I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3488 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Secretary 
of Homeland Security to establish a commission to enhance cultural 
competence and improve recruitment and outreach efforts at the Coast 
Guard Academy, to amend title 14, United States Code, to modify 
the process for congressional nomination of individuals for appointment 
as cadets at the Coast Guard Academy, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 25, 2019 
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi (for himself, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. CORREA, and 
Mr. RICHMOND) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require 
the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a com-
mission to enhance cultural competence and improve re-
cruitment and outreach efforts at the Coast Guard Acad-
emy, to amend title 14, United States Code, to modify 
the process for congressional nomination of individuals 
for appointment as cadets at the Coast Guard Academy, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Coast Guard Academy 
Improvement Act’’. 
TITLE I—ENHANCING CULTURAL 
COMPETENCE 
WITHIN 
THE 
COAST GUARD ACADEMY 
SEC. 101. ACTIVITIES TO FOSTER GREATER CULTURAL 
COMPETENCE WITHIN THE UNITED STATES 
COAST GUARD ACADEMY. 
(a) COMMISSION; PLAN.—Subtitle H of title VIII of 
the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 451 et seq.) 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 890B. COAST GUARD ACADEMY CULTURAL REFORM 
COMMISSION. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish within 30 days after the date of the enactment of the 
Coast Guard Academy Improvement Act a commission to 
assess the level of cultural competence within the Academy 
and, as appropriate, issue recommendations to foster 
greater cultural competence within the Academy. 
‘‘(b) CULTURAL COMPETENCE DEFINED.—In this 
section, the term ‘cultural competence’ means the capacity 
of an individual or organization to work effectively in 
cross-cultural situations with individuals who are of a dif-
ferent race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, 
or geographic origin, in a manner that values and under-
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stands diversity and to take action to prevent and respond 
to social injustice and inequity. 
‘‘(c) COMPOSITION OF THE COMMISSION.—The com-
mission shall be comprised of 11 members appointed by 
the Secretary by not later than 60 days after the date 
of the enactment of the Coast Guard Academy Improve-
ment Act, and shall include— 
‘‘(1) the Chief Human Capital Officer under 
section 1303; 
‘‘(2) the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Lib-
erties under section 705; 
‘‘(3) three Coast Guard officials designated by 
the Commandant of the Coast Guard who include at 
least one civilian official; and 
‘‘(4) six individuals from private industry, insti-
tutions of higher education, or nonprofit institutions 
with demonstrated cultural competence as selected 
by the Secretary based on recommendations from 
the Congress, who— 
‘‘(A) possess relevant expertise or experi-
ence in admissions at institutions of higher edu-
cation, organizational change management, and 
diversity and inclusion initiatives; and 
‘‘(B) include— 
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‘‘(i) at least three individuals who are 
higher education professionals; and 
‘‘(ii) one individual with a background 
in evidence-based diversity and inclusion 
initiatives. 
‘‘(d) CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.—The commission shall 
elect a Chair and Vice Chair from among its members. 
‘‘(e) QUORUM
AND MEETINGS.—The commission 
shall meet and begin the operations of the commission not 
later than 30 days after the date on which all members 
have been appointed or not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of the Coast Guard Academy Im-
provement Act, whichever is earlier. Each subsequent 
meeting shall occur upon the call of the Chair or a major-
ity of its members and no less than three such meetings 
shall be open to the public. At least one public meeting 
should be held at the Coast Guard Academy. A majority 
of the members of the commission shall constitute a 
quorum, but a lesser number may hold meetings. 
‘‘(f) EXEMPTION.—The commission shall not be sub-
ject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 
App.). 
‘‘(g) REPORT.—The commission shall, not later than 
180 days after the first meeting of the commission, submit 
to the Secretary its findings and any recommendations for 
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fostering greater cultural competence within the Academy 
by, among other things, changing qualifications required 
of officers, faculty, and staff assigned to the Coast Guard 
Academy as well as modifications to institutional prac-
tices, policies, and structures. 
