An amendment numbered 4 printed in House Report 111-311 to require the secretary of the Department the Coast Guard is operating in to study military family housing and military unaccompanied housing available to members and officers of the Coast Guard, would authorize the Coast Guard to spend funds on child development services, would authorize the Navy Secretary to provide support services to chaplain-led programs for Coast Guard members, would authorize the President to award a Coast Guard cross and silver star when a Coast Guard member distinguishes himself or herself in armed conflict.

1. Adds TITLE __--SERVICEMEMBER BENEFITS IMPROVEMENT on page 312, line 22

   Adds a titlePrinted page

   Inserted: TITLE __--SERVICEMEMBER BENEFITS IMPROVEMENT

   Inserted: SEC. _01. SHORT TITLE.

   Inserted: This title may be cited as the "United States Coast Guard Servicemember Benefits Improvements Act".

   Inserted: SEC. _02. COAST GUARD HOUSING.

   Inserted: (a) In General.--The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall conduct a study of military family housing and military unaccompanied housing available to members and officers of the Coast Guard.

   Inserted: (b) Components of the Study.--The study required in subsection (a) shall include--

   Inserted: (1) an inventory of all military family housing and military unaccompanied housing units administered by the Coast Guard and their locations;

   Inserted: (2) a review of the physical condition of such units;

   Inserted: (3) a review of the availability of housing units administered by the Coast Guard to members and officers assigned to field units of the Coast Guard;

   Inserted: (4) a review of the availability of housing units administered by the other armed services to members and officers assigned to field units of the Coast Guard; and

   Inserted: (5) recommendations on statutory authorities that are necessary to improve availability of military housing to members and officers of the Coast Guard.

   Inserted: (c) Report.--The Secretary shall submit a report including the findings and recommendations of the study required under subsection (a) to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act.

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   Inserted: SEC. _03. CHILD DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

   Inserted: Section 515 of title 14, United States Code, is amended--

   Inserted: (1) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:

   Inserted: "(b)(1) The Commandant is authorized to use appropriated funds available to the Coast Guard to provide child development services.

   Inserted: "(2)(A) The Commandant is authorized to establish, by regulations, fees to be charged parents for the attendance of children at Coast Guard child development centers.

   Inserted: "(B) Fees to be charged, pursuant to subparagraph (A), shall be based on family income, except that the Commandant may, on a case-by-base basis, establish fees at lower rates if such rates would not be competitive with rates at local child development centers.

   Inserted: "(C) The Commandant is authorized to collect and expend fees, established pursuant to this subparagraph, and such fees shall, without further appropriation, remain available until expended for the purpose of providing services, including the compensation of employees and the purchase of consumable and disposable items, at Coast Guard child development centers.

   Inserted: "(3) The Commandant is authorized to use appropriated funds available to the Coast Guard to provide assistance to family home daycare providers so that family home daycare services can be provided to uniformed servicemembers and civilian employees of the Coast Guard at a cost comparable to the cost of services provided by Coast Guard child development centers.";

   Inserted: (2) by repealing subsections (d) and (e); and

   Inserted: (3) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as subsections (d) and (e), respectively.

   Inserted: SEC. _04. CHAPLAIN ACTIVITY EXPENSE.

   Inserted: Section 145 of title 14, United States Code, is amended--

   Inserted: (1) in subsection (a)--

   Inserted: (A) in paragraph (2), by striking "and" at the end;

   Inserted: (B) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and inserting "; and"; and

   Inserted: (C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

   Inserted: "(4) detail personnel from the Chaplain Corps to provide services, pursuant to section 1789 of title 10, to the Coast Guard."; and

   Inserted: (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

   Inserted: "(d)(1) As part of the services provided by the Secretary of the Navy pursuant to subsection (a)(4), the Secretary may provide support services to chaplain-led programs to assist members of the Coast Guard on active duty and their dependents, and members of the reserve component in an active status and their dependents, in building and maintaining a strong family structure.

   Inserted: "(2) In this subsection, the term 'support services' include transportation, food, lodging, child care, supplies, fees, and training materials for members of the Coast Guard on active duty and their dependents, and members of the reserve component in an active status and their dependents, while participating in programs referred to in paragraph (1), including participation at retreats and conferences.

   Inserted: "(3) In this subsection, the term 'dependents' has the same meaning as defined in section 1072(2) of title 10.".

   Inserted: SEC. _05. COAST GUARD CROSS; SILVER STAR MEDAL.

   Inserted: (a) Coast Guard Cross.--Chapter 13 of title 14, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 491 the following new section:

   Inserted: "Sec. 491a. Coast Guard cross "The President may award a Coast Guard cross of appropriate design, with ribbons and appurtenances, to a person who, while serving in any capacity with the Coast Guard, when the Coast Guard is not operating under the Department of the Navy, distinguishes himself or herself by extraordinary heroism not justifying the award of a medal of honor--

   Inserted: "(1) while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;

   Inserted: "(2) while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force or international terrorist organization; or

   Inserted: "(3) while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.".

   Inserted: (b) Silver Star Medal.--Such chapter is further amended--

   Inserted: (1) by striking the heading of section 492a and inserting the following:

   Inserted: "Sec. 492b. Distinguished flying cross";

   Inserted: and

   Inserted: (2) by inserting after section 492 the following new section:

   Inserted: "Sec. 492a. Silver star medal "The President may award a silver star medal of appropriate design, with ribbons and appurtenances, to a person who, while serving in any capacity with the Coast Guard, when the Coast Guard is not operating under the Department of the Navy, is cited for gallantry in action that does not warrant a medal of honor or Coast Guard cross--

   Inserted: "(1) while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;

   Inserted: "(2) while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force or international terrorist organization; or

   Inserted: "(3) while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.".

   Inserted: (c) Conforming Amendments.--Such chapter is further amended--

   Inserted: (1) in section 494, by striking "distinguished service medal, distinguished flying cross," and inserting "Coast Guard cross, distinguished service medal, silver star medal, distinguished flying cross," in both places it appears;

   Inserted: (2) in section 496--

   Inserted: (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) of subsection (a), by striking "distinguished service medal, distinguished flying cross," and inserting "Coast Guard cross, distinguished service medal, silver star medal, distinguished flying cross,"; and

   Inserted: (B) in subsection (b)(2), by striking "distinguished service medal, distinguished flying cross," and inserting "Coast Guard cross, distinguished service medal, silver star medal, distinguished flying cross,"; and

   Inserted: (3) in section 497, by striking "distinguished service medal, distinguished flying cross," and inserting "Coast Guard cross, distinguished service medal, silver star medal, distinguished flying cross,".

   Inserted: (d) Clerical Amendments.--The analysis at the beginning of such chapter is amended--

   Inserted: (1) by inserting after the item relating to section 491 the following new item:

   Inserted: "491a. Coast Guard cross.".

   Inserted: (2) by striking the item relating to section 492a and inserting the following new items:

   Inserted: "492a. Silver star medal.

   Inserted: "492b. Distinguished flying cross.".

   Original wording

   Page 312, after line 22, add the following new title:

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