To authorize certain maritime programs of the Department of Transportation, and for other purposes.

1. Rewrites page 590, line 11 through page 595, line 7

   ReplacesPrinted page

   Removes page 590, line 11 through page 595, line 7 of the printed bill. See that page

   Inserted: SEC. 3501. SHORT TITLE.

   Inserted: This title may be cited as the "Maritime Administration Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013".

   Inserted: SEC. 3502. CONTAINER-ON-BARGE TRANSPORTATION.

   Inserted: (a) Assessment.--The Administrator of the Maritime Administration shall assess the potential for using container-on-barge transportation in short sea transportation (as such term is defined in section 55605 of title 46, United States Code).

   Inserted: (b) Factors.--In conducting the assessment under subsection (a), the Administrator shall consider--

   Inserted: (1) the environmental benefits of increasing container-on-barge movements in short sea transportation;

   Inserted: (2) the regional differences in the use of short sea transportation;

   Inserted: (3) the existing programs established at coastal and Great Lakes ports for establishing awareness of deep sea shipping operations;

   Inserted: (4) the mechanisms necessary to ensure that implementation of a plan under subsection (c) will not be inconsistent with antitrust laws; and

   Inserted: (5) the potential frequency of container-on-barge service at short sea transportation ports.

   Inserted: (c) Recommendations.--The assessment under subsection (a) may include recommendations for a plan to increase awareness of the potential for use of container-on-barge transportation.

   Inserted: (d) Deadline.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this title, the Administrator shall submit the assessment required under this section to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.

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   Inserted: SEC. 3503. SHORT SEA TRANSPORTATION.

   Inserted: (a) Purpose.--Section 55601 of title 46, United States Code, is amended--

   Inserted: (1) in subsection (a), by striking "landside congestion." and inserting "landside congestion or to promote short sea transportation.";

   Inserted: (2) in subsection (c), by striking "coastal corridors" and inserting "coastal corridors or to promote short sea transportation";

   Inserted: (3) in subsection (d), by striking "that the project may" and all that follows through the end of the subsection and inserting "that the project uses documented vessels and--

   Inserted: "(1) mitigates landside congestion; or

   Inserted: "(2) promotes short sea transportation."; and

   Inserted: (4) in subsection (f), by striking "shall" each place it appears and inserting "may".

   Inserted: (b) Documentation.--Section 55605 of title 46, United States Code, is amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking "by vessel" and inserting "by a documented vessel".

   Inserted: SEC. 3504. MARITIME ENVIRONMENTAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

   Inserted: (a) In General.--Chapter 503 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

   Inserted: "Sec. 50307. Maritime environmental and technical assistance

   Inserted: "(a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation may engage in the environmental study, research, development, assessment, and deployment of emerging marine technologies and practices related to the marine transportation system through the use of public vessels under the control of the Maritime Administration or private vessels under Untied States registry, and through partnerships and cooperative efforts with academic, public, private, and non-governmental entities and facilities.

   Inserted: "(b) Requirements.--The Secretary of Transportation may--

   Inserted: "(1) identify, study, evaluate, test, demonstrate, or improve emerging marine technologies and practices that are likely to achieve environmental improvements by--

   Inserted: "(A) reducing air emissions, water emissions, or other ship discharges;

   Inserted: "(B) increasing fuel economy or the use of alternative fuels and alternative energy (including the use of shore power); or

   Inserted: "(C) controlling aquatic invasive species; and

   Inserted: "(2) coordinate with the Environmental Protection Agency, the United States Coast Guard, and other Federal, State, local, or tribal agencies, as appropriate.

   Inserted: "(c) Coordination.--Coordination under subsection (b)(2) may include--

   Inserted: "(1) activities that are associated with the development or approval of validation and testing regimes; and

   Inserted: "(2) certification or validation of emerging technologies or practices that demonstrate significant environmental benefits.

   Inserted: "(d) Assistance.--The Secretary of Transportation may accept gifts, or enter into cooperative agreements, contracts, or other agreements with academic, public, private, and non-governmental entities to carry out the activities authorized under subsection (a).".

   Inserted: (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents for chapter 503 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 50306 the following:

   Inserted: "50307. Maritime environmental and technical assistance.".

