‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in 
the Treasury a separate account to be known as the 
Abandoned Seafarers Fund. 
‘‘(2) CREDITING OF AMOUNTS TO FUND.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—There shall be cred-
ited to the Fund the following: 
‘‘(i) Penalties deposited in the Fund 
under section 9, except as provided in sub-
paragraph (B). 
‘‘(ii) Amounts reimbursed or recov-
ered under subsection (d). 
‘‘(B) LIMITATION.—Amounts may be cred-
ited to the Fund under subparagraph (A)(i) 
only if the unobligated balance of the Fund is 
less than $2,000,000. 
‘‘(3) REPORT
REQUIRED.—On the date on 
which the President submits each budget for a fiscal 
year pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United 
States Code, the Secretary shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Sen-
ate a report that describes— 
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‘‘(A) the amounts credited to the Fund 
under paragraph (2) for the preceding fiscal 
year; and 
‘‘(B) amounts in the Fund that were ex-
pended for the preceding fiscal year. 
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS FROM 
FUND.—Amounts in the Fund may be appropriated to the 
Secretary for use to— 
‘‘(1) pay necessary support of— 
‘‘(A) a seafarer that— 
‘‘(i) enters, remains, or is paroled into 
the United States; and 
‘‘(ii) is involved in an investigation, 
reporting, documentation, or adjudication 
of any matter that is related to the admin-
istration or enforcement of this Act by the 
Coast Guard; and 
‘‘(B) a seafarer that the Secretary deter-
mines was abandoned in the United States and 
has not applied for asylum under section 208 or 
235 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1158, 1225); and 
‘‘(2) reimburse a vessel owner or operator that 
has provided necessary support of a seafarer who 
has been paroled into the United States to facilitate 
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an investigation, reporting, documentation, or adju-
dication of any matter that is related to the adminis-
tration or enforcement of this Act by the Coast 
Guard, for the costs of such necessary support. 
‘‘(c) LIMITATION.—Nothing in this section shall be 
construed— 
‘‘(1) to create a private right of action or any 
other right, benefit, or entitlement to necessary sup-
port for any person; or 
‘‘(2) to compel the Secretary to pay or reim-
burse the cost of necessary support. 
‘‘(d) REIMBURSEMENT; RECOVERY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A vessel owner or operator 
shall reimburse the Fund an amount equal to the 
total amount paid from the Fund for necessary sup-
port of a seafarer, if— 
‘‘(A) the vessel owner or operator— 
‘‘(i) during the course of an investiga-
tion, reporting, documentation, or adju-
dication of any matter under this Act that 
the Coast Guard referred to a United 
States attorney or the Attorney General, 
fails to provide necessary support of a sea-
farer who was paroled into the United 
States to facilitate the investigation, re-
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porting, documentation, or adjudication; 
and 
‘‘(ii) subsequently is— 
‘‘(I) convicted of a criminal of-
fense related to such matter; or 
‘‘(II) required to reimburse the 
Fund pursuant to a court order or ne-
gotiated settlement related to such 
matter; or 
‘‘(B) the vessel owner or operator aban-
dons a seafarer in the United States, as deter-
mined by the Secretary based on substantial 
evidence. 
‘‘(2) ENFORCEMENT.—If a vessel owner or op-
erator fails to reimburse the Fund under paragraph 
(1), the Secretary may— 
‘‘(A) proceed in rem against the vessel on 
which the affected seafarer served in the Fed-
eral district court for the district in which the 
vessel is found; and 
‘‘(B) withhold or revoke the clearance re-
quired under section 60105 of title 46, United 
States Code, for the vessel. 
‘‘(3) REMEDY.—A vessel may obtain clearance 
from the Secretary after it is withheld or revoked 
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under paragraph (2)(B) if the vessel owner or oper-
ator— 
‘‘(A) reimburses the Fund the amount re-
quired under paragraph (1); or 
‘‘(B) provides a bond, or other evidence of 
financial responsibility sufficient to meet the 
amount required to be reimbursed under para-
graph (1). 
‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) ABANDONS; ABANDONED.—Each of the 
terms ‘abandons’ and ‘abandoned’ means— 
‘‘(A) a vessel owner’s or operator’s unilat-
eral severance of ties with a seafarer; and 
‘‘(B) a vessel owner’s or operator’s failure 
to provide necessary support of a seafarer. 
‘‘(2) FUND.—The term ‘Fund’ means the 
Abandoned Seafarers Fund established under this 
section. 
‘‘(3) NECESSARY
SUPPORT.—The term ‘nec-
essary support’ means normal wages and expenses 
the Secretary considers reasonable for lodging, sub-
sistence, clothing, medical care (including hos-
pitalization), repatriation, and any other support the 
Secretary considers to be appropriate. 
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‘‘(4) SEAFARER.—The term ‘seafarer’ means an 
alien crewman who is employed or engaged in any 
capacity on board a vessel subject to this Act.’’; and 
(2) in section 9, by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(g) Any penalty collected under subsection (a) or (b) 
that is not paid under that subsection to the person giving 
information leading to the conviction or assessment of 
such penalties shall be deposited in the Abandoned Sea-
farers Fund established under section 18, subject to the 
limitation in subsection (a)(2)(B) of such section.’’. 
SEC. 311. CLARIFICATION OF HIGH-RISK WATERS. 
Section 55305(e) of title 46, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘provide armed personnel 
aboard’’ and inserting ‘‘reimburse, subject to 
the availability of appropriations, the owners or 
operators of’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘for the cost of providing 
armed personnel aboard such vessels’’ before 
‘‘if’’; and 
(2) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3) and in-
serting the following: 
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‘‘(2) In this subsection, the term ‘high-risk 
waters’ means waters— 
‘‘(A) so designated by the Commandant of 
the Coast Guard in the maritime security direc-
tive issued by the Commandant and in effect on 
the date on which an applicable voyage begins; 
and 
‘‘(B) in which the Secretary of Transpor-
tation determines an act of piracy is likely to 
occur based on documented acts of piracy that 
occurred in such waters during the 12-month 
period preceding the date on which an applica-
ble voyage begins.’’. 
SEC. 312. UNINSPECTED PASSENGER VESSELS IN THE VIR-
GIN ISLANDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 4105 of title 46, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (b) as sub-
section (c); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (a) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(b) In applying this title with respect to an 
uninspected vessel of less than 24 meters overall in length 
that carries passengers to or from a port in the United 
States Virgin Islands, the Secretary shall substitute ‘12 
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passengers’ for ‘6 passengers’ each place it appears in sec-
tion 2101(42) if the Secretary determines that the vessel 
complies with— 
‘‘(1) the Code of Practice for the Safety of 
Small Commercial Motor Vessels (commonly referred 
to as the ‘Yellow Code’), as published by the U.K. 
Maritime and Coastguard Agency and in effect on 
January 1, 2014; or 
‘‘(2) the Code of Practice for the Safety of 
Small Commercial Sailing Vessels (commonly re-
ferred to as the ‘Blue Code’), as published by such 
agency and in effect on such date.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL CORRECTION.—Section 4105(c) of 
title 46, United States Code, as redesignated by subsection 
(a)(1) of this section, is amended by striking ‘‘Within 
twenty-four months of the date of enactment of this sub-
section, the’’ and inserting ‘‘The’’. 
SEC. 313. OFFSHORE SUPPLY VESSEL THIRD-PARTY IN-
SPECTION. 
Section 3316 of title 46, United States Code, is 
amended by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (g), 
and by inserting after subsection (e) the following: 
‘‘(f)(1) Upon request of an owner or operator of an 
offshore supply vessel, the Secretary shall delegate the au-
thorities set forth in paragraph (1) of subsection (b) with 
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respect to such vessel to a classification society to which 
a delegation is authorized under that paragraph. A delega-
tion by the Secretary under this subsection shall be used 
for any vessel inspection and examination function carried 
out by the Secretary, including the issuance of certificates 
of inspection and all other related documents. 
