Coast Guard Safety and Accountability Act
Bill: H.R.509 | Sponsor: Rep. Brownley, Julia (D-CA)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Coast Guard Safety and Accountability Act
This bill requires the U.S. Coast Guard to formally respond in writing to each recommendation about transportation safety from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The response must indicate whether the Coast Guard intends to (1) adopt the complete recommendation, (2) adopt a part of the recommendation, or (3) refuse to adopt the recommendation.
The NTSB must make a copy of each recommendation and response available to the public at a reasonable cost.

To amend title 14, United States Code, to ensure that the Commandant of 
  the Coast Guard responds to safety recommendations by the National 
                      Transportation Safety Board.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Coast Guard Safety and 
Accountability Act''.

SEC. 2. COMMANDANT OF THE COAST GUARD'S RESPONSES TO SAFETY 
              RECOMMENDATIONS.

    (a) Amendment to Title 14.--Chapter 7 of title 14, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 719. RESPONSES TO SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--When the National Transportation Safety Board 
submits a recommendation about transportation safety to the Commandant 
of the Coast Guard, the Commandant, not later than 90 days after 
receiving the recommendation, shall give the Board a formal written 
response to each recommendation. The response shall indicate whether 
the Commandant intends--
            ``(1) to carry out procedures to adopt the complete 
        recommendation;
            ``(2) to carry out procedures to adopt a part of the 
        recommendation; or
            ``(3) to refuse to carry out procedures to adopt the 
        recommendation.
    ``(b) Timetable for Completing Procedures and Reasons for 
Refusal.--A response under paragraphs (1) or (2) of subsection (a) 
shall include a copy of a proposed timetable for completing the 
procedures. A response under subsection (a)(2) shall detail the reasons 
for the refusal to carry out procedures on the remainder of the 
recommendation. A response under subsection (a)(3) shall detail the 
reasons for the refusal to carry out procedures.
    ``(c) Public Availability.--The Board shall make a copy of each 
recommendation and response available to the public at reasonable cost.
    ``(d) Reporting Requirements.--
            ``(1) Annual regulatory status reports.--On February 1 of 
        each year, the Commandant shall submit a report to Congress and 
        the Board containing the regulatory status of each 
        recommendation made by the Board to the Commandant that is on 
        the Board's `most wanted list'. The Commandant shall continue 
        to report on the regulatory status of each such recommendation 
        in the report due on February 1 of subsequent years until final 
        regulatory action is taken on that recommendation or the 
        Commandant determines and states in such a report that no 
        action should be taken.
            ``(2) Failure to report.--If on March 1 of each year the 
        Board has not received the Commandant's report required by this 
        subsection, the Board shall notify the Committee on 
        Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation of the Senate of the Commandant's failure to 
        submit the required report.
            ``(3) Compliance report with recommendations.--Not later 
        than 90 days after the date on which the Commandant submits a 
        report under this subsection, the Board shall review the 
        Commandant's report and transmit comments on the report to the 
        Commandant, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on 
        Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 7 of title 14, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
section 718 the following:

``719. Responses to safety recommendations.''.
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