I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1726 
To amend title 14, United States Code, to improve the organization of 
such title and to incorporate certain transfers and modifications into 
such title, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 27, 2017 
Mr. HUNTER (for himself and Mr. GARAMENDI) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend title 14, United States Code, to improve the 
organization of such title and to incorporate certain 
transfers and modifications into such title, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Coast Guard Improvement and Reform Act of 2017’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
TITLE I—REORGANIZATION OF TITLE 14, UNITED STATES CODE 
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Sec. 101. Initial matter. 
Sec. 102. Subtitle I. 
Sec. 103. Chapter 1. 
Sec. 104. Chapter 3. 
Sec. 105. Chapter 5. 
Sec. 106. Chapter 7. 
Sec. 107. Chapter 9. 
Sec. 108. Chapter 11. 
Sec. 109. Subtitle II. 
Sec. 110. Chapter 19. 
Sec. 111. Part II. 
Sec. 112. Chapter 21. 
Sec. 113. Chapter 23. 
Sec. 114. Chapter 25. 
Sec. 115. Part III. 
Sec. 116. Chapter 27. 
Sec. 117. Chapter 29. 
Sec. 118. Subtitle III and chapter 37. 
Sec. 119. Chapter 39. 
Sec. 120. Chapter 41. 
Sec. 121. Subtitle IV and chapter 49. 
Sec. 122. Chapter 51. 
Sec. 123. References. 
Sec. 124. Rule of construction. 
TITLE II—TRANSFERS AND MODIFICATIONS 
Sec. 201. Amendments to title 14, United States Code, as amended by title I 
of this Act. 
Sec. 202. Primary duties. 
Sec. 203. Regattas and marine parades. 
Sec. 204. Regulation of vessels in territorial waters of United States. 
Sec. 205. National maritime transportation advisory committees. 
Sec. 206. Clothing at time of discharge for good of service. 
TITLE I—REORGANIZATION OF 
TITLE 14, UNITED STATES CODE 
SEC. 101. INITIAL MATTER. 
Title 14, United States Code, is amended by striking 
the title designation, the title heading, and the table of 
parts at the beginning and inserting the following: 
‘‘TITLE 14—COAST GUARD 
‘‘Subtitle
Sec.
‘‘I. Establishment, Powers, Duties, and Administration ....
101
‘‘II. Personnel ..................................................................................... 1901
‘‘III. Coast Guard Reserve and Auxiliary ................................ 3701
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‘‘IV. Coast Guard Authorizations and Reports to Con-
gress ............................................................................ 4901’’. 
SEC. 102. SUBTITLE I. 
Part I of title 14, United States Code, is amended 
by striking the part designation, the part heading, and the 
table of chapters at the beginning and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘Subtitle I—Establishment, Powers, 
Duties, and Administration 
‘‘Chap.
Sec.
‘‘1. Establishment and Duties .......................................................
101
‘‘3. Composition and Organization .............................................
301
‘‘5. Functions and Powers .............................................................
501
‘‘7. Cooperation ..................................................................................
701
‘‘9. Administration ............................................................................
901
‘‘11. Acquisitions ............................................................................... 1101’’. 
SEC. 103. CHAPTER 1. 
(a) INITIAL MATTER.—Chapter 1 of title 14, United 
States Code, is amended by striking the chapter designa-
tion, the chapter heading, and the table of sections at the 
beginning and inserting the following: 
‘‘CHAPTER 1—ESTABLISHMENT AND 
DUTIES 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘101. Establishment of Coast Guard. 
‘‘102. Primary duties. 
‘‘103. Department in which the Coast Guard operates. 
‘‘104. Removing restrictions. 
‘‘105. Secretary defined.’’. 
(b) REDESIGNATIONS AND TRANSFERS.— 
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(1) REQUIREMENT.—The sections of title 14, 
United States Code, identified in the table provided 
in paragraph (2) are amended— 
(A) by redesignating the sections as de-
scribed in the table; and 
(B) by transferring the sections, as nec-
essary, so that the sections appear after the 
table of sections for chapter 1 of such title (as 
added by subsection (a)), in the order in which 
the sections are presented in the table. 
(2) TABLE.—The table referred to in paragraph 
(1) is the following: 
Title 14 sec-
tion number 
before redes-
ignation 
Section heading (provided for identification 
purposes only-not amended) 
Title 14 sec-
tion number 
after redes-
ignation 
Establishment of Coast Guard 
101 
Primary duties 
102 
Department in which the Coast Guard operates 
103 
652 
Removing restrictions 
104 
Secretary defined 
105 
SEC. 104. CHAPTER 3. 
(a) INITIAL MATTER.—Chapter 3 of title 14, United 
States Code, is amended by striking the chapter designa-
tion, the chapter heading, and the table of sections at the 
beginning and inserting the following: 
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‘‘CHAPTER 3—COMPOSITION AND 
ORGANIZATION 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘301. Grades and ratings. 
