I
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3214
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 27, 2015
Mr. Hunter (for himself, Mr. Young of Alaska, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Larsen of Washington, and Mr. Graves of Louisiana) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To amend title 14, United States Code, to establish the National Icebreaker Fund to pay the costs of construction, alteration, renovation, lease, or charter of icebreakers for the Coast Guard, and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the National Icebreaker Fund Act of 2015
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National Icebreaker Fund
Establishment of Fund
Chapter 15 of title 14, United States Code, is amended—
by redesignating subchapter III as subchapter IV;
by redesignating section 581 as section 591; and
by inserting after chapter II the following:
Icebreakers
National Icebreaker Fund
Establishment
There is established in the Treasury of the United States a fund to be known as the National Icebreaker Fund
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Use
Authorized purposes
Amounts in the Fund shall be available for obligation and expenditure by the Secretary only for the following purposes:
Construction, alteration, and renovation of icebreakers for the Coast Guard, including design work related to construction, alteration, and renovation.
Lease or charter of icebreakers for the Coast Guard.
Authorization required
Amounts in the Fund may be obligated or expended only in amounts authorized by law.
Deposits
There shall be deposited in the Fund the following:
All funds appropriated to the department in which the Coast Guard is operating for—
construction, alteration, and renovation of icebreakers, including design work related to construction, alteration, and renovation; or
lease or charter of icebreakers.
All receipts from the disposition of icebreakers by the Federal Government.
Unobligated funds that are transferred to the Fund under subsection (d).
Contributions of money, and proceeds of other contributions, accepted under subsection (e).
All funds appropriated to the Department of Defense or any other Federal agency for—
construction, alteration, and renovation of icebreakers, including design work related to construction, alteration, and renovation; or
lease or charter of icebreakers.
Transfers
At the end of any fiscal year, the Secretary may transfer to the Fund any unobligated funds remaining from funds under the administrative control of the Secretary.
Acceptance of support
In general
The Secretary may accept from any person, foreign government, or international organization any contribution of money, personal property, or assistance in-kind for support of icebreaking in the polar regions.
Use
Any contribution accepted under paragraph (1) may be retained and used by the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating or disposed of in accordance with procedures prescribed by the Secretary, subject to the limitations in subsection (f) and paragraph (3) of this subsection.
Limitations on use of funds
Foreign vessels
Amounts in the Fund may not be used to lease, charter, construct, alter, renovate, or in any other way acquire any vessel built in a shipyard located in a foreign country, unless specifically authorized by law.
Construction, alteration, and renovation in United States; vessel design requirements
Amounts in the Fund may not be used to construct, alter, or renovate a vessel in any shipyard other than a shipyard in the United States.
Purpose of expenditures
The Secretary may—
expend from the Fund amounts deposited under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (c), only for the lease, charter, construction, alteration, or renovation of icebreakers capable of search and rescue, saving of life at sea, maritime safety and security, drug and migrant interdiction, fisheries law enforcement, and environmental response in the Arctic; and
expend from the Fund the amounts deposited under paragraphs (4) and (5) of subsection (c), for—
activities described in subparagraph (A); or
additional capabilities that are—
necessary to carry out national defense missions; or
for missions related to research and resupply in the Antarctic.
Expiration of appropriated funds after 10 years
No part of an appropriation that is deposited in the Fund under subsection (c)(1) shall remain available for obligation more than 10 years after the end of fiscal year for which appropriated, except to the extent specifically provided by law.
Budget requests
Budget requests submitted to Congress for the Fund shall separately identify—
the amount requested for programs, projects, and activities for construction, alteration, and renovation of icebreakers; and
the amount requested for programs, projects, and activities for lease or charter of icebreakers;
Definitions
In this section:
The term Fund
means the National Icebreaker Fund established by subsection (a).
The term icebreaker
means an icebreaker capable of operations in polar regions.
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Clerical amendment
The analysis for such chapter is amended by striking the items relating to subchapter III and inserting the following:
Subchapter III. Icebreakers
Sec. 581. National Icebreaker Fund
Subchapter IV. Definitions
Sec. 591. Definitions.
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International agreement
The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Director of the National Science Foundation, shall enter into an agreement with nations that operate facilities in Antarctica to establish a mechanism to provide icebreaking services necessary to supply those facilities by constructing, leasing or chartering, renovating, operating, or maintaining an icebreaker capable of performing such services.