‘‘(h) FEEDBACK AND IMPLEMENTATION.—Not later 
than 90 days after receiving the report required under 
subsection (g), the Secretary, through the Commandant, 
shall submit to the Committees on Homeland Security and 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committees on Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs and Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate a copy of the report and the 
Secretary’s feedback regarding the report’s findings and 
recommendations together with any specific plans, includ-
ing projected milestones, to implement any or all of the 
recommendations and, in the event that the Secretary de-
cides not to act on one or more of the recommendations, 
the rationale for such decision. 
‘‘(i) DURATION.—The commission shall remain active 
in an advisory role for an additional year after the Sec-
retary provides feedback in accordance with subsection (h) 
to monitor implementation and issue additional rec-
ommendations as needed. 
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‘‘SEC. 890C. RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION WITHIN THE 
COAST GUARD ACADEMY. 
‘‘(a) PLAN REQUIRED.—Within one year after the 
date of the enactment of the Coast Guard Academy Im-
provement Act, the Secretary, acting through the Chief 
Human Capital Officer, shall, in consultation with the 
Commandant of the Coast Guard, issue a plan, with pro-
jected milestones, to— 
‘‘(1) improve outreach and recruitment of a 
more diverse Coast Guard Academy cadet candidate 
pool based on race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual 
orientation, and geographic origin; 
‘‘(2) modify institutional structures, practices, 
and policies to foster a more diverse cadet corps 
body, faculty, and staff workforce based on race, 
ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and 
geographic origin; 
‘‘(3) modify and establish new safeguards to 
foster the retention of cadets, faculty, and staff of 
different races, ethnicities, genders, religion, sexual 
orientation, and geographic origin at the Coast 
Guard Academy; and 
‘‘(4) restructure the admissions office of the 
Coast Guard Academy to be headed by a civilian 
with significant relevant higher education recruit-
ment experience. 
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‘‘(b) IMPLEMENTATION.—At the direction of the 
Commandant of the Coast Guard, the Superintendent of 
the Academy, under section 1922 of title 14, United 
States Code, in coordination with the Chief Human Cap-
ital Officer, and in consultation with the Chairman of the 
commission authorized by section 890B, shall implement 
the plan issued under subsection (a). 
‘‘(c) ANNUAL REPORT.—Beginning in 2021 and an-
nually thereafter through 2031, the Commandant of the 
Coast Guard, in consultation with the Chief Human Cap-
ital Officer, shall provide a report to the Committees on 
Homeland Security and Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture of the House of Representatives and the Committees 
on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate that 
includes— 
‘‘(1) general information on implementation of 
the plan required by this section; 
‘‘(2) specific information on outreach and re-
cruitment activities for the preceding year, including 
the use of the volunteer-based program under sec-
tion 890D; 
‘‘(3) enrollment information about the incoming 
class, including gender, race, ethnicity, religion, and 
State of residence of Coast Guard Academy cadets; 
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‘‘(4) information on class retention, outcomes, 
and graduation rates, including gender, race, eth-
nicity, religion, and State of residence of Coast 
Guard Academy cadets; and 
‘‘(5) information on professional development 
and professional advancement opportunities for staff 
and faculty as it pertains to retention and advancing 
cultural competence. 
‘‘SEC. 890D. COAST GUARD ACADEMY MINORITY OUTREACH 
TEAM PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established within the 
Coast Guard Academy a minority outreach team program 
(in this section referred to as ‘AMOT’) under which mi-
nority officers who are Academy graduates may volunteer 
their time to recruit minority students and strengthen 
cadet retention through mentorship of cadets. 
