14 U.S.C. § 501: Secretary; general powers

establish, change the limits of, consolidate, discontinue, and re-establish Coast Guard districts; arrange with the Secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force to assign members of the Coast Guard to any school maintained by the Army, Navy, and Air Force, for instruction and training, including aviation schools; construct, or cause to be constructed, Coast Guard shore establishments; design or cause to be designed, cause to be constructed, accept as gift, or otherwise acquire vessels, aircraft, and systems, and subject to applicable regulations under subtitle I of title 40 and division C (except sections 3302, 3501(b), 3509, 3906, 4710, and 4711) of subtitle I of title 41 dispose of them; acquire land or interests in land, including acceptance of gifts thereof, where required for the purpose of carrying out any project or purpose for which an appropriation has been made; exchange land or interests in land in part or in full payment for such other land or interests in land as may be necessary or desirable, the balance of such part payment to be defrayable in accordance with other provisions of this section; exercise any of the powers vested by this title in the Commandant in any case in which the Secretary deems it appropriate; and do any and all things necessary to carry out the purposes of this title. better understanding the complexities of such at-sea operations and potential risks to navigation safety, vessel security, maritime workers, the public, and the environment; gathering observational and performance data from monitoring the use of remotely-controlled or autonomous vessels; and assessing and evaluating regulatory requirements necessary to guide the development of future occurrences of such operations and monitoring activities. The duration of the pilot program established under this section shall be not more than 5 years beginning on the date on which the pilot program is established, which shall be not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act [ Dec. 23, 2022 ]. remote over-the-horizon monitoring operations related to the active at-sea recovery of spaceflight components on an unmanned vessel or platform; procedures for the unaccompanied operation and monitoring of an unmanned spaceflight recovery vessel or platform; and unmanned vessel transits and testing operations without a physical tow line related to space launch and recovery operations, except within 12 nautical miles of a port. allow remotely controlled or autonomous vessel operations to proceed consistent to the extent practicable under the proposed title 33, United States Code [sic], and 46, United States Code, including navigation and manning laws and regulations; allow remote and autonomous vessel at-sea operations and activities to occur while ensuring navigation safety; and ensure the reliable, safe, and secure operation of remotely-controlled or autonomous vessels; and holding a merchant mariner credential which is suitable to the satisfaction of the Coast Guard; and who shall practice due regard for the safety of navigation of the autonomous vessel, to include collision avoidance. permit foreign vessels to participate in the pilot program established under subsection (a); waive or modify applicable laws and regulations under the proposed title 33, United States Code [sic], and title 46, United States Code, except to the extent authorized under subsection (d)(2); waive or modify applicable laws and regulations under titles 49 and 51 of the United States Code; or waive or modify any regulations arising under international conventions. Nothing in this section may be construed to authorize the employment in the coastwise trade of a vessel or platform that does not meet the requirements of sections 12112, 55102, 55103, and 55111 of title 46, United States Code. Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect, impinge, or alter any authority of the Secretary of Transportation under titles 49 and 51, United States Code. The Secretary or the designee of the Secretary shall brief the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives on the program established under subsection (a) on a quarterly basis. Not later than 180 days after the expiration of the pilot program established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a final report regarding an assessment of the execution of the pilot program and implications for maintaining navigation safety, the safety of maritime workers, and the preservation of the environment. Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this section [ Dec. 23, 2022 ], the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report on the state of autonomous and remote technologies in the operation of shipboard equipment and the safe and secure navigation of vessels in Federal waters of the United States. An assessment of commercially available autonomous and remote technologies in the operation of shipboard equipment and the safe and secure navigation of vessels during the 10 years immediately preceding the date of the report. An analysis of the safety, physical security, cybersecurity, and collision avoidance risks and benefits associated with autonomous and remote technologies in the operation of shipboard equipment and the safe and secure navigation of vessels, including environmental considerations. roles for credentialed and noncredentialed workers regarding such autonomous, remote, and associated technologies; and training and workforce development needs associated with such technologies. An assessment and evaluation of regulatory requirements necessary to guide the development of future