# 114-hr-4188: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015

114-hr-4188, Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015, is a 114th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Hunter, Duncan D. [R-CA-50] (R-CA); status Became Public Law No: 114-120. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-4188
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 114-hr-4188
- Congress: 114
- Title: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015
- Status: Became Public Law No: 114-120.
- Introduced: 2015-12-08
- Sponsor: Rep. Hunter, Duncan D. [R-CA-50] (R-CA)
- Cosponsors: 3
- Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015 This bill authorizes appropriations for the Coast Guard for FY2016-FY2017 as well as an end-of-year strength for active duty personnel of 43,000 for each of them and specified average military training student loads. The bill amends specified federal law with respect to: the Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard and vice admirals; Coast Guard remission of indebtedness; acquisition reform; Coast Guard Auxiliary jurisdiction; Coast Guard communities; Polar icebreakers; air facility closures; discontinuance of an aid to navigation; mission performance measures; communications; Coast Guard graduate maritime operations education; professional development; senior enlisted member continuation boards; Coast Guard member pay; transfer of funds necessary to provide medical care; participation of the Coast Guard Academy in federal, state, or other educational research grants; the National Coast Guard Museum; investigations of misconduct; eligibility of Coast Guard members for combat-related special compensation; and Coast Guard leave policies. The bill also revises shipping and navigation requirements relating to: survival craft, vessel replacement, the model years for recreational vessels, merchant mariner credential expiration harmonization, safety zones for permitted marine events, improvements of marine casualty reporting, recreational vessel engine weights, merchant mariner medical certification reform, an Atlantic Coast port access route study, certificates of documentation for recreational vessels, maritime drug law enforcement, examinations for merchant mariner credentials, the higher volume port area regulatory definition change, recognition of port security assessments conducted by foreign entities, fishing vessel and fish tender vessel certification, the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research, and international port and facility inspection coordination. The bill reauthorizes the Federal Maritime Commission for FY2016-FY2017. The bill also makes conveyances of Coast Guard property in Point Reyes Station, California, in Tok, Alaska, in the Pribilof Islands, and at Point Spencer, Alaska. The bill prescribes requirements for: modification of certain Coast Guard reports, safe vessel operation in the Great Lakes, the use of vessel sale proceeds, a National Academy of Sciences polar icebreaking icebreaking mission cost assessment, elimination of class actions for seamen's penalty wages, nonrecourse of noncitizen seamen for injury or death claims, coastwise endorsements, the International Ice Patrol, assessment of oil spill response and cleanup activities in the Great Lakes, the status of technology detecting passengers who have fallen overboard, disposition of infrastructure related to E-LORAN, and Coast Guard member and employee parking at the Department of Homeland Security St. Elizabeth Campus in Washington, D.C.

## Cosponsors (3)

- Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8] (D-CA), 2015-12-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Shuster, Bill [R-PA-9] (R-PA), 2015-12-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4] (D-OR), 2015-12-08T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 114-hr-5621: To posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to Lawrence Eugene "Larry" Doby in recognition of his achievements and contributions to American major league…
- 114-hr-3929: Office of Strategic Services Congressional Gold Medal Act
- 114-hr-3268: PAST Act
- 114-hr-2992: Merchant Marine of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act
- 114-hr-2722: Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coin Act
- 114-hr-1786: James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act

## Sources
- [114-hr-4188 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/4188)

## Related
- [114-hr-5621: To posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to Lawrence Eugene "Larry" Dob…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-5621)
- [114-hr-3929: Office of Strategic Services Congressional Gold Medal Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-3929)
- [114-hr-3268: PAST Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-3268)
- [114-hr-2992: Merchant Marine of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-2992)
- [114-hr-2722: Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coin Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-2722)
- [114-hr-1786: James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-1786)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-4188 (as of 2025-11-18).