14 U.S.C. § 313 — Centers of expertise for Coast Guard pre-

Page 20 TITLE 14—COAST GUARD § 313 require an officer, member, or employee of the Coast Guard in training for a specialized preven- tion or response career path to serve an appren- ticeship under the guidance of a qualified indi- vidual. However, an individual in training to be- come a marine inspector, marine casualty inves- tigator, marine safety engineer, waterways op- erations manager, or port and facility safety and security specialist shall serve a minimum of one-year as an apprentice unless the Com- mandant authorizes a shorter period for certain qualifications. (d) MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM.—The Secretary, acting through the Commandant, shall establish a management information sys- tem for the prevention and response workforces that shall provide, at a minimum, the following standardized information on individuals serving in those workforces: (1) Qualifications, assignment history, and tenure in assignments. (2) Promotion rates for military and civilian personnel. (e) SECTOR CHIEF OF PREVENTION.—There shall be in each Coast Guard sector a Chief of Preven- tion who shall be at least a Lieutenant Com- mander or civilian employee within the grade GS–13 of the General Schedule, and who shall be a— (1) marine inspector, qualified to inspect vessels, vessel systems, and equipment com- monly found in the sector; and (2) qualified marine casualty investigator, marine safety engineer, waterways operations manager, or port and facility safety and secu- rity specialist. (f) SIGNATORIES OF LETTER OF QUALIFICATION FOR CERTAIN PREVENTION PERSONNEL.—Each in- dividual signing a letter of qualification for ma- rine safety personnel must hold a letter of quali- fication for the type being certified. (g) SECTOR CHIEF OF RESPONSE.—There shall be in each Coast Guard sector a Chief of Response who shall be at least a Lieutenant Commander or civilian employee within the grade GS–13 of the General Schedule in each Coast Guard sec- tor. (Added Pub. L. 111–281, title V, § 521(a), Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 2953, § 57; amended Pub. L. 113–281, title II, §§ 203, 221(b)(1)(B), Dec. 18, 2014, 128 Stat. 3024, 3038; renumbered § 312, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 104(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4196; Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXV [LXXXV], §§ 8504(a), 8505(a)(1), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4747.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 312, acts Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 520; Aug. 3, 1950, ch. 536, § 14, 64 Stat. 407, related to re- lief of retired warrant officer promoted while on active duty, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 88–130, § 1(10)(A), Sept. 24, 1963, 77 Stat. 177. AMENDMENTS 2021—Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 116–283, § 8504(a), sub- stituted ‘‘maritime transportation system’’ for ‘‘ma- rine transportation system’’. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 116–283, § 8505(a)(1), substituted ‘‘individuals’’ for ‘‘persons’’ in introductory provisions. 2018—Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 57 of this title as this section. 2014—Subsec. (b)(4), (5). Pub. L. 113–281, § 203(1), added pars. (4) and (5). Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 113–281, § 203(2), substituted ‘‘ma- rine safety engineer, waterways operations manager, or port and facility safety and security specialist’’ for ‘‘or marine safety engineer’’. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 113–281, § 221(b)(1)(B), redesignated subsec. (f) as (e) and struck out former subsec. (e) which related to assessment of adequacy of marine safety workforce. Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 113–281, § 221(b)(1)(B)(ii), redesig- nated subsec. (g) as (f). Former subsec. (f) redesignated (e). Subsec. (f)(2). Pub. L. 113–281, § 203(3), substituted ‘‘in- vestigator, marine safety engineer, waterways oper- ations manager, or port and facility safety and security specialist’’ for ‘‘investigator or marine safety engi- neer’’. Subsecs. (g), (h). Pub. L. 113–281, § 221(b)(1)(B)(ii), re- designated subsec. (h) as (g). Former subsec. (g) redes- ignated (f). § 313. Centers of expertise for Coast Guard pre- vention and response (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Commandant may establish and operate one or more centers of ex- pertise for prevention and response missions of the Coast Guard (in this section referred to as a ‘‘center’’). (b) MISSIONS.