,,ii #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #ahde ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #bf1 #bjba,mr4 ,wicker introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation ,a ,,bill ,to provide for pay and allowances for members of the ,coast ,guard during a funding gap1 to provide full funding to address the shoreside facility maintenance and recapitalization backlog of the ,coast ,guard1 and to diversify the ,coast ,guard1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,unwavering ,support for our ,coast ,guard ,act or the ,,uscg ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,the ,coast ,guard saves individuals in peril1 thwarts illicit and coercive maritime activities1 and fosters economic prosperity and environmental stewardship4 7#b7 ,the ,coast ,guard is at all times a branch of the ,armed ,forces of the ,united ,states4 7#c7 ,additionally1 the ,coast ,guard is a ,federal law enforcement agency1 a regulatory body1 a first responder1 and a member of the ,united ,states intelligence community4 7#d7 ,with its unique mission set and authorities1 the ,coast ,guard has a key role in addressing emerging national priorities in the ,united ,states and across the globe4 7#e7 ,the ,coast ,guard is deployed worldwide4 ,the white-hull diplomacy of the ,coast ,guard is essential to ,united ,states security4 7#f7 ,domestically1 the ,coast ,guard keeps the waterways of the ,united ,states open and commerce moving smoothly by ensuring marine safety and maintaining aids to navigation4 7#g7 ,last year1 the ,coast ,guard responded to #af1hde search and rescue cases and saved #d1bhf lives4 7#h7 ,the ,coast ,guard has admirably performed its missions with a fleet of aging vessels1 aircraft1 and facilities4 ,the ,coast ,guard deserves ,congress's strong and full support for the recapitalization of its assets4 #c4 ,pay and allowances for certain members of the ,coast ,guard during funding gap 7a7 ,in general ,during a funding gap1 the ,secretary of the ,treasury shall make available to the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security1 out of any amounts in the general fund of the ,treasury not otherwise appropriated1 such amounts as the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security determines to be necessary to continue to provide1 without interruption1 pay and allowances to members of the ,coast ,guard1 including reserve components thereof1 who perform active service during the funding gap4 7b7 ,funding gap defined ,in this section1 the term funding gap means any period after the beginning of a fiscal year for which interim or full-year appropriations for the personnel accounts of the ,coast ,guard have not been enacted4 #d4 ,full funding for shoreside facility maintenance and recapitalization 7a7 ,statement of policy ,it shall be the policy of the ,united ,states to provide1 on the earliest date practicable1 full funding to address the shoreside facility maintenance and recapitalization backlog of the ,coast ,guard4 7b7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security to eliminate the shoreside facility maintenance and recapitalization backlog of the ,coast ,guard #b1fjj1jjj1jjj for fiscal years #bjbb through #bjcj4 #e4 ,fleet mix analysis 7a7 ,in general ,the ,commandant of the ,coast ,guard 7referred to in this ,act as the ,commandant7 shall conduct an updated fleet mix analysis that provides for a fleet mix sufficient1 as determined by the ,commandant-- 7#a7 to carry out-- 7,a7 the missions of the ,coast ,guard2 and 7,b7 emerging mission requirements2 and 7#b7 to address-- 7,a7 national security threats2 and 7,b7 the global deployment of the ,coast ,guard to counter great power competitors4 7b7 ,report ,not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,commandant shall submit to ,congress a report on the results of the updated fleet mix analysis required by subsection 7a74 #f4 ,shore infrastructure investment plan 7a7 ,in general ,the ,commandant shall develop an updated shore infrastructure investment plan that includes-- 7#a7 the construction of additional facilities to accommodate the updated fleet mix described in section #e7;a72 7#b7 improvements necessary to ensure that existing facilities meet requirements and remain operational for the lifespan of such fleet mix1 including necessary improvements to information technology infrastructure2 7#c7 a timeline for the construction and improvement of the facilities described in paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b72 and 7#d7 a cost estimate for construction and life-cycle support of such facilities1 including for necessary personnel4 7b7 ,report ,not later than #a year after the date on which the report under section #e7;b7 is submitted1 the ,commandant shall submit to ,congress a report on the plan required by subsection 7a74 #g4 ,partnership program to diversify the ,coast ,guard 7a7 ,establishment ,the ,commandant shall establish a program for the purpose of increasing the number of underrepresented minorities in the enlisted ranks of the ,coast ,guard4 7b7 ,partnerships ,in carrying out the program established under subsection 7a71 the ,commandant shall-- 7#a7 seek to enter into #a or more partnerships with eligible entities-- 7,a7 to increase the visibility of ,coast ,guard careers2 7,b7 to promote curriculum development-- 7i7 to enable acceptance into the ,coast ,guard2 and 7ii7 to improve success on relevant exams1 such as the ,armed ,services ,vocational ,aptitude ,battery2 and 7,c7 to provide mentoring for students entering and beginning ,coast ,guard careers2 and 7#b7 enter into a partnership with an existing ,junior ,reserve ,officers' ,training ,corps for the purpose of promoting ,coast ,guard careers4 7c7 ,eligible institution defined ,in this section1 the term eligible institution means-- 7#a7 an institution of higher education 7as defined in section #aja of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja772 7#b7 an institution that provides a level of educational attainment that is less than a bachelor's degree2 7#c7 a part ,b institution 7as defined in section #cbb of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajfa772 7#d7 a ,tribal ,college or ,university 7as defined in section #caf7;b7 of that ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajei;c7b7772 7#e7 a ,hispanic-serving institution 7as defined in section #ejb of that ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #aaja;a772 7#f7 an ,alaska ,native-serving institution or a ,native ,hawaiian-serving institution 7as defined in section #cag7;b7 of that ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajei;d7b7772 7#g7 a ,predominantly ,black institution 7as defined in section #cga7;c7 of that ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajgaq7c7772 7#h7 an ,asian ,american and ,native ,american ,pacific ,islander-serving institution 7as defined in such section72 and 7#i7 a ,native ,american-serving nontribal institution 7as defined in such section74 #h4 ,coast ,guard yard resiliency 7a7 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,for over a century1 ,coast ,guard vessels have been built1 repaired1 and renovated in the ,coast ,guard ,yard 7referred to in this section as the ,yard7 in ,baltimore1 ,maryland4 7#b7 ,as #a of only #e remaining public shipyards in the ,united ,states1 the ,yard provides a unique capability to support the ,coast ,guard and the national fleet1 including the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration1 the ,navy1 the ,army1 and other ,government agencies4 7#c7 ,the ,yard is an essential component of the core industrial base and fleet support operations of the ,coast ,guard1 and its primary mission is to renovate1 maintain1 and repair ,coast ,guard vessels4 7#d7 ,the ,coast ,guard is in the midst of recapitalizing its surface fleet by replacing smaller vessels with larger1 more capable assets4 ,until recently1 the ,yard provided the ,coast ,guard with the organic capacity to service every vessel in the ,coast ,guard fleet1 except polar icebreakers4 7#e7 ,with the acquisition of the ,national ,security ,cutter and the projected acquisition of the ,offshore ,patrol ,cutter1 the ,coast ,guard will no longer have the organic capacity to service every vessel in the ,coast ,guard fleet4 7b7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security to improve the infrastructure of the ,coast ,guard public shipyard #cej1jjj1jjj4