   Inserted: SEC. 3505. IDENTIFICATION OF ACTIONS TO ENABLE QUALIFIED UNITED STATES FLAG CAPACITY TO MEET NATIONAL DEFENSE REQUIREMENTS.

   Inserted: Section 501(b) of title 46, United States Code, is amended--

   Inserted: (1) by striking "When the head" and inserting the following:

   Inserted: "(1) In general.--When the head"; and

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

   Inserted: "(2) Determinations.--The Maritime Administrator shall--

   Inserted: "(A) for each determination referred to in paragraph (1), identify any actions that could be taken to enable qualified United States flag capacity to meet national defense requirements;

   Inserted: "(B) provide notice of each such determination to the Secretary of Transportation and the head of the agency referred to in paragraph (1) for which the determination is made; and

   Inserted: "(C) publish each such determination on the Internet Web site of the Department of Transportation not later than 48 hours after notice of the determination is provided to the Secretary of Transportation.

   Inserted: "(3) Notice to congress.--

   Inserted: "(A) In general.--The head of an agency referred to in paragraph (1) shall notify the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate-- "(i) of any request for a waiver of the navigation or vessel-inspection laws under this section not later than 48 hours after receiving such a request; and "(ii) of the issuance of any such waiver not later than 48 hours after such issuance.

   Inserted: "(B) Contents.--Such head of an agency shall include in each notification under subparagraph (A)(ii) an explanation of--

   Inserted: "(i) the reasons the waiver is necessary; and

   Inserted: "(ii) the reasons actions referred to in paragraph (2)(A) are not feasible.".

   Inserted: SEC. 3506. MARITIME WORKFORCE STUDY.

   Inserted: (a) Training Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study on the training needs of the maritime workforce.

   Inserted: (b) Study Components.--The study shall--

   Inserted: (1) analyze the impact of maritime training requirements imposed by domestic and international regulations and conventions, companies, and government agencies that charter or operate vessels;

   Inserted: (2) evaluate the ability of the United States maritime training infrastructure to meet the needs of the maritime industry;

   Inserted: (3) identify trends in maritime training;

   Inserted: (4) compare the training needs of United States mariners with the vocational training and educational assistance programs available from Federal agencies to evaluate the ability of Federal programs to meet the training needs of United States mariners;

   Inserted: (5) include recommendations to enhance the capabilities of the United States maritime training infrastructure; and

   Inserted: (6) include recommendations to assist United States mariners and those entering the maritime profession to achieve the required training.

   Inserted: (c) Final Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this title, the Comptroller General shall submit a report on the results of the study to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.

   Inserted: SEC. 3507. MARITIME ADMINISTRATION VESSEL RECYCLING CONTRACT AWARD PRACTICES.

   Inserted: (a) In General.--Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this title, the Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office shall conduct an assessment of the source selection procedures and practices used to award the Maritime Administration's National Defense Reserve Fleet vessel recycling contracts. The Comptroller General shall assess the process, procedures, and practices used for the Maritime Administration's qualification of vessel recycling facilities. The Comptroller General shall report the findings to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives.

   Inserted: (b) Assessment.--The assessment under subsection (a) shall include a review of whether the Maritime Administration's contract source selection procedures and practices are consistent with law, the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), and Federal best practices associated with making source selection decisions.

   Inserted: (c) Considerations.--In making the assessment under subsection (a), the Comptroller General may consider any other aspect of the Maritime Administration's vessel recycling process that the Comptroller General deems appropriate to review.

   Inserted: SEC. 3508. REQUIREMENT FOR BARGE DESIGN.

   Inserted: Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of this title, the Administrator of the Maritime Administration shall complete the design for a containerized, articulated barge, as identified in the dual-use vessel study carried out by the Administrator and the Secretary of Defense, that is able to utilize roll-on/roll-off or load-on/load-off technology in marine highway maritime commerce.

   Inserted: SEC. 3509. ELIGIBILITY TO RECEIVE SURPLUS TRAINING EQUIPMENT.

   Inserted: Section 51103(b)(2)(C) of title 46, United States Code, is amended by inserting "or a training institution that is an instrumentality of a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or District of Columbia or a unit of local government thereof" after "a non-profit training institution".

   Original wording

   Beginning on page 590, strike line 11 and all that follows through page 595, line 7, and insert the following:

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As printed