,i  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #cjff  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,june #c1 #bjai ,mrs4
 ,fletcher introduced the following     
bill2 which was referred to the         
,committee on ,transportation and       
,infrastructure  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend   
title #ad1 ,united ,states ,code1 to    
make certain changes to ,coast ,guard   
personnel programs1 and for other       
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,supporting ,our    
,coast ,guard ,members ,act of #bjai4   
#b4 ,authority for officers to opt out  
of promotion board consideration  7a7   
,eligibility of officers for            
consideration for promotion ,section    
#baac of title #ad1 ,united ,states     
,code1 is amended by adding at the end  
the following3  7g7  7#a7               
,notwithstanding subsection 7a71 the    
,commandant may provide that an officer 
may1 upon the officer's request and with
 the approval of the ,commandant1 be    
excluded from consideration by a        

selection board convened under section  
#bajf7;a74  7#b7 ,the ,commandant shall 
approve a request under paragraph 7#a7  
only if--  7,a7 the basis for the       
request is to allow the officer to      
complete a broadening assignment1       
advanced education1 another assignment  
of significant value to the ,coast      
,guard1 a career progression requirement
 delayed by the assignment or education1
 or a qualifying personal or            
professional circumstance1 as determined
 by the ,commandant2  7,b7 the          
,commandant determines the exclusion    
from consideration is in the best       
interest of the ,coast ,guard2 and  7,c7
 the officer has not previously failed  
of selection for promotion to the grade 
for which the officer requests the      
exclusion from consideration4  4  7b7   
,eligibility of reserve officer for     
promotion ,section #cgdc of title #ad1  
,united ,states ,code1 is amended to    
read as follows3  #cgdc4 ,eligibility   
for promotion  7a7 ,in general ,except  

as provided in subsection 7b71 a        
,reserve officer is eligible for        
consideration for promotion and for     
promotion under this subchapter1 if that
 officer is in an active status4  7b7   
,exception ,a ,reserve officer who has  
been considered but not recommended for 
retention in an active status by a board
 convened under subsection #cgeb7;a7 of 
this title1 is not eligible for         
consideration for promotion4  7c7       
,request for exclusion  7#a7 ,in general
 ,the ,commandant may provide that an   
officer may1 upon the officer's request 
and with the approval of the            
,commandant1 be excluded from           
consideration by a selection board      
convened under section #cgdj7;b7 of this
 title to consider officers for         
promotion to the next higher grade4     
7#b7 ,approval of request ,the          
,commandant shall approve a request     
under paragraph 7#a7 only if--  7,a7 the
 basis for the request is to allow an   
officer to complete a broadening        

assignment1 advanced education1 another 
assignment of significant value to the  
,coast ,guard1 a career progression     
requirement delayed by the assignment or
 education1 or a qualifying personal or 
professional circumstance1 as determined
 by the ,commandant2  7,b7 the          
,commandant determines the exclusion    
from consideration is in the best       
interest of the ,coast ,guard2 and  7,c7
 the officer has not previously failed  
of selection for promotion to the grade 
for which the officer requests the      
exclusion from consideration4  4  #c4   
,temporary promotion authority for      
officers in certain grades with critical
 skills  7a7 ,in general ,chapter #ba of
 title #ad1 ,united ,states ,code1 is   
amended by inserting after section #babi
 the following3  #bacj4 ,promotion to   
certain grades for officers with        
critical skills3 captain1 commander1    
lieutenant commander1 lieutenant  7a7   
,in general ,an officer in the grade of 
lieutenant 7junior grade71 lieutenant1  

lieutenant commander1 or commander1 who 
is described in subsection 7b7 may be   
temporarily promoted to the grade of    
lieutenant1 lieutenant commander1       
commander1 or captain under regulations 
prescribed by the ,secretary4           
,appointments under this section shall  
be made by the ,president1 by and with  
the advice and consent of the ,senate4  
7b7 ,covered officers ,an officer       
described in this subsection is any     
officer in a grade specified in         
subsection 7a7 who--  7#a7 has a skill  
in which the ,coast ,guard has a        
critical shortage of personnel 7as      
determined by the ,secretary72 and  7#b7
 is serving in a position 7as determined
 by the ,secretary7 that--  7,a7 is     
designated to be held by a lieutenant1  
lieutenant commander1 commander1 or     
captain2 and  7,b7 requires that an     
officer serving in such position have   
the skill possessed by such officer4    
7c7 ,preservation of position and status
 of officers appointed  7#a7 ,the       