—Any center established under subsection (a) shall— (1) promote, facilitate, and conduct— (A) education; (B) training; and (C) activities authorized under section 504(a)(4); (2) be a repository of information on oper- ations, practices, and resources related to the mission for which the center was established; and (3) perform and support the mission for which the center was established. (c) JOINT OPERATION WITH EDUCATIONAL INSTI- TUTION AUTHORIZED.—The Commandant may enter into an agreement with an appropriate of- ficial of an institution of higher education to— (1) provide for joint operation of a center; and (2) provide necessary administrative services for a center, including administration and al- location of funds. (d) ACCEPTANCE OF DONATIONS.— (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Commandant may accept, on behalf of a cen- ter, donations to be used to defray the costs of the center or to enhance the operation of the center. Those donations may be accepted from any State or local government, any foreign government, any foundation or other chari- table organization (including any that is orga- nized or operates under the laws of a foreign country), or any individual. (2) The Commandant may not accept a dona- tion under paragraph (1) if the acceptance of the donation would compromise or appear to compromise— (A) the ability of the Coast Guard or the department in which the Coast Guard is op- erating, any employee of the Coast Guard or the department, or any member of the Armed Forces to carry out any responsi- bility or duty in a fair and objective manner; or Page 21 TITLE 14—COAST GUARD § 313 (B) the integrity of any program of the Coast Guard, the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, or of any indi- vidual involved in such a program. (3) The Commandant shall prescribe written guidance setting forth the criteria to be used in determining whether or not the acceptance of a donation from a foreign source would have a result described in paragraph (2). (Added Pub. L. 111–281, title V, § 521(a), Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 2955, § 58; amended Pub. L. 113–281, title II, § 204, Dec. 18, 2014, 128 Stat. 3025; Pub. L. 115–232, div. C, title XXXV, § 3531(c)(1), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 2320; renumbered § 313 and amend- ed Pub. L. 115–282, title I, §§ 104(b), 123(b)(2), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4196, 4240; Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXV [LXXXV], § 8505(a)(2), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4747.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 313, acts Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 520; Aug. 3, 1950, ch. 536, § 15, 64 Stat. 407, provided that any warrant officer who was retired under sections 303 to 305 or 307 of this title should be retired from active service with the highest grade held by him in which his performance of duty was satisfactory, but not lower than his permanent grade, with retired pay of the grade with which retired, prior to repeal by act May 29, 1954, ch. 249, § 20(o), 68 Stat. 167, and by Pub. L. 88–130, § 1(10)(A), Sept. 24, 1963, 77 Stat. 177. A prior section 313a, added Pub. L. 85–144, § 2(a), Aug. 14, 1957, 71 Stat. 367, related to retirement of warrant officers in cases where higher grade has been held, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 88–130, § 1(10)(A), Sept. 24, 1963, 77 Stat. 177. AMENDMENTS 2021—Subsec. (d)(2)(B). Pub. L. 116–283 substituted ‘‘individual’’ for ‘‘person’’. 2018—Pub. L. 115–282, § 104(b), renumbered section 58 of this title as this section. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–232 substituted ‘‘Com- mandant’’ for ‘‘Commandant of the Coast Guard’’. Subsec. (b)(1)(C). Pub. L. 115–282, § 123(b)(2), sub- stituted ‘‘section 504(a)(4)’’ for ‘‘section 93(a)(4)’’. 2014—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 113–281 amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: ‘‘Each center shall— ‘‘(1) promote and facilitate education, training, and research; ‘‘(2) develop a repository of information on its mis- sions and specialties; and ‘‘(3) perform any other missions as the Com- mandant may specify.’’ Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries CENTER OF EXPERTISE FOR GREAT LAKES OIL SPILL PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE Pub. L. 115–282, title VIII, § 807, Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4301, as amended by Pub. L. 117–263, div. K, title CXII, § 11214, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 4016, provided that: ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 4, 2018], the Com- mandant of the Coast Guard shall establish a Center of Expertise for Great Lakes Oil Spill Preparedness and Response (referred to in this section as the ‘Center of Expertise’) in accordance with section 313 of title 14, United States Code, as amended by this Act. ‘‘(b) LOCATION.