proposed concept of operations of such ice-
breaker; 
(2) a detailed cost estimate for such icebreaker, 
including estimated costs for acquisition, modifica-
tion, shoreside infrastructure, crewing, and maintain-
ing such an icebreaker by year for the estimated serv-
ice life of such icebreaker; and 
(3) the expected capabilities of such icebreaker as 
compared to the capabilities of a fully operational 
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Coast Guard built Polar Security Cutter for each 
year in which such an icebreaker is anticipated to 
serve in lieu of such a cutter and the projected annual 
costs to achieve such anticipated capabilities. 
(f) INTERIM REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, and not later than every 
90 days thereafter until any available icebreaker acquired 
or procured under subsection (a) has reached full oper-
ational capability, the Commandant shall provide to the 
appropriate Committees of Congress an interim report of 
the status and progress of all elements under subsection (d). 
(g) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section 
shall effect acquisitions of vessels by the Under Secretary. 
(h) SAVINGS CLAUSE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Any operations necessary for 
the saving of life or property at sea, response to envi-
ronmental pollution, national security, defense readi-
ness, or other missions as determined by the Com-
mandant shall take priority over any scientific or 
economic missions under subsection (c). 
(2) AUGMENTATION.—Any available icebreaker 
acquired or procured under subsection (a) shall aug-
ment the Coast Guard mission in the Arctic, includ-
ing by conducting operations and missions that are 
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in addition to missions conducted by the Coast Guard 
Cutter Healy (WAGB 20) in the region. 
(i) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) 
APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional commit-
tees’’ means the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure and the Committee on Appropriations 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Com-
mittee on Appropriations of the Senate. 
(2) ARCTIC.—The term ‘‘Arctic’’ has the mean-
ing given such term in section 112 of the Arctic Re-
search and Policy Act of 1984 (15 U.S.C. 4111). 
(3) AVAILABLE ICEBREAKER.—The term ‘‘avail-
able icebreaker’’ means a vessel that— 
(A) is capable of— 
(i) supplementing United States Coast 
Guard polar icebreaking capabilities in the 
Arctic region of the United States; 
(ii) projecting United States sov-
ereignty; 
(iii) ensuring a continuous operational 
capability in the Arctic region of the United 
States; 
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(A) assess investment by the Coast Guard in 
artificial intelligence innovation, science and 
technology, and research and development; 
(B) assess investment by the Coast Guard 
in test and evaluation of artificial intelligence 
capabilities; 
(C) assess the integration of, and the re-
sources necessary to better use artificial intel-
ligence in wargames, exercises, and experimen-
tation; 
(D) assess the application of, and the re-
sources necessary to better use, artificial intel-
ligence in logistics and sustainment systems; 
(E) assess the integration of, and the re-
sources necessary to better use, artificial intel-
ligence for administrative functions; 
(F) establish performance objectives and ac-
companying metrics for artificial intelligence 
modernization activities of the Coast Guard; and 
(G) identify the resources necessary to effec-
tively use artificial intelligence to carry out the 
missions of the Coast Guard. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 180 days 
after the completion of the review required under subsection 
(a)(1), the Commandant shall submit to the Committee on 
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in subsection (a)(3)) to service making the individual eligi-
ble for repayment of loans under section 16301 of title 10 
(as described in subsection (a)(2) or (g) of that section) dur-
ing a year shall be eligible to have repaid a portion of such 
loan determined by giving appropriate fractional credit for 
each portion of the year so served, in accordance with regu-
lations of the Secretary concerned. 
‘‘(f) SCHEDULE
FOR ALLOCATION.—The Secretary 
shall prescribe a schedule for the allocation of funds made 
available to carry out the provisions of this section and sec-
tion 16301 of title 10 during any year for which funds are 
not sufficient to pay the sum of the amounts eligible for 
repayment under subsection (a) and section 16301(a) of 
title 10. 
‘‘(g) FAILURE TO COMPLETE PERIOD OF SERVICE.— 
Except an individual described in subsection (e) who trans-
fers to service making the individual eligible for repayment 
of loans under section 16301 of title 10, a member of the 
Coast Guard who fails to complete the period of service re-
quired to qualify for loan repayment under this section 
shall be subject to the repayment provisions of section 
303a(e) or 373 of title 37. 
‘‘(h) AUTHORITY TO ISSUE REGULATIONS.—The Sec-
retary may prescribe procedures for implementing this sec-
tion, including standards for qualified loans and authorized 
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