119-hr2429

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2429 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 2429

 To direct the Secretary of Transportation to develop and implement a 
comprehensive Campus Modernization Plan for the United States Merchant 
 Marine Academy, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 March 27, 2025

 Mr. Garbarino (for himself, Ms. Gillen, Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia, Mr. 
 Suozzi, and Mr. LaLota) introduced the following bill; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To direct the Secretary of Transportation to develop and implement a 
comprehensive Campus Modernization Plan for the United States Merchant 
 Marine Academy, 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. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR UNITED STATES MERCHANT 
 MARINE ACADEMY INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES 
 MODERNIZATION.

    (a) 

=== Findings ===
-Congress finds the following:

    (1) The United States Merchant Marine Academy plays a 
 critical role in training service-obligated licensed merchant 
 mariners to operate commercial vessels, in peacetime and during 
 times of conflict.

    (2) The United States Merchant Marine Academy is 1 of the 5 
 Federal service academies and plays a critical role in 
 maintaining a domestic, commercial maritime industry, with each 
 graduate having a commitment to serve not less than 8 years in 
 the foreign and domestic commerce and the national defense of 
 the United States, which may include service on a merchant 
 vessel documented under chapter 121 of title 46, and graduates 
 make up more than 80 percent of the United States Navy's 
 Strategic Sealift Officer Program.

    (3) The United States defense readiness relies on a strong 
 investment in educating and training militarily obligated 
 United States Merchant Marine officers at the United States 
 Merchant Marine Academy.

    (4) Most of the facilities at the United States Merchant 
 Marine Academy date back to the Academy's founding, have not 
 been modernized since, and are not conducive to the immersive 
 training and demanding coursework today's Midshipmen are 
 required to complete.

    (5) Rehabilitating and modernizing the campus 
 infrastructure at the United States Merchant Marine Academy is 
 necessary to ensuring current and future generations of 
 Midshipmen receive a first-class education.

    (b) Sense of the House of Representatives.--It is the sense of the 
House of Representatives--

    (1) to ensure that the United States continues to have a 
 sufficient number of service-obligated licensed merchant 
 mariners to meet current and future national security needs, 
 the Maritime Administration and the Department of 
 Transportation have a responsibility to provide suitable 
 academic, training, and dormitory facilities at the United 
 States Merchant Marine Academy by rapidly implementing a 
 comprehensive plan for campus-wide modernization in accordance 
 with 

section 51329 of title 46, United States Code, (referred 
 to in this section as the ``Campus Modernization Plan'') and 
 providing sufficient accountability and oversight to ensure 
 that milestones in such plan are met;

    (2) in developing the comprehensive Campus Modernization 
 Plan for the United States Merchant Marine Academy, the 
 Maritime Administration, and the Department of Transportation 
 should utilize, to the maximum extent practicable, the 
 ``Merchant Marine Academy Full Speed Ahead Plan'' developed by 
 the Maritime Security Infrastructure Council as summarized in 
 the Congressional Record, dated February 28, 2024;

    (3) given the conditions of the United States Merchant 
 Marine Academy as of the date of enactment of this section, a 
 comprehensive, campus-wide modernization is needed to 
 significantly upgrade or replace facilities throughout the 
 campus; and

    (4) the Maritime Administration and the Department of 
 Transportation should identify opportunities to utilize design-
 build contracts to increase delivery times and reduce costs.
            (c) Campus Modernization Plan.--Chapter 513 of title 46, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``

Sec. 51329. 10-year campus modernization plan
 ``

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall develop and begin to 
implement a comprehensive Campus Modernization Plan (referred to in 
this section as the `Campus Modernization Plan'), informed by the 
`United States Merchant Marine Academy Full Speed Ahead Plan' developed 
by the Maritime Security Infrastructure Council as summarized in the 
Congressional Record, dated February 28, 2024, to carry out a campus-
wide modernization at the United States Merchant Marine Academy.
 ``

    (b) Objectives.--In carrying out the Campus Modernization Plan, 
the Administrator shall prioritize the following objectives:
 ``

    (1) Promoting modern education best practices by 
 constructing learning facilities that leverage state-of-the art 
 technologies and learning best practices.
 ``

