H. R. 7776—1624 
(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 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 pur-
poses of search and rescue, law enforcement, ice operations, 
and logistical missions. 
(3) A comparison of advantages and disadvantages 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 operation 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 PROGRAM 
OFFICE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Commandant, in consultation 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 Committee 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 icebreaker and 
140-foot icebreaking tug replacements, including cost and 
timelines for the acquisition of such vessels; 
(2) a revised time table showing the construction, commis-
sioning, and acceptance of planned Polar Security 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 Security Cutters beyond 
the construction of 3 such vessels rather than constructing 
3 Arctic Security Cutters, including the cost of planning, design, 
and engineering 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 additional cutters 
from an ongoing production line; 
(4) the operational benefits, limitations, and risks of a 
common hull design for polar icebreaking cutters for operation 
in the polar regions;
H. R. 7776—1625 
(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 acquisition 
briefings provided by the Commandant to the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Rep-
resentatives, the Commandant 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— 
(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 CUTTER 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 Cut-
ters is more cost effective and efficient than constructing 3 
Arctic Security Cutters. 
(2) ESTABLISHMENT.—If the Commandant determines under 
paragraph (1) that it is more cost effective 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 Commandant establishes 
a program office under paragraph (2), the Commandant shall 
complete the evaluation 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 provide to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Rep-
resentatives a briefing on the status of requirements evaluations, 
design of the vessel, and schedule of the program.
H. R. 7776—1626 
SEC. 11219. ARCTIC ACTIVITIES. 
(a) ARCTIC OPERATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION REPORT.—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— 
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate; and 
(B) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture of the House of Representatives. 
(2) ARCTIC.—The term ‘‘Arctic’’ has the meaning given such 
term in section 112 of the Arctic Research and Policy Act 
of 1984 (15 U.S.C. 4111). 
SEC. 11220. STUDY ON ARCTIC OPERATIONS AND INFRASTRUCTURE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall commence a study on the Arctic operations 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 region. 
(2) Actions taken by the Coast Guard to manage risks 
to Coast Guard operations, infrastructure, and workforce plan-
ning in the Arctic. 
(3) The plans the Coast Guard has in place for managing 
and mitigating the risks to commercial maritime operations 
and the environment in the Arctic 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 Committee 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 quarterly thereafter, the 
Secretary 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 report 
describing— 
(1) the degree to which Coast Guard personnel and equip-
ment are deployed to St. Paul Island, Alaska, in actual occu-
pancy 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 subsections 
(c) and (d) until such activities have been completed. 
(b) AIRCRAFT HANGER.—The Secretary may—
H. R. 7776—1627 
(1) enter into a lease for a hangar to house deployed Coast 
Guard aircraft if such hanger was previously 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 determined 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 requests that the ownership of 
the tank be transferred to such corporation then the Com-
mandant shall— 
(A) after conducting any necessary environmental 
remediation pursuant to the lease referred to in paragraph 
(1)(A), transfer ownership of such fuel tank to such corpora-
tion; and 
(B) upon the date of such transfer, terminate 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 condi-
tions 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 SWEDEN. 
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Commandant, in consultation with the Comptroller General 
of the United States, shall submit to Congress a report that analyzes 
the shipyards of Finland and Sweden to assess future opportunities 
for technical assistance related to engineering to aid the Coast 
Guard in fulfilling its future mission needs. 
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 procurement 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 acquisi-
tion 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 ice-
breaker acquired or procured under subsection (a), the Commandant