‘‘(b) ADMINISTRATION.—Within 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of the Coast Guard Academy Im-
provement Act, the Commandant of the Coast Guard, in 
consultation with the Superintendent of the Coast Guard 
Academy and the majority of AMOT volunteers and Acad-
emy alumni that participated in the AMOT, shall appoint 
a permanent civilian position at the Coast Guard to ad-
minister the AMOT by, among other things— 
‘‘(1) overseeing administration of the program; 
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‘‘(2) serving as a resource to volunteers and 
outside stakeholders; 
‘‘(3) advising Academy leadership on recruit-
ment and retention efforts based on recommenda-
tions from volunteers and outside stakeholders; 
‘‘(4) establishing strategic goals and perform-
ance metrics for the AMOT with input from active 
volunteers and Academy leadership; and 
‘‘(5) reporting annually to the Commandant on 
goals for the AMOT before the beginning of each 
academic year and performance outcomes of the 
AMOT at the end of each academic year. 
‘‘(c) INCLUSION
IN REPORT.—The Commandant 
shall include a section on AMOT goals and outcomes in 
the annual report required under subsection (c) of section 
890C.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
in section 1(b) of such Act is amended by adding at the 
end of the items relating to such subtitle the following: 
‘‘Sec. 890B. Coast Guard Academy cultural reform commission. 
‘‘Sec. 890C. Recruitment and retention within the Coast Guard Academy. 
‘‘Sec. 890D. Coast Guard Academy minority outreach team program.’’. 
(c) COMPTROLLER GENERAL REVIEW.—Not later 
than one year after the date of the issuance of the plan 
required by subsection (a) of section 890C of the Home-
land Security Act of 2002, as amended by this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit a 
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review to the Committees on Homeland Security and 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committees on Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs and Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate— 
(1) of the degree to which the plan is informed 
by the Commission authorized by section 890B of 
the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended by 
this Act; 
(2) of the degree to which the plan, as de-
signed, is likely to be effective; 
(3) of the degree to which the plan, as imple-
mented, is likely to be effective; 
(4) of the degree to which the minority out-
reach team program authorized by section 890D of 
the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended by 
this Act, is administered effectively; and 
(5) that includes any recommendations to en-
hance recruitment, retention, and outcomes. 
TITLE II—ENHANCING OPPOR-
TUNITIES 
AT 
THE 
COAST 
GUARD ACADEMY 
SEC. 201. ACADEMY NOMINATIONS. 
(a) APPOINTMENT.—Section 1922 of title 14, United 
States Code, is amended— 
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(1) by inserting before the text the following: 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(b) NOMINATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) CONGRESSIONAL NOMINATIONS.— 
‘‘(A) APPOINTMENT REQUIREMENT.—Half 
of each incoming class of the Academy shall be 
composed of cadets nominated by the following: 
‘‘(i) The Vice President or, if there is 
no Vice President, by the President pro 
tempore of the Senate. 
‘‘(ii) A Senator. 
‘‘(iii) A Member of the House of Rep-
resentatives. 
‘‘(iv) The Delegate to the Congress 
from the District of Columbia, the Dele-
gate to the Congress from the United 
States Virgin Islands, the Resident Com-
missioner from Puerto Rico, the Delegate 
to the Congress from Guam, the Delegate 
to the Congress from American Samoa, or 
the Delegate to the Congress from the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands. 
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‘‘(B) CONGRESSIONAL
NOMINEES.—Each 
Senator, Member of the House of Representa-
tives, and Delegate to the Congress, including 
such Resident Commissioner, is entitled to 
nominate 3 persons each year. Cadets who do 
not graduate on time shall not count against 
the allocations pursuant to clauses (i) through 
(iv) of subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(2) QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.—An in-
dividual shall be qualified for nomination, selection, 
and appointment as a cadet at the Academy only if 
the individual— 
‘‘(A) is a citizen or national of the United 
States; and 
‘‘(B) meets such minimum requirements 
that the Secretary may establish. 
‘‘(3) NOMINATION
INFORMATION.—The Com-
mandant, through the Superintendent of the Coast 
Guard Academy, shall furnish to any Member of 
Congress, upon the written request of such Member, 
the name of the Member of Congress or other nomi-
nating authority responsible for the nomination of 
any named or identified person for appointment to 
the Academy.’’. 
