,i  #aae? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #bjgi  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,april #f1 #bjag,mr4  
,"y ( ,alaska 7= himself & ,mr4 ,m\lton7
 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$  
to ! ,committee on ,natural ,res\rces   
,a ,,bill  ,to pres]ve ,unit$ ,/ates    
fi%+ h]itage ?r\gh a national program   
d$icat$ to tra9+ & assi/+ ! next        
g5]ation ( comm]cial fi%]m54  #a4 ,%ort 
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,"y     
,fi%]m5's ,developm5t ,act ( #bjag4  #b4
 ,f9d+s2 purposes  7a7 ,f9d+s ,congress 
f9ds t--  7#a7 ! av]age age ( comm]cial 
fi%]m5 cont9ues to increase due to few] 
new entrants replac+ retir+ fi%]m52     
7#b7 !re are few] "y or beg9n+ fi%]m5   
ent]+ ! comm]cial fi%]ies = _m reasons1 
includ+ ! lack ( tra9+1 few] entry level
 opportunities1 lack ( capital1 & o!r   
b>ri]s to entry2  7#c7 )\t well-tra9$ "y
 or beg9n+ fi%]m5 to replace ^? retir+1 
fi%+ bus9esses & vessels w be lo/ & fi%+
 communities w suff]2  7#d7 = food      
security & economic reasons1 x is 9 !   

,unit$ ,/ates national int]e/ to        
su/a9ably h>ve/ ,unit$ ,/ates fi%]y     
res\rces2  7#e7 ,unit$ ,/ates f>m]s &   
ran*]s fac$ simil> difficulties &       
,congress respond$ by enact+ ! ,beg9n+  
,f>m]s & ,ran*]s ,developm5t ,program   
adm9i/]$ by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,agriculture2 
7#f7 ! ,"y ,fi%]m5's ,developm5t ,grant 
,program e/abli%$ by ?is ,act is model$ 
aft] ! successful ,dep>tm5t (           
,agriculture program2 &  7#g7 ! tra9+1  
education1 & outrea* provid$ = 9 ! ,"y  
,fi%]m5's ,developm5t ,grant ,program   
e/abli%$ by ?is ,act w ensure !re is a  
next g5]ation ( comm]cial fi%]m5 &      
bus9esses to h>ve/ ! ,unit$ ,/ates ri*  
fi%]y res\rces & support our coa/al     
communities4  7b7 ,purposes ,! purposes 
( ?is ,act are-- 7#a7 to e/abli% a      
national grant program to support !     
tra9+ & education ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates next
 g5]ation ( comm]cial fi%]m52 &  7#b7 to
 engage p>tn]%ips & collaborations l$ by
 or includ+ nongov]nm5tal1              
community-bas$ fi%+ organizations1 &    

s*ool-bas$ fi%]ies1 includ+ ,sea ,grant 
,in/itutions1 or m>9e educational       
organizations ) exp]tise 9 new fi%]ies  
tra9+ & outrea*1 to provide ! education 
& tra9+4  #c4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act-- 
7#a7 ! t]m "y fi%]m5 means an individual
 :o--  7,a7  7i7 desires to p>ticipate 9
 ! comm]cial fi%]ies ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 
includ+ ! ,great ,lakes fi%]ies2  7ii7  
has work$ z a capta91 crew memb]1       
deckh&1 or o!r at-sea position on a     
comm]cial fi%+ vessel = n m ?an #aj ye>s
 ( cumulative s]vice2  7iii7 is a beg9n+
 comm]cial fi%]man2 or  7iv7 meets su*  
o!r crit]ia z ! ,secret>y ( ,comm]ce may
 e/abli%2 &  7,b7 is less ?an #ce ye>s (
 age2 &  7#b7 ! t]m ,sea ,grant         
,in/itution means a sea grant college or
 sea grant in/itute1 z ^? t]ms are def9$
 9 section #bjc ( ! ,national ,sea      
,grant ,college ,program ,act 7#cc      
,u4,s4,c4 #aabb74  #d4 ,e/abli%m5t (    
program ,! ,secret>y ( ,comm]ce1 act+   
?r\gh ! ,national ,sea ,grant ,(fice1   
%all e/abli% a ,"y ,fi%]m5's ,developm5t

 ,grant ,program to provide tra9+1      
education1 outrea*1 & te*nical assi/ance
 initiatives = "y fi%]m54  #e4 ,grants  
7a7 ,9 g5]al ,9 c>ry+ out ?is ,act1 !   
,secret>y %all make competitive grants  
to support new & e/abli%$ local &       
regional tra9+1 education1 outrea*1 &   
te*nical assi/ance initiatives = "y     
fi%]m51 includ+ programs1 work%ops1 &   
s]vices relat+ to--  7#a7 seaman%ip1    
navigation1 electronics1 & safety2  7#b7
 vessel & eng9e c>e1 ma9t5ance1 &       
repair2  7#c7 innovative cons]vation    
fi%+ ge> eng9e]+ & te*nology2  7#d7     
su/a9able fi%+ practices2  7#e7         
entrepr5eur%ip & good bus9ess practices2
  7#f7 direct m>ket+1 supply *a91 &     
traceability2  7#g7 f9ancial & risk     
managem5t1 includ+ vessel1 p]mit1 &     
quota pur*as+2  7#h7 ,/ate & ,f$]al     
legal requirem5ts = specific fi%]ies1   
includ+ report+1 monitor+1 lic5ses1 &   
regulations2  7#i7 ,/ate & ,f$]al       
fi%]ies policy & managem5t2  7#aj7      
m5tor+1 appr5tice%ips1 or int]n%ips2 &  

