§333 — Title 14 Coast Guard | U.S. Code

Summary

The Commandant must create and run a course that teaches how Congress works. The course must be offered at least once each year and can be given more often. Certain senior people must take it at least once a year. Those people are: flag officers in the Coast Guard; senior executive service (career reserved) members in Coast Guard jobs; and political appointees who work in the Coast Guard or at the Department of Homeland Security with Coast Guard duties, including any Senior Advisor to the Secretary for the Coast Guard. The course will cover the basics of Congress and how laws get made, the committee system (including the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee), the kinds of documents Congress makes (like bills and reports), key processes (budget, authorization and appropriation, Senate advice and consent for nominees and treaties, and notification/reporting rules), the roles of members and staff, congressional oversight and independent watchdogs (such as Inspectors General and the Government Accountability Office), the legal and ethical duty to cooperate with oversight, a short look at the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a), the right of Coast Guard people to talk with Congress, and the Coast Guard laws and policies needed for compliance, ethics, professionalism, and timely responses to oversight requests. Some roles must take the course in person. These “required participants” include Office of Congressional and Governmental Affairs fellows, liaisons, counsels, and admin staff; district or area governmental affairs officers; anyone who prepares or sends Coast Guard correspondence to Congress; staff in the Office of Coordination, Programs, and Accountability or Force Design 2028; and Office of General Law personnel. If a congressional office asks in writing, the course must include a multi-day detail inside the Coast Guard Office of Coordination, Programs, and Accountability (the detail does not have to be consecutive). Anyone chosen for a covered position must finish the training before starting that job. At least 60 percent of the course instructors must be outside experts on Congress (not executive branch employees), and the Commandant may accept pro bono teaching help.

Title 14, §333

Coast Guard — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)(A)The Commandant, and such other individuals and organizations as the Commandant considers appropriate, shall develop a training course on the workings of Congress.

(B)(i)The training course developed in subparagraph (A) shall be offered at least once each year.

(ii)The training developed under subparagraph (A) may be provided more than once a year to facilitate timely receipt by covered recipients.

(2)(A)At least once each year, any covered recipients shall receive the training developed under paragraph (1).

(B)In this paragraph, the term “covered recipients” means—

(i)flag officers serving in the Coast Guard;

(ii)members of the senior executive service (career reserved) serving in positions in the Coast Guard; and

(iii)political appointees—

(I)serving in positions in the Coast Guard; or

(II)at the Department of Homeland Security with Coast Guard in their portfolio, including any Senior Advisor to the Secretary for the Coast Guard.

(3)The training course required by this subsection shall provide an overview and introduction to Congress and the Federal legislative process, including—

(A)the history and structure of Congress and the committee systems of the House of Representatives and the Senate, including the functions and responsibilities of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate;

(B)the documents produced by Congress, including bills, resolutions, committee reports, and conference reports, and the purposes and functions of such documents;

(C)the legislative processes and rules of the House of Representatives and the Senate, including similarities and differences between the 2 processes and 2 sets of rules, including—

(i)the congressional budget process;

(ii)the congressional authorization and appropriation processes;

(iii)the Senate advice and consent process for Presidential nominees; and

(iv)the Senate advice and consent process for treaty ratification;

(v)all relevant notification and reporting requirements in statute, policy, or any other agreement to Congress;

(D)the roles of Members of Congress and congressional staff in the legislative process; and

(E)the concept and underlying purposes of congressional oversight within the governance framework of separation of powers;

(F)the roles of independent oversight entities, including the Offices of the Inspector Generals, the Government Accountability Office, and other independent entities, with respect 11 So in original. Probably should be followed by “to”. oversight of the Coast Guard;

(G)the legal and ethical requirements of complying with oversight conducted by such independent oversight entities, including compliance with congressionally mandated oversight;

(H)an overview of section 552a of title 5 (popularly known at the Privacy Act of 1974) with respect to working with Congress and independent oversight;

(I)an overview of the right of all Coast Guard members and staff to engage with Congress as a constitutionally protected right; and

(J)with respect to Coast Guard covered recipients, an overview of any law administered by the Coast Guard and any policy implemented by the Coast Guard the understanding of which is necessary to improve—

(i)compliance with such law and policy;

(ii)ethics;

(iii)professionalism; and

(iv)timeliness of response to Congressional oversight requests, including requests from independent oversight entities.

