To authorize the Maritime Administrator to make grants to States or port authorities to cover the cost of repair and construction activities relating to certain commercial strategic seaports, and for other purposes.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Ports-to-Forts Act of 2012''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Seaports serve vital national interests by supporting 
        the mobilization and deployment of United States troops, 
        facilitating the flow of trade, and creating jobs.
            (2) The Commercial Strategic Seaport Grant Program is 
        designed to facilitate the movement of military forces securely 
        through United States seaports with minimal disruptions to 
        commerce.
            (3) The exponential growth of commercial cargo over the 
        past 20 years has generated concern over the potential for 
        conflict between military and commercial needs and about the 
        future adequacy of the commercial strategic seaport 
        infrastructure to meet national security requirements.
            (4) The existing infrastructure at seaports may not be 
        readily available when required by the Department of Defense.

SEC. 3. COMMERCIAL STRATEGIC SEAPORT GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Maritime Administrator, subject to the 
availability of appropriations, may make a grant to a State or port 
authority to assist that State or port authority to conduct repair or 
construction activities relating to a commercial strategic seaport.
    (b) Application.--
            (1) In general.--To be eligible for a grant under this 
        section, a State or port authority shall submit to the 
        Administrator, by not later than 1 year after publication of 
        notice under paragraph (2), an application in such form and 
        containing such information as the Administrator may require. 
        The application shall include, at a minimum, a certification 
        that any grant funds received by the State or port authority 
        shall be used only as provided under subsection (c).
            (2) Notice.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall, in the Federal 
        Register, publish notice that applications are being accepted 
        for grants under subsection (a).
            (3) Application acceptability.--If the Administrator 
        determines that an application received under paragraph (1) is 
        incomplete or unacceptable, the Administrator shall--
                    (A) reject the application; and
                    (B) advise the State or port authority that 
                submitted the application of the reasons for the 
                rejection.
            (4) Reapplication.--If the Administrator rejects a State's 
        or port authority's application under paragraph (1), that State 
        or port authority may submit an additional application under 
        that paragraph not later than the end of the 1-year application 
        period established under that paragraph.
    (c) Use of Funds.--
            (1) State.--A State that receives a grant under subsection 
        (a) may only use funds from such grant for direct or indirect 
        costs of repair or construction activities relating to--
                    (A) a commercial strategic seaport; or
                    (B) bridges, roads, rail systems, and other 
                infrastructure in the vicinity of such seaport.
            (2) Port authority.--A port authority that receives a grant 
        under subsection (a) may only use funds from such grant for 
        direct or indirect costs of repair or construction activities 
        relating to infrastructure that is part of the commercial 
        strategic seaport.
    (d) Reporting Requirement.--Not later than 1 year after the date on 
which a State or port authority receives a grant under subsection (a), 
and annually thereafter until all repair or construction activities to 
be carried out under the grant are completed, the State or port 
authority shall submit a report to the Administrator that includes--
            (1) a description of the progress made with respect to such 
        activities; and
            (2) a detailed list of all expenses related to such 
        activities.
    (e) Authorization of Use of Department of Defense Appropriations.--
Such sums as are necessary to carry out this section may be used by the 
Maritime Administrator from any amounts otherwise appropriated for the 
Department of Defense after the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Commercial strategic seaport.--The term ``commercial 
        strategic seaport'' means a port (including bridges, roads, 
        rail systems, and other infrastructure that is part of the 
        port) that the Secretary of Defense has determined to be vital 
        to the readiness and cargo throughput capacity of the 
        Department of Defense.
            (2) Port authority.--The term ``port authority'' means a 
        local port authority with jurisdiction over a commercial 
        strategic seaport.
            (3) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
        States of the United States and Guam.

Summary: Ports-to-Forts Act of 2012 - Directs the Administrator of the Maritime Administration to make grants to states or port authorities to cover the direct or indirect costs for repair or construction of: (1) commercial strategic seaports; or (2) bridges, roads, rail systems, and other infrastructure near such seaports.