USCG Act
Bill: S.1845 | Sponsor: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. (R-MS)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Unwavering Support for our Coast Guard Act or the USCG Act
This bill addresses the funding, pay, and duties of the Coast Guard.
During a funding gap, the Department of the Treasury shall make available to the Department of Homeland Security such amounts necessary to continue to provide, without interruption, pay and allowances to members of the Coast Guard, including its reserve components, who perform active service during the funding gap.
The Coast Guard must conduct an updated fleet mix analysis that provides for a fleet mix sufficient to carry out the missions of the Coast Guard and to address national security threats.
The Coast Guard must develop an updated shore infrastructure investment plan that includes the construction of additional facilities to accommodate the updated fleet mix and improvements to ensure existing facilities meet requirements and remain operational for the lifespan of such fleet mix.
The Cost Guard shall establish a program to increase the number of underrepresented minorities in the enlisted ranks of the Coast Guard.

To provide for pay and allowances for members of the Coast Guard during 
    a funding gap, to provide full funding to address the shoreside 
 facility maintenance and recapitalization backlog of the Coast Guard, 
       and to diversify the Coast Guard, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Unwavering Support for our Coast 
Guard Act'' or the ``USCG Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The Coast Guard saves individuals in peril, thwarts 
        illicit and coercive maritime activities, and fosters economic 
        prosperity and environmental stewardship.
            (2) The Coast Guard is at all times a branch of the Armed 
        Forces of the United States.
            (3) Additionally, the Coast Guard is a Federal law 
        enforcement agency, a regulatory body, a first responder, and a 
        member of the United States intelligence community.
            (4) With its unique mission set and authorities, the Coast 
        Guard has a key role in addressing emerging national priorities 
        in the United States and across the globe.
            (5) The Coast Guard is deployed worldwide. The white-hull 
        diplomacy of the Coast Guard is essential to United States 
        security.
            (6) Domestically, the Coast Guard keeps the waterways of 
        the United States open and commerce moving smoothly by ensuring 
        marine safety and maintaining aids to navigation.
            (7) Last year, the Coast Guard responded to 16,845 search 
        and rescue cases and saved 4,286 lives.
            (8) The Coast Guard has admirably performed its missions 
        with a fleet of aging vessels, aircraft, and facilities. The 
        Coast Guard deserves Congress's strong and full support for the 
        recapitalization of its assets.

SEC. 3. PAY AND ALLOWANCES FOR CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE COAST GUARD 
              DURING FUNDING GAP.

    (a) In General.--During a funding gap, the Secretary of the 
Treasury shall make available to the Secretary of Homeland Security, 
out of any amounts in the general fund of the Treasury not otherwise 
appropriated, such amounts as the Secretary of Homeland Security 
determines to be necessary to continue to provide, without 
interruption, pay and allowances to members of the Coast Guard, 
including reserve components thereof, who perform active service during 
the funding gap.
    (b) Funding Gap Defined.--In this section, the term ``funding gap'' 
means any period after the beginning of a fiscal year for which interim 
or full-year appropriations for the personnel accounts of the Coast 
Guard have not been enacted.

SEC. 4. FULL FUNDING FOR SHORESIDE FACILITY MAINTENANCE AND 
              RECAPITALIZATION.

    (a) Statement of Policy.--It shall be the policy of the United 
States to provide, on the earliest date practicable, full funding to 
address the shoreside facility maintenance and recapitalization backlog 
of the Coast Guard.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Homeland Security to eliminate the 
shoreside facility maintenance and recapitalization backlog of the 
Coast Guard $2,600,000,000 for fiscal years 2022 through 2030.

SEC. 5. FLEET MIX ANALYSIS.

    (a) In General.--The Commandant of the Coast Guard (referred to in 
this Act as the ``Commandant'') shall conduct an updated fleet mix 
analysis that provides for a fleet mix sufficient, as determined by the 
Commandant--
            (1) to carry out--
                    (A) the missions of the Coast Guard; and
                    (B) emerging mission requirements; and
            (2) to address--
                    (A) national security threats; and
                    (B) the global deployment of the Coast Guard to 
                counter great power competitors.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Commandant shall submit to Congress a report on the 
results of the updated fleet mix analysis required by subsection (a).

