[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9836 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9836
To amend title 14, United States Code, to require the establishment of
the Center of Expertise in Indo-Pacific Maritime Governance, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 25, 2024
Mr. Kelly of Mississippi (for himself and Mr. Case) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 14, United States Code, to require the establishment of
the Center of Expertise in Indo-Pacific Maritime Governance, 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 ``Pacific Ready Coast Guard Act''.
SEC. 2. CENTER OF EXPERTISE IN INDO-PACIFIC MARITIME GOVERNANCE.
(a) In General.--Chapter 3 of title 14, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 324. Center of Expertise in Indo-Pacific Maritime Governance
``(a) Establishment.--The Commandant of the Coast Guard shall
establish a Center of Expertise in Indo-Pacific Maritime Governance (in
this section referred to as the `Center'). The Commandant shall model
the Center after the International Law Enforcement Academies and the
Department of Defense Institutes.
``(b) Mission.--The Center shall be used to provide and facilitate
education, training, and research in maritime governance best
practices, including how to build regional state capacity.
``(c) Assistance.--To assist the Center in carrying out the mission
under subsection (b), upon request of the Center, the head of any
Federal agency may grant to the Center access to the data, archives,
and other resources of that agency, and may detail any personnel of
that agency to the Center.
``(d) Joint Operation With Partner Country.--The Commandant shall
seek to engage with appropriate representatives of a foreign country
selected at the discretion of the Commandant to reach an agreement for
the operation of the Center. Any such agreement shall provide for such
country to furnish necessary administrative services and facilities for
the Center, including by--
``(1) directly providing such services;
``(2) providing the funds for such services; or
``(3) coordinating with officials of an institution of
higher education located in such foreign country for the
provision of such services.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:
``324. Center of Expertise in Indo-Pacific Maritime
Governance.''.
SEC. 3. ANNUAL PLAN FOR COAST GUARD OPERATIONS IN THE PACIFIC.
(a) In General.--Chapter 51 of title 14, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new sections:
``Sec. 5116. Annual plan for Coast Guard operations in the Pacific
``(a) In General.--Not later than December 31, 2024, and annually
thereafter, the Commandant of the Coast Guard, in consultation with the
Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense, shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a plan for Coast Guard operations
in the Pacific region for the year after the year during which the plan
is submitted. Such plan shall include, for the year covered by the
plan, each of the following elements:
``(1) A list of objectives for Coast Guard engagement in
the Pacific region in support of Department of State and
Department of Defense missions.
``(2) An assessment of the capabilities of the Coast Guard
to support Department of State and Department of Defense
missions in the Pacific region.
``(3) A list of any areas in the Pacific region where an
increased Coast Guard presence would better support Department
of State and Department of Defense missions.
``(4) The projected demand for Coast Guard engagement in
the Pacific region from the Department of State and the
Department of Defense for the year covered by the plan and the
subsequent 10 years.
``(5) An assessment of whether the Coast Guard will be able
to meet such projected demand for the year covered by the plan,
including a list of any factors limiting the ability of the
Coast Guard to meet such projected demand.
``(6) A summary of the resources needed for the Coast Guard
to meet such projected demand for the year covered by the plan,
including--
``(A) staff;
``(B) infrastructure, including shore
infrastructure;
``(C) administrative and logistical support; and
``(D) technology.
``(7) Any other matter as determined relevant by the
Commandant.
``(b) Form.--Each plan under subsection (a) shall be submitted in
unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
``(c) Briefing Required.--Not later than February 15, 2025, and
annually thereafter, the Commandant shall provide to the appropriate
congressional committees a briefing on the annual plan required under
subsection (a) submitted during the preceding year.
``(d) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this
section, the term `appropriate congressional committees' means--
``(1) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of
the House of Representatives;
``(2) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives;
``(3) the Committee on Armed Services of the House of
Representatives;
``(4) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate;
``(5) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
``(6) the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate.
