mines that such action is required to enable the Coast 
Guard to eliminate a backlog in processing applications 
for such documents. 
‘‘(c) MANNER
OF
EXTENSION.—Any extensions 
granted under this section may be granted to individual 
seamen or a specifically identified group of seamen. 
‘‘(d) EXPIRATION
OF AUTHORITY.—The authority 
for providing an extension under this section shall expire 
on June 30, 2009.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis for such 
chapter, as amended by section 5(b), is further amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘7508. Authority to extend the duration of licenses, certificates of registry, and 
merchant mariner documents.’’. 
SEC. 7. MERCHANT MARINER DOCUMENTATION. 
(a) INTERIM CLEARANCE PROCESS.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of the department in which the Coast Guard is op-
erating shall develop an interim clearance process for 
issuance of a merchant mariner document to enable a 
newly hired seaman to begin working on an offshore sup-
ply vessel or towing vessel if the Secretary makes an initial 
determination that the seaman does not pose a safety and 
security risk. 
(b) CONTENTS
OF PROCESS.—The process under 
subsection (a) shall include a check against the consoli-
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dated and integrated terrorist watch list maintained by the 
Federal Government, review of the seaman’s criminal 
record, and review of the results of testing the seaman 
for use of a dangerous drug (as defined in section 2101 
of title 46, United States Code) in violation of law or Fed-
eral regulation. 
SEC. 8. MERCHANT MARINER ASSISTANCE REPORT. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Commandant of the Coast Guard shall 
submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate a report regarding a plan— 
(1) to expand the streamlined evaluation proc-
ess program that was affiliated with the Houston 
Regional Examination Center of the Coast Guard to 
all processing centers of the Coast Guard nation-
wide; 
(2) to include proposals to simplify the applica-
tion process for a license as an officer, staff officer, 
or operator and for a merchant mariner’s document 
to help eliminate errors by merchant mariners when 
completing the application form (CG–719B), includ-
ing instructions attached to the application form and 
a modified application form for renewals with ques-
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tions pertaining only to the period of time since the 
previous application; 
(3) to provide notice to an applicant of the sta-
tus of the pending application, including a process to 
allow the applicant to check on the status of the ap-
plication by electronic means; and 
(4) to ensure that all information collected with 
respect to applications for new or renewed licenses, 
merchant mariner documents, and certificates of 
registry is retained in a secure electronic format. 
SEC. 9. MERCHANT MARINER SHORTAGE REPORT. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation, acting 
through the Administrator of the Maritime Administra-
tion, 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 concerning methods to address the 
current and future shortage in the number of merchant 
mariners, particularly entry-level mariners, including an 
evaluation of whether an educational loan program pro-
viding loans for the cost of on-the-job training would pro-
vide an incentive for workers and help alleviate the short-
age. 
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SEC. 10. MERCHANT MARINER DOCUMENT STANDARDS. 
Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of the department 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— 
(1) a plan to ensure that the process for an ap-
plication, by an individual who has, or has applied 
for, a transportation security card under section 
70105 of title 46, United States Code, for a mer-
chant mariner document can be completed entirely 
by mail; and 
(2) a report on the feasibility of, and a timeline 
to, redesign the merchant mariner document to com-
ply with the requirements of such section, including 
a biometric identifier, and all relevant international 
conventions, including the International Labour Or-
ganization Convention Number 185 concerning the 
seafarers identity document, and include a review on 
whether or not such redesign will eliminate the need 
for separate credentials and background screening 
and streamline the application process for mariners. 
Æ 
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