PREVENTION AND RESPONSE STAFF.

SEC. 521. PREVENTION AND RESPONSE STAFF.(a) In General.—Chapter 3 of title 14, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new sections:“§ 57. Prevention and response workforces“(a) Career Paths.—The Secretary, acting through the Commandant, shall ensure that appropriate career paths for civilian and military Coast Guard personnel who wish to pursue career paths in prevention or response positions are identified in terms of the education, training, experience, and assignments necessary for career progression of civilians and members of the Armed Forces to the most senior prevention or response positions, as appropriate. The Secretary shall make available published information on such career paths.124 STAT. 2954“(b) Qualifications for Certain Assignments.—An officer, member, or civilian employee of the Coast Guard assigned as a—“(1) marine inspector shall have the training, experience, and qualifications equivalent to that required for a similar position at a classification society recognized by the Secretary under section 3316 of title 46 for the type of vessel, system, or equipment that is inspected;“(2) marine casualty investigator shall have the training, experience, and qualifications in investigation, marine casualty reconstruction, evidence collection and preservation, human factors, and documentation using best investigation practices by Federal and non-Federal entities; or“(3) marine safety engineer shall have knowledge, skill, and practical experience in—“(A) the construction and operation of commercial vessels;“(B) judging the character, strength, stability, and safety qualities of such vessels and their equipment; or“(C) the qualifications and training of vessel personnel.“(c) Apprenticeship Requirement To Qualify for Certain Careers.—The Commandant may require an officer, member, or employee of the Coast Guard in training for a specialized prevention or response career path to serve an apprenticeship under the guidance of a qualified individual. However, an individual in training to become a marine inspector, marine casualty investigator, or marine safety engineer shall serve a minimum of one-year as an apprentice unless the Commandant authorizes a shorter period for certain qualifications.“(d) Management Information System.—The Secretary, acting through the Commandant, shall establish a management information system for the prevention and response workforces that shall provide, at a minimum, the following standardized information on persons serving in those workforces:“(1) Qualifications, assignment history, and tenure in assignments.“(2) Promotion rates for military and civilian personnel.“(e) Assessment of Adequacy of Marine Safety Workforce.—“(1) Report.—The Secretary, acting through the Commandant, shall report to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate by December 1 of each year on the adequacy of the current marine safety workforce to meet that anticipated workload.“(2) Contents.—The report shall specify the number of civilian and military Coast Guard personnel currently assigned to marine safety positions and shall identify positions that are understaffed to meet the anticipated marine safety workload.“(f) Sector Chief of Prevention.—There shall be in each Coast Guard sector a Chief of Prevention who shall be at least a Lieutenant Commander or civilian employee within the grade GS–13 of the General Schedule, and who shall be a—“(1) marine inspector, qualified to inspect vessels, vessel systems, and equipment commonly found in the sector; and124 STAT. 2955“(2) qualified marine casualty investigator or marine safety engineer.“(g) Signatories of Letter of Qualification for Certain Prevention Personnel.—Each individual signing a letter of qualification for marine safety personnel must hold a letter of qualification for the type being certified.“(h) Sector Chief of Response.—There shall be in each Coast Guard sector a Chief of Response who shall be at least a Lieutenant Commander or civilian employee within the grade GS–13 of the General Schedule in each Coast Guard sector. “§ 58. Centers of expertise for Coast Guard prevention and response“(a) Establishment.—The Commandant of the Coast Guard may establish and operate one or more centers of expertise for prevention and response missions of the Coast Guard (in this section referred to as a ‘center’).“(b) Missions.—Each center shall—“(1) promote and facilitate education, training, and research;“(2) develop a repository of information on its missions and specialties; and“(3) perform any other missions as the Commandant may specify.“(c) Joint Operation With Educational Institution Authorized.—The Commandant may enter into an agreement with an appropriate official of an institution of higher education to—“(1) provide for joint operation of a center; and“(2) provide necessary administrative services for a center, including administration and allocation of funds.“(d) Acceptance of Donations.—“(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Commandant may accept, on behalf of a center, donations to be used to defray the costs of the center or to enhance the operation of the center. Those donations may be accepted from any State or local government, any foreign government, any foundation or other charitable organization (including any that is organized or operates under the laws of a foreign country), or any individual.“(2) The Commandant may not accept a donation under paragraph (1) if the acceptance of the donation would compromise or appear to compromise—“(A) the ability of the Coast Guard or the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, any employee of the Coast Guard or the department, or any member of the Armed Forces to carry out any responsibility or duty in a fair and objective manner; or“(B) the integrity of any program of the Coast Guard, the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, or of any person involved in such a program.“(3) The Commandant shall prescribe written guidance setting forth the criteria to be used in determining whether or not the acceptance of a donation from a foreign source would have a result described in paragraph (2).124 STAT. 2956 “§ 59. Marine industry training program“(a) In General.—The Commandant shall, by policy, establish a program under which an officer, member, or employee of the Coast Guard may be assigned to a private entity to further the institutional interests of the Coast Guard with regard to marine safety, including for the purpose of providing training to an officer, member, or employee. Policies to carry out the program—“(1) with regard to an employee of the Coast Guard, shall include provisions, consistent with sections 3702 through 3704 of title 5, as to matters concerning—“(A) the duration and termination of assignments;“(B) reimbursements; and“(C) status, entitlements, benefits, and obligations of program participants; and“(2) shall require the Commandant, before approving the assignment of an officer, member, or employee of the Coast Guard to a private entity, to determine that the assignment is an effective use of the Coast Guard’s funds, taking into account the best interests of the Coast Guard and the costs and benefits of alternative methods of achieving the same results and objectives.“(b) Annual Report.—Not later than the date of the submission each year of the President’s budget request under section 1105 of title 31, the Commandant shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report that describes—“(1) the number of officers, members, and employees of the Coast Guard assigned to private entities under this section; and“(2) the specific benefit that accrues to the Coast Guard for each assignment.” .(b) Clerical Amendment.—The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is further amended by adding at the end the following new items: “57. Prevention and response workforces. “58. Centers of expertise for Coast Guard prevention and response. “59. Marine industry training programs.”.