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(b) APPLICATION.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a)— 
(1) shall apply beginning with academic pro-
gram year 2022, subject to subsection (d), and with 
respect to each academic program year thereafter; 
and 
(2) shall not affect the application of section 
1922 of title 14, United States Code, as in effect be-
fore the enactment of this section, with respect to 
appointment of cadets who will matriculate to the 
Coast Guard Academy before such academic pro-
gram year. 
(c) REPORTING.—Not later than 90 days before the 
beginning of each new academic year, the Commandant 
of the Coast Guard, through the Superintendent of the 
Coast Guard Academy, shall report to the Congress on 
the achievement of the nominee class composition require-
ment established by the amendment made by subsection 
(a). If the requirement is not achieved, the report shall 
include plans on how to achieve the nominee class com-
position requirement. 
(d) TRANSITION.— 
(1) 
NOMINATIONS.—Notwithstanding 
the 
amendment made by subsection (a), with respect to 
the nomination of individuals pursuant to section 
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1922 of title 14, United States Code, as amended by 
such subsection, who will matriculate at the Coast 
Guard Academy in academic program year 2022, 
not less than 25 percent of the class shall be from 
nominations made pursuant to clauses (i) through 
(iv) of subsection (b)(1)(A) of such section 1922 (as 
amended by subsection (a) of this section). 
(2) NOTIFICATION
TO
THE
CONGRESS.—Not 
later than 60 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, act-
ing through the Commandant of the Coast Guard, 
shall notify the Congress of the criteria, process, and 
timeline congressional offices are to follow for sub-
mitting such nominations. 
(3) ADDITIONAL ACTION.—The Secretary, act-
ing through the Commandant of the Coast Guard 
may take any additional action the Secretary con-
siders necessary and proper to provide for the tran-
sition to the nomination, selection, and appointment 
process under this section. 
SEC. 202. COAST GUARD COLLEGE STUDENT PRE-COMMIS-
SIONING INITIATIVE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 21 of title 
14, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
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‘‘§ 2130. College Student Pre-Commissioning Initia-
tive 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized within the 
Coast Guard the College Student Pre-Commissioning Ini-
tiative program (in this section referred to as the ‘pro-
gram’) for eligible undergraduate students to enlist and 
receive a guaranteed commission as an officer in the Coast 
Guard. 
‘‘(b) CRITERIA FOR SELECTION.—To be eligible for 
the program a student must meet all eligibility require-
ments of such program as in effect on the date of the en-
actment of the Coast Guard Academy Improvement Act, 
and must be— 
‘‘(1) an undergraduate sophomore or junior at 
a historically Black college or university described in 
section 322(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1061(2)) or an institution of higher edu-
cation described in section 371(a) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)); or 
‘‘(2) an undergraduate sophomore or junior stu-
dent who is active in minority-serving organizations 
and pursuing a degree in science, technology, engi-
neering, or mathematics at an institution of higher 
education described in section 101 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001) that is not 
a historically Black college or university or institu-
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tion of higher education referred to in paragraph (1) 
of this subsection. 
‘‘(c) 
PARTICIPATION
IN
OFFICER
CANDIDATE 
SCHOOL.—The Commandant of the Coast Guard shall en-
sure that graduates of the program are included in the 
first enrollment for Officer Candidate School that com-
mences after the date of the enactment of the Coast Guard 
Academy Improvement Act and in each enrollment period 
thereafter. 
‘‘(d) REPORTS.—Not later than 90 days after the 
conclusion of each academic year with respect to which 
the program is carried out beginning with the first full 
academic year after the date of the enactment of Coast 
Guard Academy Improvement Act, the Commandant of 
the Coast Guard shall submit to the Committees on Home-
land Security and Transportation and Infrastructure of 
the House of Representatives and the Committees on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report 
on the College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative, in-
cluding outreach and recruitment efforts and participation 
data, including demographic information of enrollees in-
cluding race, ethnicity, gender, and geographic origin.’’. 
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(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis for such 
subchapter is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘2130. College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative.’’. 
Æ 
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