117th CONGRESS 1st Session |
To amend title 14, United States Code, to ensure that the Commandant of the Coast Guard responds to safety recommendations by the National Transportation Safety Board.
January 28, 2021
Ms. Brownley introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
To amend title 14, United States Code, to ensure that the Commandant of the Coast Guard responds to safety recommendations by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
This Act may be cited as the “Coast Guard Safety and Accountability Act”.
SEC. 2. Commandant of the Coast Guard's responses to safety recommendations.
(a) Amendment to title 14.—Chapter 7 of title 14, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
“SEC. 719. Responses to safety recommendations.
“(a) In general.—When the National Transportation Safety Board submits a recommendation about transportation safety to the Commandant of the Coast Guard, the Commandant, not later than 90 days after receiving the recommendation, shall give the Board a formal written response to each recommendation. The response shall indicate whether the Commandant intends—
“(1) to carry out procedures to adopt the complete recommendation;
“(2) to carry out procedures to adopt a part of the recommendation; or
“(3) to refuse to carry out procedures to adopt the recommendation.
“(b) Timetable for completing procedures and reasons for refusal.—A response under paragraphs (1) or (2) of subsection (a) shall include a copy of a proposed timetable for completing the procedures. A response under subsection (a)(2) shall detail the reasons for the refusal to carry out procedures on the remainder of the recommendation. A response under subsection (a)(3) shall detail the reasons for the refusal to carry out procedures.
“(c) Public availability.—The Board shall make a copy of each recommendation and response available to the public at reasonable cost.
“(1) ANNUAL REGULATORY STATUS REPORTS.—On February 1 of each year, the Commandant shall submit a report to Congress and the Board containing the regulatory status of each recommendation made by the Board to the Commandant that is on the Board's ‘most wanted list’. The Commandant shall continue to report on the regulatory status of each such recommendation in the report due on February 1 of subsequent years until final regulatory action is taken on that recommendation or the Commandant determines and states in such a report that no action should be taken.
“(2) FAILURE TO REPORT.—If on March 1 of each year the Board has not received the Commandant's report required by this subsection, the Board shall notify the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate of the Commandant's failure to submit the required report.
“(3) COMPLIANCE REPORT WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later than 90 days after the date on which the Commandant submits a report under this subsection, the Board shall review the Commandant's report and transmit comments on the report to the Commandant, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.”.
(b) Clerical amendment.—The analysis for chapter 7 of title 14, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 718 the following:
“719. Responses to safety recommendations.”.