‘‘302. Commandant; appointment. 
‘‘303. Retirement of Commandant. 
‘‘304. Vice Commandant; appointment. 
‘‘305. Vice admirals. 
‘‘306. Retirement. 
‘‘307. Vice admirals and admiral, continuity of grade. 
‘‘308. Chief Acquisition Officer. 
‘‘309. Office of the Coast Guard Reserve; Director. 
‘‘310. Chief of Staff to President: appointment. 
‘‘311. Captains of the port. 
‘‘312. Prevention and response workforces. 
‘‘313. Centers of expertise for Coast Guard prevention and response. 
‘‘314. Marine industry training program. 
‘‘315. Training course on workings of Congress. 
‘‘316. National Coast Guard Museum. 
‘‘317. United States Coast Guard Band; composition; director. 
‘‘318. Environmental Compliance and Restoration Program.’’. 
(b) REDESIGNATIONS AND TRANSFERS.— 
(1) REQUIREMENT.—The sections of title 14, 
United States Code, identified in the table provided 
in paragraph (2) are amended— 
(A) by redesignating the sections as de-
scribed in the table; and 
(B) by transferring the sections, as nec-
essary, so that the sections appear after the 
table of sections for chapter 3 of such title (as 
added by subsection (a)), in the order in which 
the sections are presented in the table. 
(2) TABLE.—The table referred to in paragraph 
(1) is the following: 
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Title 14 sec-
tion number 
before redes-
ignation 
Section heading (provided for identification 
purposes only-not amended) 
Title 14 sec-
tion number 
after redes-
ignation 
Grades and ratings 
301 
Commandant; appointment 
302 
Retirement of Commandant 
303 
Vice Commandant; appointment 
304 
Vice admirals 
305 
Retirement 
306 
Vice admirals and admiral, continuity of grade 
307 
Chief Acquisition Officer 
308 
Office of the Coast Guard Reserve; Director 
309 
Chief of Staff to President: appointment 
310 
Prevention and response workforces 
312 
58 Centers of expertise for Coast Guard prevention 
and response 
313 
Marine industry training program 
314 
Training course on workings of Congress 
315 
National Coast Guard Museum 
316 
336 
United States Coast Guard Band; composition; 
director 
317 
(c) ADDITIONAL CHANGES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 3 of title 14, United 
States Code, is further amended— 
(A) by inserting after section 310 (as so 
redesignated and transferred under subsection 
(b)) the following: 
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‘‘§ 311. Captains of the port 
‘‘Any officer, including any petty officer, may be des-
ignated by the Commandant as captain of the port or 
ports or adjacent high seas or waters over which the 
United States has jurisdiction, as the Commandant deems 
necessary to facilitate execution of Coast Guard duties.’’; 
and 
(B) by inserting after section 317 (as so 
redesignated and transferred under subsection 
(b)) the following: 
‘‘§ 318. Environmental Compliance and Restoration 
Program 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this sec-
tion— 
‘‘(1) ‘environment’, ‘facility’, ‘person’, ‘release’, 
‘removal’, ‘remedial’, and ‘response’ have the same 
meaning they have in section 101 of the Comprehen-
sive Environmental Response, Compensation, and 
Liability Act (42 U.S.C. 9601); 
‘‘(2) ‘hazardous substance’ has the same mean-
ing it has in section 101 of the Comprehensive Envi-
ronmental Response, Compensation, and Liability 
Act (42 U.S.C. 9601), except that it also includes 
the meaning given ‘oil’ in section 311 of the Federal 
Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1321); and 
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(1) REQUIREMENT.—The sections of title 14, 
United States Code, identified in the table provided 
in paragraph (2) are amended— 
(A) by redesignating the sections as de-
scribed in the table; and 
(B) by transferring the sections, as nec-
essary, so that the sections appear after the 
table of sections for chapter 49 of such title (as 
added by subsection (a)), in the order in which 
the sections are presented in the table. 
(2) TABLE.—The table referred to in paragraph 
(1) is the following: 
Title 14 sec-
tion number 
before redes-
ignation 
Section heading (provided for identification 
purposes only-not amended) 
Title 14 sec-
tion number 
after redes-
ignation 
2701 
Requirement for prior authorization of appro-
priations 
4901 
2702 
Authorization of appropriations 
4902 
2703 
Authorization of personnel end strengths 
4903 
2704 
Authorized levels of military strength and 
training 
4904 
SEC. 122. CHAPTER 51. 
(a) INITIAL MATTER.—Title 14, United States Code, 
is further amended by adding after chapter 49 (as added 
by section 121) the following: 
‘‘CHAPTER 51—REPORTS 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘5101. Transmission of annual Coast Guard authorization request. 
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