(b)(1)The Commandant shall develop a training course on the workings of Congress, which shall be administered in person for to 22 So in original. any required participant.

(2)In this subsection, the term “required participant” means—

(A)any member of the Coast Guard Office of Congressional and Governmental Affairs selected for a position as—

(i)a fellow;

(ii)a liaison;

(iii)a counsel; or

(iv)administrative staff;

(B)a Coast Guard district or area governmental affairs officer;

(C)an individual who reviews, makes edits, or transmits formal or informal correspondence with respect to the Coast Guard to Congress, including relevant program level personnel;

(D)an individual who serves in—

(i)the Office of Coordination, Programs, and Accountability or successor office; or

(ii)the Force Design 2028 office; and

(iii)Coast Guard Office of General Law personnel, including such personnel detailed to the Coast Guard.

(3)(A)The training course required under this subsection shall provide an overview and introduction to Congress and the Federal legislative process, including—

(i)the items described in subparagraphs (C) through (K) of subsection (a)(2); 33 So in original. Probably should be “subparagraphs (C) through (J) of subsection (a)(3);”.

(ii)the roles of Coast Guard fellows, liaisons, counsels, governmental affairs officers, the Coast Guard Office of Program Review, the Coast Guard Headquarters program offices, and any other entity the Commandant considers relevant;

(iii)the roles and responsibilities of Coast Guard public affairs and external communications personnel with respect to Members of Congress and the staff of such Members necessary to enhance communication between Coast Guard units, sectors, and districts and Member offices and committees of jurisdiction so as to ensure visibility of Coast Guard activities; and

(iv)with respect to Coast Guard required participants, an overview of any law administered by the Coast Guard and any policy implemented by the Coast Guard the understanding of which is necessary to improve—

(I)compliance with such law and policy;

(II)ethics;

(III)professionalism; and

(IV)timeliness of response to Congressional oversight requests, including requests from independent oversight entities.

(4)(A)At the written request of a receiving congressional office, the training course required under this section shall include a multi-day detail within the Coast Guard Office of Coordination, Programs,44 So in original. Probably should be followed by “and”. Accountability to ensure adequate exposure to Coast Guard policy, oversight, and requests from Congress.

(B)A detail under this paragraph is not required to be consecutive with the balance of the training.

(5)A member of the Coast Guard selected for a position described in subsection (a) shall complete the training required by this section before the date on which such member reports for duty for such position.

(c)(1)The Commandant shall ensure that not less than 60 percent of the lecturers, panelists, and other individuals providing education and instruction as part of the training courses required under this section are experts on Congress and the Federal legislative process who are not employed by the executive branch of the Federal Government.

(2)In satisfying the requirement under paragraph (1), the Commandant shall seek, and may accept, educational and instructional services of lecturers, panelists, and other individuals and organizations provided to the Coast Guard on a pro bono basis.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 333, added Pub. L. 114–120, title II, § 214(b)(1), Feb. 8, 2016, 130 Stat. 43, § 60; amended Pub. L. 114–328, div. C, title XXXV, § 3503(a), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2775; Pub. L. 115–232, div. C, title XXXV, § 3532, Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 2321; renumbered § 315, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 104(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4196; Pub. L. 117–263, div. K, title CXII, § 11251(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 4052; renumbered § 333, Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXII, § 7201(b), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1675, which related to training for congressional affairs personnel, was repealed, just after its renumbering, by Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXII, § 7201(e)(7), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1681. Another prior section 333 was renumbered section 2165 of this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effect of Law Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXII, § 7201(g), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1685, provided that: “The training required by subsection (a) of section 333 of title 14, United States Code (as amended by this Act), shall replace the training that was required by the Commandant [of the Coast Guard] on the day before the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 18, 2025].”

§333 Training courses on workings of Congress