119-s2652

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2652 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 2652

 To amend title 14, United States Code, to require an annual plan and 
budget display for Coast Guard operations in the Pacific, and for other 
 purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 August 1, 2025

 Mr. Schatz (for himself, Mr. Wicker, Ms. Hirono, and Ms. Duckworth) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
 Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend title 14, United States Code, to require an annual plan and 
budget display for Coast Guard operations in the Pacific, 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. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
 ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
        (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
 Transportation, the Committee on Appropriations, the 
 Committee on Armed Services, and the Committee on 
 Foreign Relations of the Senate; and
        (B) the Committee on Transportation and 
 Infrastructure, the Committee on Appropriations, the 
 Committee on Armed Services, and the Committee on 
 Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.

    (2) Commandant.--The term ``Commandant'' means the 
 Commandant of the Coast Guard.

SEC. 3. ANNUAL PLAN AND BUDGET DISPLAY 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:
``

Sec. 5116. Annual plan for Coast Guard operations in the Pacific
 ``

    (a) In General.--Not later than December 31, 2025, and annually 
thereafter, the Commandant, in consultation with the Secretary of State 
and the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress 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:
 ``

    (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 in which 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 
 during the subsequent 10-year period.
 ``

    (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 the Commandant considers 
 appropriate.
 ``

    (b) Form.--Each plan required by subsection

    (a) shall be 
submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.
 ``
            (c) Briefing Required.--Not later than February 15, 2026, and 
annually thereafter, the Commandant shall provide to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a briefing on the annual plan required by 
subsection

    (a) submitted during the preceding year.
 ``
            (d) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this section, 
the term `appropriate committees of Congress' means--
 ``

    (1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
 Transportation, the Committee on Appropriations, and the 
 Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; and
 ``

    (2) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 
 the Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee on Armed 
 Services of the House of Representatives.
``

Sec. 5117. Annual budget display for Coast Guard operations in the 
 Pacific
 ``

    (a) In General.--Not later than February 15, 2026, and annually 
thereafter, the Commandant shall submit to the appropriate committees 
of Congress 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, 2026, 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 Committees of Congress Defined.--In this section, 
the term `appropriate committees of Congress' means--
 ``

    (1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
 Transportation, the Committee on Appropriations, and the 
 Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; and
 ``

    (2) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 
 the Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee on Armed 
 Services of the House of Representatives.''.

    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 51 of title 14, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new items:

``5116. Annual plan for the 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 shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report on the feasibility of establishing a 
standing Indo-Pacific maritime group, modeled after the standing North 
Atlantic Treaty Organization maritime groups, to conduct humanitarian 
and law enforcement missions in the Indo-Pacific region.

    (b) Elements.--The report required by subsection

    (a) shall include 
the following:

    (1) Findings on the manner in which a standing Indo-Pacific 
 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.

    (2) Any other matter the Commandant considers appropriate.

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, in consultation with the 
Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, shall submit to 
the appropriate committees of Congress a report on establishing forward 
operating bases in the Indo-Pacific region.

    (b) Elements.--The report required by subsection

    (a) shall include 
the following:

    (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 
 forward operating bases in the Indo-Pacific region, including 
 mobile forward operating bases.

    (3) A justification for the selection of each location on 
 such list.

    (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.

    (6) A timeline for completing, 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 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Commandant, in consultation with the 
Secretary of State, shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a report on Coast Guard attaches serving in embassies in the 
Indo-Pacific region.

    (b) Elements.--The report required by subsection

    (a) shall include 
the following:

    (1) The number of such Coast Guard attaches actively 
 serving in embassies in the Indo-Pacific region.

    (2) A list of such embassies at which an increased 
 allocation of such attaches could better support United States 
 objectives in the Indo-Pacific region.

    (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. REPORT ON DEPARTMENT OF STATE CONSULAR OFFICERS JOINING COAST 
 GUARD AND NAVY MISSIONS TO PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with 
the Commandant, the Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific 
Command, and the Chief of Naval Operations, shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a report that analyzes the 
feasibility of an initiative to attach Department of State consular 
officers to Coast Guard and Navy missions in Pacific Island countries.

    (b) Elements.--The report required by subsection

    (a) shall include 
the following:

    (1) An assessment of the current demand for consular 
 services from citizens of Pacific Island countries and the 
 challenges such citizens face in obtaining consular services.

    (2) An assessment of the approximate time and resources 
 citizens of Pacific Island countries that do not host United 
 States embassies would save by having their United States visas 
 adjudicated, or by receiving other consular services, through 
 the initiative described in subsection

    (a) .

    (3) An assessment of the cost that would be incurred by the 
 Department of State, the Coast Guard, the United States Indo-
 Pacific Command, and the Navy through the implementation of 
 such initiative, including potential alternative cost-effective 
 options and recommendations for providing efficient consular 
 services to Pacific Island countries.

    (4) An assessment of the frequency and duration of Coast 
 Guard and Navy deployments to Pacific Island countries, 
 including--
        (A) deployment frequency measured against the 
 desired number of visits;
        (B) the amount of time typically spent in port for 
 such visits; and
            (C) disruption to planned Coast Guard and Navy 
 missions in order to visit locations needing consular 
 assistance.

    (5) An evaluation of the logistical issues needing to be 
 addressed to implement the initiative, including--
        (A) an analysis of spacing requirements to host 
 Department of State personnel and equipment aboard 
 Coast Guard and Navy vessels;
        (B) an analysis of the information technology and 
 connectivity requirements to conduct consular affairs 
 activities;
            (C) the feasibility of printing visas aboard Coast 
 Guard and Navy vessels or alternatives to such 
 printing, including remote printing and mailing of 
 passports with visas;
            (D) the maintenance of the physical security of 
 consular officers and relevant adjudication equipment, 
 including computer systems and visa foils, during such 
 missions;
        (E) the impacts on the operations and security of 
 Coast Guard and Navy vessels; and
        (F) the estimated time consular officers would 
 spend on board Coast Guard and Navy vessels between 
 visits to Pacific Island countries.
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