SEC. 6. SHORE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT PLAN.

    (a) In General.--The Commandant shall develop an updated shore 
infrastructure investment plan that includes--
            (1) the construction of additional facilities to 
        accommodate the updated fleet mix described in section 5(a);
            (2) improvements necessary to ensure that existing 
        facilities meet requirements and remain operational for the 
        lifespan of such fleet mix, including necessary improvements to 
        information technology infrastructure;
            (3) a timeline for the construction and improvement of the 
        facilities described in paragraphs (1) and (2); and
            (4) a cost estimate for construction and life-cycle support 
        of such facilities, including for necessary personnel.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which the 
report under section 5(b) is submitted, the Commandant shall submit to 
Congress a report on the plan required by subsection (a).

SEC. 7. PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM TO DIVERSIFY THE COAST GUARD.

    (a) Establishment.--The Commandant shall establish a program for 
the purpose of increasing the number of underrepresented minorities in 
the enlisted ranks of the Coast Guard.
    (b) Partnerships.--In carrying out the program established under 
subsection (a), the Commandant shall--
            (1) seek to enter into 1 or more partnerships with eligible 
        entities--
                    (A) to increase the visibility of Coast Guard 
                careers;
                    (B) to promote curriculum development--
                            (i) to enable acceptance into the Coast 
                        Guard; and
                            (ii) to improve success on relevant exams, 
                        such as the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude 
                        Battery; and
                    (C) to provide mentoring for students entering and 
                beginning Coast Guard careers; and
            (2) enter into a partnership with an existing Junior 
        Reserve Officers' Training Corps for the purpose of promoting 
        Coast Guard careers.
    (c) Eligible Institution Defined.--In this section, the term 
``eligible institution'' means--
            (1) an institution of higher education (as defined in 
        section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1001));
            (2) an institution that provides a level of educational 
        attainment that is less than a bachelor's degree;
            (3) a part B institution (as defined in section 322 of the 
        Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061));
            (4) a Tribal College or University (as defined in section 
        316(b) of that Act (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)));
            (5) a Hispanic-serving institution (as defined in section 
        502 of that Act (20 U.S.C. 1101a));
            (6) an Alaska Native-serving institution or a Native 
        Hawaiian-serving institution (as defined in section 317(b) of 
        that Act (20 U.S.C. 1059d(b)));
            (7) a Predominantly Black institution (as defined in 
        section 371(c) of that Act (20 U.S.C. 1071q(c)));
            (8) an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-
        serving institution (as defined in such section); and
            (9) a Native American-serving nontribal institution (as 
        defined in such section).

SEC. 8. COAST GUARD YARD RESILIENCY.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) For over a century, Coast Guard vessels have been 
        built, repaired, and renovated in the Coast Guard Yard 
        (referred to in this section as the ``Yard'') in Baltimore, 
        Maryland.
            (2) As 1 of only 5 remaining public shipyards in the United 
        States, the Yard provides a unique capability to support the 
        Coast Guard and the national fleet, including the National 
        Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Navy, the Army, and 
        other Government agencies.
            (3) The Yard is an essential component of the core 
        industrial base and fleet support operations of the Coast 
        Guard, and its primary mission is to renovate, maintain, and 
        repair Coast Guard vessels.
            (4) The Coast Guard is in the midst of recapitalizing its 
        surface fleet by replacing smaller vessels with larger, more 
        capable assets. Until recently, the Yard provided the Coast 
        Guard with the organic capacity to service every vessel in the 
        Coast Guard fleet, except polar icebreakers.
            (5) With the acquisition of the National Security Cutter 
        and the projected acquisition of the Offshore Patrol Cutter, 
        the Coast Guard will no longer have the organic capacity to 
        service every vessel in the Coast Guard fleet.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Homeland Security to improve the 
infrastructure of the Coast Guard public shipyard $350,000,000.
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