temporary positions authorized under    
this section shall not be counted among 
or included in the list of positions on 
the active duty promotion list4  7#b7   
,an appointment under this section does 
not change the position on the          
active-duty list or the permanent1      
probationary1 or acting status of the   
officer so appointed1 prejudice the     
officer in regard to other promotions or
 appointments1 or abridge the rights or 
benefits of the officer4  7d7 ,board    
recommendation required ,a temporary    
promotion under this section may be made
 only upon the recommendation of a board
 of officers convened by the ,secretary 
for the purpose of recommending officers
 for such promotions4  7e7 ,acceptance  
and effective date of appointment ,each 
appointment under this section1 unless  
expressly declined1 is1 without formal  
acceptance1 regarded as accepted on the 
date such appointment is made1 and a    
member so appointed is entitled to the  
pay and allowances of the grade of the  

temporary promotion under this section  
beginning on the date the appointment is
 made4  7f7 ,termination of appointment 
,unless sooner terminated1 an           
appointment under this section          
terminates-- 7#a7 on the date the       
officer who received the appointment is 
promoted to the permanent grade of      
lieutenant1 lieutenant commander1       
commander1 or captain2  7#b7 on the date
 the officer is detached from a position
 described in subsection 7b77#b71 unless
 the officer is on a promotion list to  
the permanent grade of lieutenant1      
lieutenant commander1 commander1 or     
captain1 in which case the appointment  
terminates on the date the officer is   
promoted to that grade2 or  7#c7 when   
the appointment officer determines that 
the officer who received the appointment
 has engaged in misconduct or has       
displayed substandard performance4  7g7 
,limitation on number of eligible       
positions ,an appointment under this    
section may only be made for service in 

a position designated by the ,secretary 
for the purposes of this section4 ,the  
number of positions so designated may   
not exceed the following percentages of 
the respective grades3 7#a7 ,as         
lieutenant1 #j4e percent4  7#b7 ,as     
lieutenant commander1 #c4j percent4     
7#c7 ,as commander1 #b4f percent4  7#d7 
,as captain1 #b4f percent4  4  7b7      
,clerical amendment ,the analysis at the
 beginning of such chapter is amended by
 adding at the end the following new    
item3  #bacj4 ,promotion to certain     
grades for officers with critical       
skills3 captain1 commander1 lieutenant  
commander1 lieutenant4  4  #d4 ,career  
intermission program  7a7 ,in general   
,subchapter ,i of chapter #be of title  
#ad1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended  
by adding at the end the following3     
#bead4 ,career flexibility to enhance   
retention of members  7a7 ,programs     
authorized ,the ,commandant may carry   
out a program under which members of the
 ,coast ,guard may be inactivated from  

active service in order to meet personal
 or professional needs and returned to  
active service at the end of such period
 of inactivation from active service4   
7b7 ,period of inactivation from active 
service2 effect of inactivation  7#a7   
,in general ,the period of inactivation 
from active service under a program     
under this section of a member          
participating in the program shall be   
such period as the ,commandant shall    
specify in the agreement of the member  
under subsection 7c71 except that such  
period may not exceed three years4  7#b7
 ,exclusion from years of service ,any  
service by a ,reserve officer while     
participating in a program under this   
section shall be excluded from          
computation of the total years of       
service of that officer pursuant to     
section #adgjf7;a7 of title #aj4  7#c7  
,exclusion from retirement ,any period  
of participation of a member in a       
program under this section shall not    
count toward-- 7,a7 eligibility for     

retirement or transfer to the ,ready    
,reserve under either chapter #ega or   
#abbc of title #aj2 or  7,b7 computation
 of retired or retainer pay under       
chapter #ga or #abbc of title #aj4  7c7 
,agreement ,each member of the ,coast   
,guard who participates in a program    
under this section shall enter into a   
written agreement with the ,commandant  
under which that member shall agree as  
follows3  7#a7 ,to accept an appointment
 or enlist1 as applicable1 and serve in 
the ,coast ,guard ,ready ,reserve during
 the period of the inactivation of the  
member from active service under the    
program4  7#b7 ,to undergo during the   
period of the inactivation of the member
 from active service under the program  
such inactive service training as the   
,commandant shall require in order to   
ensure that the member retains          
proficiency1 at a level determined by   
the ,commandant to be sufficient1 in the
 military skills1 professional          
qualifications1 and physical readiness  

