Polar Security Cutter Acquisition Act of 2019

Bill: 116-hr-1822
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Gibbs, Bob [R-OH-7]
Introduced: 2019-03-18
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Coast guard

Marine and inland water transportation

Military procurement, research, weapons development

Navigation, waterways, harbors
Latest action: action_date: 2019-03-18
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-03-18
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Polar Security Cutter Acquisition Act of 2019</b></p> <p>This bill sets forth acquisition requirements for the U.S. Coast Guard to acquire any polar icebreaker, subject to an exception.</p> <p>The Coast Guard must (1)limit military specifications for such vessel, (2)ensure specifications and key drawings are complete before awarding the contract for construction, (3)ensure detail design of the vessel is complete before the start of construction, (4)use block buy contracting (permits the use of a single contract for more than one year's worth of procurement without having to exercise a contract option for each year after the first year), and (5)ensure all icebreaker hulls are science ready and that one is science capable.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1822 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 18, 2019 Mr. Gibbs introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure A BILL To provide acquisition requirements for Coast Guard Polar Security Cutters, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Polar Security Cutter Acquisition Act of 2019 . 2. Polar security cutter acquisition requirements (a) Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2012 Section 222 of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2012 ( Public Law 112–213 ) is amended by— (1) redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and (2) inserting after subsection (b) the following: (c) Acquisition requirements (1) In general Subject to the availability of appropriations, in acquiring any polar icebreaker, except for an icebreaker authorized under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 ( Public Law 115–91 ), the Commandant of the Coast Guard shall— (A) limit military specifications for such vessel to armament, aviation capabilities, communications equipment, and navigation equipment, as described in the letter report, unless funding is provided from other than appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security; (B) ensure specifications and key drawings are complete before awarding the contract for construction; (C) ensure detail design of the vessel is complete before the start of construction; (D) to the extent practicable, use the block-buy contract authority provided under section 1137 of title 14, United States Code; and (E) ensure all icebreaker hulls are science ready and icebreaker hull number four is science capable, as described in the letter report. (2) Definition In this subsection, the term letter report means the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Committee on Polar Icebreaker Cost Assessment letter report entitled Acquisition and Operation of Polar Icebreakers: Fulfilling the Nation’s Needs and dated July 11, 2017. . (b) Technical correction (1) Correction Section 207(a)(6) of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015 ( Public Law 114–120 ) is amended by striking in subsection (d) ( and inserting in subsection (e) ( . (2) Effective date The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall be effective upon the enactment of such Act.