H.R. 9836

[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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