—The Center of Expertise shall be lo- cated in close proximity to— ‘‘(1) critical crude oil transportation infrastructure on and connecting the Great Lakes, such as sub- merged pipelines and high-traffic navigation locks; and ‘‘(2) an institution of higher education with ade- quate aquatic research laboratory facilities and capa- bilities and expertise in Great Lakes aquatic ecology, environmental chemistry, fish and wildlife, and water resources. ‘‘(c) FUNCTIONS.—The Center of Expertise shall— ‘‘(1) monitor and assess, on an ongoing basis, the current state of knowledge regarding freshwater oil spill response technologies and the behavior and ef- fects of oil spills in the Great Lakes; ‘‘(2) identify any significant gaps in Great Lakes oil spill research, including an assessment of major sci- entific or technological deficiencies in responses to past spills in the Great Lakes and other freshwater bodies, and seek to fill those gaps; ‘‘(3) conduct research, development, testing, and evaluation for freshwater oil spill response equip- ment, technologies, and techniques to mitigate and respond to oil spills in the Great Lakes; ‘‘(4) educate and train Federal, State, and local first responders located in Coast Guard District 9 in— ‘‘(A) the incident command system structure; ‘‘(B) Great Lakes oil spill response techniques and strategies; and ‘‘(C) public affairs; and ‘‘(5) work with academic and private sector re- sponse training centers to develop and standardize maritime oil spill response training and techniques for use on the Great Lakes. ‘‘(d) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘Great Lakes’ means— ‘‘(1) Lake Ontario; ‘‘(2) Lake Erie; ‘‘(3) Lake Huron (including Lake St. Clair); ‘‘(4) Lake Michigan; ‘‘(5) Lake Superior; and ‘‘(6) the connecting channels (including the fol- lowing rivers and tributaries of such rivers: Saint Mary’s River, Saint Clair River, Detroit River, Niag- ara River, Illinois River, Chicago River, Fox River, Grand River, St. Joseph River, St. Louis River, Me- nominee River, Muskegon River, Kalamazoo River, and Saint Lawrence River to the Canadian border).’’ COAST GUARD BLUE TECHNOLOGY CENTER OF EXPERTISE Pub. L. 115–265, title III, § 302, Oct. 11, 2018, 132 Stat. 3752, provided that: ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 11, 2018] and subject to the availability of appropriations, the Com- mandant may establish under section 58 [now 313] of title 14, United States Code, a Blue Technology center of expertise. ‘‘(b) MISSIONS.—In addition to the missions listed in section 58(b) [now 313(b)] of title 14, United States Code, the Center may— ‘‘(1) promote awareness within the Coast Guard of the range and diversity of Blue Technologies and their potential to enhance Coast Guard mission readi- ness, operational performance, and regulation of such technologies; ‘‘(2) function as an interactive conduit to enable the sharing and dissemination of Blue Technology in- formation between the Coast Guard and representa- tives from the private sector, academia, nonprofit or- ganizations, and other Federal agencies; ‘‘(3) increase awareness among Blue Technology manufacturers, entrepreneurs, and vendors of Coast Guard acquisition policies, procedures, and business practices; ‘‘(4) provide technical support, coordination, and assistance to Coast Guard districts and the Coast Guard Research and Development Center, as appro- priate; and ‘‘(5) subject to the requirements of the Coast Guard Academy, coordinate with the Academy to develop appropriate curricula regarding Blue Technology to Page 22 TITLE 14—COAST GUARD § 314 be offered in professional courses of study to give Coast Guard cadets and officer candidates a greater background and understanding of Blue Technologies. ‘‘(c) BLUE TECHNOLOGY EXPOSITION; BRIEFING.—Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 11, 2018], the Commandant shall provide to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a briefing on the costs and benefits of hosting a bien- nial Coast Guard Blue Technology exposition to further interactions between representatives from the private sector, academia, and nonprofit organizations, and the Coast Guard and examine emerging technologies and Coast Guard mission demands. ‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: ‘‘(1) CENTER.—The term ‘Center’ means the Blue Technology center of expertise established under this section. ‘‘(2) COMMANDANT.—The term ‘Commandant’ means the Commandant of the Coast Guard. ‘‘(3) BLUE TECHNOLOGY.