7#aa7 any o!r activities1 opportunities1
 or programs z det]m9$ appropriate by ! 
,secret>y4  7b7 ,eligibility  7#a7      
,applicants ,to be eligible to receive a
 grant "u ?is ,act1 ! recipi5t mu/ be a 
collaborative ,/ate1 ,tribal1 local1 or 
regionally bas$ network or p>tn]%ip (   
public or private entities1 :i* may     
include--  7,a7 a ,sea ,grant           
,in/itution2  7,b7 a ,f$]al1 ,/ate1 or  
,tribal ag5cy2  7,c7 a community-bas$ or
 nongv]nm5tal organization2  7,d7       
fi%]m5's coop]atives or associations1   
includ+ p]mit banks & tru/s2  7,e7      
,alaska ,native corporations2  7,f7 a   
college or univ]sity 7includ+ an        
in/itution aw>d+ an associate's degree71
 or a f\ndation ma9ta9$ by a college or 
univ]sity2 or  7,g7 any o!r appropriate 
entity z det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y4  7#b7  
,p>ticipants ,all "y fi%]m5 seek+ to    
p>ticipate 9 ! comm]cial fi%]ies ( !    
,unit$ ,/ates & ! ,great ,lakes are     
eligible to p>ticipate 9 ! activities   
fund$ ?r\gh grants provid$ = 9 ?is      

section1 except t p>ticipants 9 su*     
activities %all be select$ by ea* grant 
recipi5t4  7c7 ,maximum t]m & am\nt (   
grant  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,a grant "u ?is    
section %all-- 7,a7 h a t]m ( no m ?an  
#c fiscal ye>s2 &  7,b7 be 9 an am\nt t 
is n m ?an #bjj1jjj = ea* fiscal ye>4   
7#b7 ,consecutive grants ,an eligible   
recipi5t may receive consecutive grants 
"u ?is section4  7d7 ,mat*+ requirem5t  
,to be eligible to receive a grant "u   
?is section1 a recipi5t %all provide a  
mat* 9 ! =m ( ca% or 9-k9d contributions
 9 ! am\nt equal to or great] ?an #be   
p]c5t ( ! funds provid$ by ! grant4  7e7
 ,regional balance ,9 mak+ grants "u ?is
 section1 ! ,secret>y %all1 to ! maximum
 ext5t practicable1 ensure geographic   
div]sity4  7f7 ,priority ,9 aw>d+ grants
 "u ?is section1 ! ,secret>y %all give  
priority to p>tn]%ips & collaborations t
 are l$ by or include nongov]nm5tal fi%+
 community-bas$ organizations &         
s*ool-bas$ fi%]ies educational          
organizations ) exp]tise 9 fi%]ies &    

su/a9able fi%+ tra9+ & outrea*4  7g7    
,coop]ation & evaluation crit]ia ,9     
c>ry+ out ?is section & especially 9    
develop+ crit]ia = evaluat+ grant       
applications1 ! ,secret>y %all coop]ate1
 to ! maximum ext5t practicable1 )--    
7#a7 ,sea ,grant ,in/itutions & ext5sion
 ag5ts ( su* in/itutions2  7#b7         
community-bas$ & nongov]nm5tal fi%+     
organizations2  7#c7 ,f$]al & ,/ate     
ag5cies1 includ+ ,regional ,fi%]y       
,managem5t ,c\ncils e/abli%$ "u !       
,magnuson-,/ev5s ,fi%]y ,cons]vation &  
,managem5t ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ahea et 
seq472  7#d7 colleges & univ]sities )   
fi%]ies exp]tise & programs2 &  7#e7 o!r
 appropriate p>tn]s z det]m9$ by !      
,secret>y4  7h7 ,prohibition ,a grant "u
 ?is section may n be us$ to pur*ase any
 fi%+ lic5se1 p]mit1 quota1 or o!r      
h>ve/+ "r4  #f4 ,fund+  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,( 
! am\nt made available to ! ,secret>y ( 
,comm]ce "u section #caa7;e7 ( !        
,magnuson-,/ev5s ,fi%]y ,cons]vation &  
,managem5t ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4          

#ahfa7;e77 = ea* ( fiscal ye>s #bjah    
?r\gh #bjbb1 ! ,secret>y %all use       
#b1jjj1jjj to c>ry out section #e ( ?is 
,act4  7b7 ,proportional allocation ,!  
am\nt obligat$ "u ?is section ea* fiscal
 ye> = activities 9 ea* fi%]y managem5t 
region %all be 9 ! same proportion z !  
portion ( ! total am\nt obligat$ "u ?is 
section = t fiscal ye> t 0 collect$ 9 t 
region4