of the member during the inactivation of
 the member from active service4  7#c7  
,following completion of the period of  
the inactivation of the member from     
active service under the program1 to    
serve two months as a member of the     
,coast ,guard on active service for each
 month of the period of the inactivation
 of the member from active service under
 the program4  7d7 ,conditions of       
release ,the ,commandant shall prescribe
 regulations specifying the guidelines  
regarding the conditions of release that
 must be considered and addressed in the
 agreement required by subsection 7c74  
,at a minimum1 the ,commandant shall    
prescribe the procedures and standards  
to be used to instruct a member on the  
obligations to be assumed by the member 
under paragraph 7#b7 of such subsection 
while the member is released from active
 service4  7e7 ,order to active service 
,under regulations prescribed by the    
,commandant1 a member of the ,coast     
,guard participating in a program under 

this section may1 in the discretion of  
the ,commandant1 be required to         
terminate participation in the program  
and be ordered to active service4  7f7  
,pay and allowances  7#a7 ,basic pay    
,during each month of participation in a
 program under this section1 a member   
who participates in the program shall be
 paid basic pay in an amount equal to   
two-thirtieths of the amount of monthly 
basic pay to which the member would     
otherwise be entitled under section #bjd
 of title #cg as a member of the        
uniformed services on active service in 
the grade and years of service of the   
member when the member commences        
participation in the program4  7#b7     
,special or incentive pay or bonus  7,a7
 ,prohibition ,a member who participates
 in such a program shall not1 while     
participating in the program1 be paid   
any special or incentive pay or bonus to
 which the member is otherwise entitled 
under an agreement under chapter #e of  
title #cg or section #aibe of this title

 that is in force when the member       
commences participation in the program4 
7,b7 ,not treated as failure to perform 
services ,the inactivation from active  
service of a member participating in a  
program shall not be treated as a       
failure of the member to perform any    
period of service required of the member
 in connection with an agreement for a  
special or incentive pay or bonus under 
chapter #e of title #cg that is in force
 when the member commences participation
 in the program4  7#c7 ,return to active
 service  7,a7 ,special or incentive pay
 or bonus ,subject to subparagraph 7,b71
 upon the return of a member to active  
service after completion by the member  
of participation in a program-- 7i7 any 
agreement entered into by the member    
under chapter #e of title #cg for the   
payment of a special or incentive pay or
 bonus that was in force when the member
 commenced participation in the program 
shall be revived1 with the term of such 
agreement after revival being the period

 of the agreement remaining to run when 
the member commenced participation in   
the program2 and  7ii7 any special or   
incentive pay or bonus shall be payable 
to the member in accordance with the    
terms of the agreement concerned for the
 term specified in clause 7i74  7,b7    
,limitation  7i7 ,in general            
,subparagraph 7,a7 shall not apply to   
any special or incentive pay or bonus   
otherwise covered by that subparagraph  
with respect to a member if1 at the time
 of the return of the member to active  
service as described in that            
subparagraph--  7,i7 such pay or bonus  
is no longer authorized by law2 or      
7,,ii7 the member does not satisfy      
eligibility criteria for such pay or    
bonus as in effect at the time of the   
return of the member to active service4 
7ii7 ,pay or bonus ceases being         
authorized ,subparagraph 7,a7 shall     
cease to apply to any special or        
incentive pay or bonus otherwise covered
 by that subparagraph with respect to a 

member if1 during the term of the       
revived agreement of the member under   
subparagraph 7,a77i71 such pay or bonus 
ceases being authorized by law4  7,c7   
,repayment ,a member who is ineligible  
for payment of a special or incentive   
pay or bonus otherwise covered by this  
paragraph by reason of subparagraph     
7,b77i77,,ii7 shall be subject to the   
requirements for repayment of such pay  
or bonus in accordance with the terms of
 the applicable agreement of the member 
under chapter #e of title #cg4  7,d7    
,required service is additional ,any    
service required of a member under an   
agreement covered by this paragraph     
after the member returns to active      
service as described in subparagraph    
7,a7 shall be in addition to any service
 required of the member under an        
agreement under subsection 7c74  7#d7   
,travel and transportation allowance    
7,a7 ,in general ,subject to            
subparagraph 7,b71 a member who         
participates in a program is entitled1  