    (2) Providing Midshipmen with access to facilities needed 
 to pass the United States Coast Guard License Exam for Third 
 Mate or Third Assistant Engineer Unlimited.
 ``

    (3) Ensuring Midshipmen have access to facilities 
 sufficient to enable Midshipmen to maintain physical readiness 
 standards required of United States Navy officers.
 ``

    (4) Developing campus infrastructure to ensure the 
 Academy attracts a diverse pool of applicants.
 ``

    (5) Providing facilities that enable industry engagement 
 and continuing education opportunities.
 ``

    (6) Maintaining a safe and secure campus environment for 
 all Midshipmen, which shall include any facilities or 
 infrastructure needed to meet the requirements of sections 
 51326, 51327, or 51328.
 ``

    (7) Implementing, to the extent practicable, the 
 facilities and infrastructure recommendations in chapter 4 of 
 the report titled `Organizational Assessment of the United 
 States Merchant Marine Academy: A Path Forward' issued by the 
 National Academy of Public Administration in November 2021.
 ``
            (c) Inclusions.--In meeting the objectives described in 
subsection

    (b) , the Campus Modernization Plan shall include--
 ``

    (1) construction of new facilities or significant 
 renovation of existing facilities to provide--
 ``
        (A) Standards of Training, Certification, and 
 Watchkeeping applications laboratories;
 ``
        (B) a Safety Of Life At Sea training pool;
 ``
            (C) engineering powerplant laboratories;
 ``
            (D) athletic facilities that meet the needs of 
 both male and female students;
 ``
        (E) enhanced waterfront facilities, to include a 
 new pier;
 ``
        (F) a visitor welcome center and main campus 
 security office building;
 ``
        (G) housing facilities for senior staff and 
 faculty; and
 ``
        (H) sufficient parking facilities for faculty, 
 staff, and campus visitors;
 ``

    (2) upgrades to all classrooms and laboratories with 
 modern information technology infrastructure;
 ``

    (3) a campus-wide upgrade and retrofit of--
 ``
        (A) the electric distribution power grid;
 ``
        (B) the sanitary sewer system piping;
 ``
            (C) the storm drainage system; and
 ``
            (D) the drinking water system, including 
 development of a separate and redundant fire 
 suppression system; and
 ``

    (4) renovations of existing campus facilities to ensure 
 all campus facilities--
 ``
        (A) are structurally sound;
 ``
        (B) have reliable heating and air conditioning 
 systems;
 ``
            (C) have functioning plumbing and electrical 
 systems;
 ``
            (D) are protected from the elements, including 
 through roof replacements and window repairs or 
 replacements, as needed;
 ``
        (E) are accessible in accordance with the 
 Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; and
 ``
        (F) have working fire alarm and fire suppression 
 systems.
 ``
            (d) Requirements.--For the duration of the Campus Modernization 
Plan, the Administrator shall ensure that the Academy remains fully 
operational.
 ``

    (e) Use of a Federal Construction Agent.--Consistent with the 
requirements of 

section 3515
            (d) (3) of the James M. Inhofe National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117-263), 
the Administrator shall seek to enter into an agreement with a Federal 
construction agent to carry out the Campus Modernization Plan 
authorized under subsection

    (a) .
 ``

    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation, out of the Maritime 
Security Trust Fund established under 

section 9512 of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986, for fiscal years 2026 through 2035, for the 
phased rehabilitation, modernization, and construction of facilities 
and infrastructure at the United States Merchant Marine Academy, in 
accordance with this section, including the Campus Modernization Plan 
authorized in subsection

    (a) , $1,020,000,000 of which--
 ``

    (1) $54,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated for 
 fiscal year 2026 for design and planning purposes, which shall 
 be used for the development of a design-build plan for the 
 phased rehabilitation, modernization, and construction of 
 facilities and infrastructure at the United States Merchant 
 Marine Academy in accordance with the Campus Modernization 
 Plan; and
 ``

    (2) for fiscal years 2026 through 2035, $107,333,333 is 
 authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year for 
 construction and contingency purchases necessary to execute the 
 Campus Modernization Plan.''.
            (d) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 513 of title 46, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

``51329. 10-Year Campus Modernization Plan.''.
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