Title: Coast Guard Blue Technology Center of Expertise Act
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Coast Guard Blue Technology Center of Expertise Act
This bill directs the U.S. Coast Guard to establish a Blue Technology Center of Expertise to promote awareness about blue technologies and their potential to enhance the Coast Guard's mission readiness and operational performance. (Blue technology includes technology that supports maritime domain awareness [e.g., surveillance], search and rescue, emergency response, maritime law enforcement, or protection of the marine environment.)

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6206 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6206

    To direct the Commandant of the Coast Guard to establish a Blue 
        Technology center of expertise, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 25, 2018

  Mr. Garamendi (for himself and Mr. Hunter) introduced the following 
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
                             Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To direct the Commandant of the Coast Guard to establish a Blue 
        Technology center of expertise, 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 ``Coast Guard Blue Technology Center 
of Expertise Act''.

SEC. 2. COAST GUARD BLUE TECHNOLOGY CENTER OF EXPERTISE.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act and subject to the availability of 
appropriations, the Commandant shall establish under section 58 of 
title 14, United States Code, a Blue Technology center of expertise.
    (b) Missions.--In addition to the missions listed in section 58(b) 
of title 14, United States Code, the Center--
            (1) shall--
                    (A) promote awareness within the Coast Guard of the 
                range and diversity of Blue Technologies and their 
                potential to enhance Coast Guard mission readiness, 
                operational performance, and regulation of such 
                technologies;
                    (B) function as an interactive conduit to enable 
                the sharing and dissemination of Blue Technology 
                information between the Coast Guard and representatives 
                from the private sector, academia, nonprofit 
                organizations, and other Federal agencies;
                    (C) increase awareness among Blue Technology 
                manufacturers, entrepreneurs, and vendors of Coast 
                Guard acquisition policies, procedures, and business 
                practices; and
                    (D) provide technical support, coordination, and 
                assistance to Coast Guard districts and the Coast Guard 
                Research and Development Center, as appropriate; and
            (2) subject to the requirements of the Coast Guard Academy, 
        may coordinate with the Academy to develop appropriate 
        curricula regarding Blue Technology to be offered in 
        professional courses of study to give Coast Guard cadets and 
        officer candidates a greater background and understanding of 
        Blue Technologies.
    (c) Blue Technology Exposition; Briefing.--Not later than 6 months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall 
provide to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate a briefing on the costs and benefits of 
hosting a biennial Coast Guard Blue Technology exposition to further 
interactions between representatives from the private sector, academia, 
and nonprofit organizations, and the Coast Guard and examine emerging 
technologies and Coast Guard mission demands.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Center.--The term ``Center'' means the Blue Technology 
        center of expertise established under this section.
            (2) Commandant.--The term ``Commandant'' means the 
        Commandant of the Coast Guard.
            (3) Blue technology.--The term ``Blue Technology'' means 
        any technology, system, or platform that--
                    (A) is designed for use or application above, on, 
                or below the sea surface or that is otherwise 
                applicable to Coast Guard operational needs, including 
                such a technology, system, or platform that provides 
                continuous or persistent coverage; and
                    (B) supports or facilitates--
                            (i) maritime domain awareness, including--
                                    (I) surveillance and monitoring;
                                    (II) observation, measurement, and 
                                modeling: or
                                    (III) information technology and 
                                communications;
                            (ii) search and rescue;
                            (iii) emergency response;
                            (iv) maritime law enforcement;
                            (v) marine inspections and investigations; 
                        or
                            (vi) protection and conservation of the 
                        marine environment.
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