while participating in the program1 to  
the travel and transportation allowances
 authorized by section #dgd of title #cg
 for--  7i7 travel performed from the   
residence of the member1 at the time of 
release from active service to          
participate in the program1 to the      
location in the ,united ,states         
designated by the member as the member's
 residence during the period of         
participation in the program2 and  7ii7 
travel performed to the residence of the
 member upon return to active service at
 the end of the participation of the    
member in the program4  7,b7 ,single    
residence ,an allowance is payable under
 this paragraph only with respect to    
travel of a member to and from a single 
residence4  7#e7 ,leave balance ,a      
member who participates in a program is 
entitled to carry forward the leave     
balance existing as of the day on which 
the member begins participation and     
accumulated in accordance with section  
#gja of title #aj1 but not to exceed #fj

 days4  7g7 ,promotion  7#a7 ,officers  
7,a7 ,in general ,an officer            
participating in a program under this   
section shall not1 while participating  
in the program1 be eligible for         
consideration for promotion under       
chapter #ba or #cg of this title4  7,b7 
,return to service ,upon the return of  
an officer to active service after      
completion by the officer of            
participation in a program--  7i7 the   
,commandant may adjust the date of rank 
of the officer in such manner as the    
,commandant shall prescribe in          
regulations for purposes of this        
section2 and  7ii7 the officer shall be 
eligible for consideration for promotion
 when officers of the same competitive  
category1 grade1 and seniority are      
eligible for consideration for          
promotion4  7#b7 ,enlisted members ,an  
enlisted member participating in a      
program shall not be eligible for       
consideration for advancement during the
 period that-- 7,a7 begins on the date  

of the inactivation of the member from  
active service under the program2 and   
7,b7 ends at such time after the return 
of the member to active service under   
the program that the member is treatable
 as eligible for promotion by reason of 
time in grade and such other            
requirements as the ,commandant shall   
prescribe in regulations for purposes of
 the program4  7h7 ,continued           
entitlements ,a member participating in 
a program under this section shall1     
while participating in the program1 be  
treated as a member of the ,armed       
,forces on active duty for a period of  
more than #cj days for purposes of--    
7#a7 the entitlement of the member and  
of the dependents of the member to      
medical and dental care under the       
provisions of chapter #ee of this title2
 and  7#b7 retirement or separation for 
physical disability under the provisions
 of chapter #fa of title #aj and        
chapters #ba and #bc of this title4  4  
7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the analysis   

for such chapter is amended by inserting
 after the item relating to section     
#beac the following3  #bead4 ,career    
flexibility to enhance retention of     
members4  4  #e4 ,employment assistance 
7a7 ,in general ,subchapter ,i of       
chapter #bg of title #ad1 ,united       
,states ,code1 is amended by adding at  
the end the following3  #bgac4          
,employment assistance  7a7 ,in general 
,in order to improve the accuracy and   
completeness of a certification or      
verification of job skills and          
experience required by section          
#aadc7;a77#a7 of title #aj1 the         
,secretary shall-- 7#a7 establish a     
database to record all training         
performed by members of the ,coast      
,guard that may have application to     
employment in the civilian sector2 and  
7#b7 make unclassified information      
regarding such information available to 
,states and other potential employers   
referred to in section #aadc7;c7 of     
title #aj so that ,state and other      

entities may allow military training to 
satisfy licensing or certification      
requirements to engage in a civilian    
profession4  7b7 ,form of certification 
or verification ,the ,secretary shall   
ensure that a certification or          
verification of job skills and          
experience required by section          
#aadc7;a77#a7 of title #aj is rendered  
in such a way that ,states and other    
potential employers can confirm the     
accuracy and authenticity of the        
certification or verification4  7c7     
,requests by states ,a ,state may       
request that the ,secretary confirm the 
accuracy and authenticity of a          
certification or verification of jobs   
skills and experience provided under    
section #aadc7;c7 of title #aj4  4  7b7 
,clerical amendment ,the analysis for   
such chapter is amended by inserting    
after the item relating to section #bgab
 the following3  #bgac4 ,employment     
assistance4  4