‘‘(2) If the Secretary determines that a certificate of 
inspection or related document issued under authority del-
egated under paragraph (1) of this subsection with respect 
to a vessel has reduced the operational safety of that ves-
sel, the Secretary may terminate the certificate or docu-
ment, respectively. 
‘‘(3) Not later than 2 years after the date of the en-
actment of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation 
Act of 2014, and for each year of the subsequent 2-year 
period, the Secretary shall provide 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— 
‘‘(A) the number of vessels for which a delega-
tion was made under paragraph (1); 
‘‘(B) any savings in personnel and operational 
costs incurred by the Coast Guard that resulted 
from the delegations; and 
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‘‘(C) based on measurable marine casualty and 
other data, any impacts of the delegations on the 
operational safety of vessels for which the delega-
tions were made, and on the crew on those vessels.’’. 
SEC. 314. SURVIVAL CRAFT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3104 of title 46, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘§ 3104. Survival craft 
‘‘(a) The Secretary shall require that a passenger ves-
sel be equipped with survival craft that ensures that no 
part of an individual is immersed in water, if— 
‘‘(1) such vessel is built or undergoes a major 
conversion after January 1, 2016; and 
‘‘(2) operates in cold waters as determined by 
the Secretary. 
‘‘(b) The Secretary may revise part 117 or part 180 
of title 46, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect before 
January 1, 2016, if such revision provides a higher stand-
ard of safety than is provided by the regulations in effect 
on or before the date of enactment of the Coast Guard 
and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014. 
‘‘(c) The Secretary may, in lieu of the requirements 
set out in part 117 or part 180 of title 46, Code of Federal 
Regulations, as in effect on the date of the enactment of 
the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 
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2014, allow a passenger vessel to be equipped with a life 
saving appliance or arrangement of an innovative or novel 
design that— 
‘‘(1) ensures no part of an individual is im-
mersed in water; and 
‘‘(2) provides an equal or higher standard of 
safety than is provided by such requirements as in 
effect before such date of enactment. 
‘‘(d) In this section, the term ‘built’ has the meaning 
that term has under section 4503(e).’’. 
(b) REVIEW; REVISION OF REGULATIONS.— 
(1) REVIEW.—Not later than December 31, 
2015, the Secretary of the department in which the 
Coast Guard is operating shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Sen-
ate a review of— 
(A) the number of casualties for individ-
uals with disabilities, children, and the elderly 
as a result of immersion in water, reported to 
the Coast Guard over the preceding 30-year pe-
riod, by vessel type and area of operation; 
(B) the risks to individuals with disabil-
ities, children, and the elderly as a result of im-
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mersion in water, by passenger vessel type and 
area of operation; 
(C) the effect that carriage of survival 
craft that ensure that no part of an individual 
is immersed in water has on— 
(i) passenger vessel safety, including 
stability and safe navigation; 
(ii) improving the survivability of indi-
viduals, including individuals with disabil-
ities, children, and the elderly; and 
(iii) the costs, the incremental cost 
difference to vessel operators, and the cost 
effectiveness of requiring the carriage of 
such survival craft to address the risks to 
individuals with disabilities, children, and 
the elderly; 
(D) the efficacy of alternative safety sys-
tems, devices, or measures in improving surviv-
ability of individuals with disabilities, children, 
and the elderly; and 
(E) the number of small businesses and 
nonprofit vessel operators that would be af-
fected by requiring the carriage of such survival 
craft on passenger vessels to address the risks 
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to individuals with disabilities, children, and the 
elderly. 
(2) REVISION.—Based on the review conducted 
under paragraph (1), the Secretary may revise regu-
lations concerning the carriage of survival craft pur-
suant to section 3104(c) of title 46, United States 
Code. 
SEC. 315. TECHNICAL CORRECTION TO TITLE 46. 
Section 2116(b)(1)(D) of title 46, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ‘‘section 93(c)’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘section 93(c) of title 14’’. 
TITLE IV—FEDERAL MARITIME 
COMMISSION 
SEC. 401. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Federal 
Maritime Commission $24,700,000 for each of fiscal years 
2015 and 2016. 