autonomous, remote, and associated technologies in the operation of shipboard equipment and safe and secure navigation of vessels. An assessment of the extent to which such technologies are being used in other countries and how such countries have regulated such technologies. Recommendations regarding authorization, infrastructure, and other requirements necessary for the implementation of such technologies in the United States. vessel operators, including commercial carriers, entities engaged in exploring for, developing, or producing resources, including non-mineral energy resources in its offshore areas, and supporting entities in the maritime industry; shipboard personnel impacted by any change to autonomous vessel operations, in order to assess the various benefits and risks associated with the implementation of autonomous, remote, and associated technologies in the operation of shipboard equipment and safe and secure navigation of vessels and the impact such technologies would have on maritime jobs and maritime manpower; relevant federally funded research institutions, non-governmental organizations, and academia; and the commercial space industry. In this section, the term ‘merchant mariner credential’ means a merchant mariner license, certificate, or document that the Secretary is authorized to issue pursuant to title 46, United States Code.” a code outlining flag State responsibilities and obligations; an audit regime for evaluating flag State performance; measures to ensure that responsible organizations, acting on behalf of flag States, meet established performance standards; and cooperative arrangements to improve enforcement on a bilateral, regional, or international basis.” The Great Lakes are home to more than 400 lighthouses. One hundred and twenty of these maritime landmarks are in the State of Michigan. Lighthouses are an important part of Great Lakes culture and stand as a testament to the importance of shipping in the region’s political, economic, and social history. Advances in navigation technology have made many Great Lakes lighthouses obsolete. In Michigan alone, approximately 70 lighthouses will be designated as excess property of the Federal Government and will be transferred to the General Services Administration for disposal. Unfortunately, the Federal property disposal process is confusing, complicated, and not well-suited to disposal of historic lighthouses or to facilitate transfers to nonprofit organizations. This is especially troubling because, in many cases, local nonprofit historical organizations have dedicated tremendous resources to preserving and maintaining Great Lakes lighthouses. If Great Lakes lighthouses disappear, the public will be unaware of an important chapter in Great Lakes history. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has placed Michigan lighthouses on their list of Most Endangered Historic Places. continue to offer advice and technical assistance to organizations in the Great Lakes region that are dedicated to lighthouse stewardship; and promptly release information regarding the timing of designations of Coast Guard lighthouses on the Great Lakes as excess to the needs of the Coast Guard, to enable those organizations to mobilize and be prepared to take appropriate action with respect to the disposal of those properties.” It is the sense of the Congress that, to the greatest extent practicable, all equipment and products purchased with funds made available under this Act [see Tables for classification] should be American-made. In providing financial assistance under this Act, the official responsible for providing the assistance, to the greatest extent practicable, shall provide to each recipient of the assistance a notice describing the statement made in subsection (a) by the Congress.” The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating (hereinafter in this section referred to as the ‘Secretary’) may carry out a pilot program to establish and maintain a junior reserve officers training program in cooperation with the Dade County Public School System of Dade County, Florida, as part of the Maritime and Science Technology Academy established by that school system (hereinafter in this section referred to as the ‘Academy’). shall be known as the ‘Claude Pepper Junior Reserve Officers Training Program’, and instruction in subject areas relating to operations of the Coast Guard; and training in skills which are useful and appropriate for a career in the Coast Guard. assistance in course development, instruction, and other support activities; commissioned, warrant, and petty officers of the Coast Guard to serve as administrators and instructors; and necessary and appropriate course materials, equipment, and uniforms. Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Secretary may authorize the Academy to employ as administrators and instructors for the pilot program retired Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reserve commissioned, warrant, and petty officers who request that employment and who are approved by the Secretary and the Academy. the amount the individual would be paid as pay and allowance if they were considered to have been ordered to active duty during that period of employment; and the amount of retired pay the individual is entitled to receive during that period. The Secretary shall pay to the Academy an amount equal to one half of the amount described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, from funds appropriated for that purpose. Notwithstanding any other law, while employed under this subsection, an individual is not considered to be on active duty or inactive duty training.”