—The term ‘Blue Tech- nology’ means any technology, system, or platform that— ‘‘(A) is designed for use or application above, on, or below the sea surface or that is otherwise appli- cable to Coast Guard operational needs, including such a technology, system, or platform that pro- vides continuous or persistent coverage; and ‘‘(B) supports or facilitates— ‘‘(i) maritime domain awareness, including— ‘‘(I) surveillance and monitoring; ‘‘(II) observation, measurement, and mod- eling:[;] or ‘‘(III) information technology and commu- nications; ‘‘(ii) search and rescue; ‘‘(iii) emergency response; ‘‘(iv) maritime law enforcement; ‘‘(v) marine inspections and investigations; or ‘‘(vi) protection and conservation of the marine environment.’’ § 314. Marine industry training program The Commandant shall, by policy, establish a program under which an officer, member, or em- ployee of the Coast Guard may be assigned to a private entity to further the institutional inter- ests of the Coast Guard with regard to marine safety, including for the purpose of providing training to an officer, member, or employee. Policies to carry out the program— (1) with regard to an employee of the Coast Guard, shall include provisions, consistent with sections 3702 through 3704 of title 5, as to matters concerning— (A) the duration and termination of as- signments; (B) reimbursements; and (C) status, entitlements, benefits, and obli- gations of program participants; and (2) shall require the Commandant, before ap- proving the assignment of an officer, member, or employee of the Coast Guard to a private entity, to determine that the assignment is an effective use of the Coast Guard’s funds, tak- ing into account the best interests of the Coast Guard and the costs and benefits of al- ternative methods of achieving the same re- sults and objectives. (Added Pub. L. 111–281, title V, § 521(a), Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 2956, § 59; amended Pub. L. 113–281, title II, § 221(a)(1), Dec. 18, 2014, 128 Stat. 3037; re- numbered § 314, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 104(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4196.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 314, act Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 520, related to retiring or dropping for disabilities not incident to service, prior to repeal by act Aug. 3, 1950, ch. 536, § 36, 64 Stat. 408. See section 1207 of Title 10, Armed Forces. AMENDMENTS 2018—Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 59 of this title as this section. 2014—Pub. L. 113–281 struck out subsec. (a) designa- tion and heading before ‘‘The Commandant’’ and struck out subsec. (b). Text of subsec. (b) read as follows: ‘‘Not later than the date of the submission each year of the President’s budget request under section 1105 of title 31, the Commandant shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Rep- resentatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report that de- scribes— ‘‘(1) the number of officers, members, and employ- ees of the Coast Guard assigned to private entities under this section; and ‘‘(2) the specific benefit that accrues to the Coast Guard for each assignment.’’ § 315. Training for congressional affairs per- sonnel (a) IN GENERAL.—The Commandant shall de- velop a training course, which shall be adminis- tered in person, on the workings of Congress for any member of the Coast Guard selected for a position as a fellow, liaison, counsel, or adminis- trative staff for the Coast Guard Office of Con- gressional and Governmental Affairs or as any Coast Guard district or area governmental af- fairs officer. (b) COURSE SUBJECT MATTER.— (1) IN GENERAL.—The training course re- quired under this section shall provide an overview and introduction to Congress and the Federal legislative process, including— (A) the congressional budget process; (B) the congressional appropriations proc- ess; (C) the congressional authorization proc- ess; (D) the Senate advice and consent process for Presidential nominees; (E) the Senate advice and consent process for treaty ratification; (F) the roles of Members of Congress and congressional staff in the legislative process; (G) the concept and underlying purposes of congressional oversight within the govern- ance framework of separation of powers; (H) the roles of Coast Guard fellows, liai- sons, counsels, governmental affairs officers, the Coast Guard Office of Program Review, the Coast Guard Headquarters program of- fices, and any other entity the Commandant considers relevant; and (I) the roles and responsibilities of Coast Guard public affairs and external commu- nications personnel with respect to Members of Congress and the staff of such Members necessary to enhance communication be- tween Coast Guard units, sectors, and dis- tricts and Member offices and committees of jurisdiction so as to ensure visibility of Coast Guard activities.