SEC. 402. TERMS OF COMMISSIONERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 301(b) of title 46, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by amending paragraph (2) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(2) TERMS.—The term of each Commissioner 
is 5 years. When the term of a Commissioner ends, 
the Commissioner may continue to serve until a suc-
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cessor is appointed and qualified, but for a period 
not to exceed one year. Except as provided in para-
graph (3), no individual may serve more than 2 
terms.’’; and 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (3) as para-
graph (5), and inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(3) VACANCIES.—A vacancy shall be filled in 
the same manner as the original appointment. An 
individual appointed to fill a vacancy is appointed 
only for the unexpired term of the individual being 
succeeded. An individual appointed to fill a vacancy 
may serve 2 terms in addition to the remainder of 
the term for which the predecessor of that individual 
was appointed. 
‘‘(4) CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.— 
‘‘(A) 
LIMITATION
ON
RELATIONSHIPS 
WITH REGULATED ENTITIES.—A Commissioner 
may not have a pecuniary interest in, hold an 
official relation to, or own stocks or bonds of 
any entity the Commission regulates under 
chapter 401 of this title. 
‘‘(B) LIMITATION
ON
OTHER
ACTIVI-
TIES.—A Commissioner may not engage in an-
other business, vocation, or employment.’’. 
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(b) APPLICABILITY.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a)(1) does not apply with respect to a Commis-
sioner of the Federal Maritime Commission appointed and 
confirmed by the Senate before the date of enactment of 
this Act. 
TITLE V—COMMERCIAL VESSEL 
DISCHARGE REFORM 
SEC. 501. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Commercial Vessel 
Discharge Reform Act of 2014’’. 
SEC. 502. DISCHARGES INCIDENTAL TO THE NORMAL OP-
ERATION OF CERTAIN VESSELS. 
Section 2(a) of Public Law 110–299 (33 U.S.C. 1342 
note) is amended by striking ‘‘during the period beginning 
on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on 
December 18, 2014,’’. 
TITLE VI—MISCELLANEOUS 
SEC. 601. DISTANT WATER TUNA FLEET. 
Section 421 of the Coast Guard and Maritime Trans-
portation Act of 2006 (Public Law 109–241; 120 Stat. 
547) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as 
follows: 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) only applies 
to a foreign citizen who holds a credential to serve 
as an officer on a fishing vessel or vessel of similar 
tonnage.’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘An 
equivalent credential’’ and inserting ‘‘A creden-
tial’’; and 
(2) by striking subsections (c), (e), and (f) and 
redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c). 
SEC. 602. VESSEL DETERMINATION. 
The vessel assigned United States official number 
1205366 is deemed a new vessel effective on the date of 
delivery of the vessel after January 1, 2012, from a pri-
vately owned United States shipyard, if no encumbrances 
are on record with the Coast Guard at the time of the 
issuance of the new certificate of documentation for the 
vessel. 
SEC. 603. LEASE AUTHORITY. 
(a) AUTHORITY.—The Commandant of the Coast 
Guard may lease under section 93(a)(13) of title 14, 
United States Code, submerged lands and tidelands under 
the control of the Coast Guard without regard to the limi-
tation under that section with respect to lease duration. 
(b) LIMITATION.—The Commandant may lease sub-
merged lands and tidelands under subsection (a) only if— 
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(1) lease payments are— 
(A) received exclusively in the form of 
cash; 
(B) equal to the fair market value of the 
leased submerged lands or tidelands, as deter-
mined by the Commandant; and 
(C) deposited in the fund established under 
section 687 of title 14, United States Code; and 
(2) the lease does not provide authority to or 
commit the Coast Guard to use or support any im-
provements to such submerged lands or tidelands, or 
obtain goods or services from the lessee. 
SEC. 604. NATIONAL MARITIME STRATEGY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transpor-
tation, in consultation with the Secretary of the depart-
ment in which the Coast Guard is operating, shall submit 
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a 
national maritime strategy. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The strategy required under sub-
section (a) shall— 
(1) identify— 
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