``Sec. 5117. Annual budget display for Coast Guard operations in the
Pacific
``(a) In General.--Not later than February 15, 2025, and annually
thereafter, the Commandant of the Coast Guard shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a detailed budget display for
Coast Guard operations in the Pacific region for the fiscal year after
the fiscal year during which the budget display is submitted. The
Commandant shall base such budget display on the projected demand for
Coast Guard engagement in the Pacific region as identified in the most
recent annual plan developed under section 5116 of this title. Such
budget display shall include, for the year covered by the budget
display, the following information:
``(1) With respect to procurement accounts, amounts
displayed by account, budget activity, line number, line item,
and line item title.
``(2) With respect to research, development, test, and
evaluation accounts, amounts displayed by account, budget
activity, line number, program element, and program element
title.
``(3) With respect to operation and maintenance accounts,
amounts displayed by account title, budget activity title, line
number, and subactivity group title.
``(4) With respect to military personnel accounts, amounts
displayed by account, budget activity, budget subactivity, and
budget subactivity title.
``(b) Form.--Each display under subsection (a) shall be submitted
in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
``(c) Briefing Required.--Not later than February 15, 2025, and
annually thereafter, the Commandant shall provide to the appropriate
congressional committees a briefing on the budget display required by
subsection (a) for the fiscal year after the fiscal year during which
the briefing is provided.
``(d) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this
section, the term `appropriate congressional committees' has the
meaning given such term in section 5116 of this title.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new items:
``5116. Annual plan for Coast Guard operations in the Pacific.
``5117. Annual budget display for Coast Guard operations in the
Pacific.''.
SEC. 4. REPORT ON FEASIBILITY OF STANDING INDO-PACIFIC MARITIME GROUP.
(a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Commandant of the Coast Guard shall submit
to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the feasibility
of establishing a standing Indo-Pacific maritime group, modeled after
the Standing NATO Maritime Groups, to conduct humanitarian and law
enforcement missions in the Indo-Pacific region.
(b) Contents.--The Commandant shall include in the report required
under subsection (a)--
(1) findings on how such maritime group could enable the
Coast Guard to work more effectively with partner countries in
the Indo-Pacific region on--
(A) multilateral humanitarian missions;
(B) anti-piracy missions;
(C) emergency responses;
(D) maritime domain awareness issues; and
(E) the prevention of unregulated and unreported
fishing efforts; and
(2) any other matters as determined relevant by the
Commandant.
SEC. 5. REPORT ON ESTABLISHMENT OF FORWARD OPERATING BASES.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Commandant of the Coast Guard, in
consultation with the Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific
Command, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a
report on establishing forward operating bases in the Indo-Pacific
region.
(b) Contents.--The Commandant shall include in the report required
under subsection (a)--
(1) a description of gaps in Coast Guard operations in the
Indo-Pacific region, including any logistical problems;
(2) a list of locations selected for the establishment of
such forward operating bases, including mobile forward
operating bases;
(3) a description of why each location on such list was
selected;
(4) the cost of establishing such forward operating bases;
(5) the non-monetary resources and approvals needed to
establish such forward operating bases, including
authorizations and cooperation agreements; and
(6) a timeline for completing by not later than January 1,
2030, the establishment of such forward operating bases.
SEC. 6. REPORT ON COAST GUARD ATTACHES.
(a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Commandant of the Coast Guard, in
consultation with the Secretary of State, shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report on Coast Guard attaches
serving in embassies in the Indo-Pacific region.
(b) Contents.--The Commandant shall include in the report required
under subsection (a)--
(1) the number of such attaches actively serving in such
embassies;
(2) a list of any such embassies where an increased
allocation of such attaches could better support United States
objectives in the Indo-Pacific region; and
(3) a plan to increase the number of such attaches actively
serving in such embassies, including the resources and
approvals necessary to achieve such plan.
SEC. 7. APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DEFINED.
In this Act, the term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means--
(1) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of
the House of Representatives;
(2) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives;
(3) the Committee on Armed Services of the House of
Representatives;
(4) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
of the Senate;
(5) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
(6) the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate.
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