Text of Senate Amendment 6626

On 2026-07-13, Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 6626" in the Senate.

Text of Senate Amendment 6626

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S3827-S3828] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6626. Ms. CANTWELL submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the appropriate place, insert the following: TITLE __--MARITIME ADMINISTRATION SEC. ___. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR MARITIME ADMINISTRATION. (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Transportation for fiscal year 2027, for programs associated with maintaining the United States Merchant Marine, the following amounts: (1) For expenses necessary to support the United States Merchant Marine Academy, $701,500,000, of which-- (A) $101,500,000 shall be for Academy operations; (B) $50,000,000 shall be for facilities maintenance and repair and equipment; and (C) $550,000,000 shall be for the development of a design- build plan for the phased rehabilitation, modernization, and construction of facilities and infrastructure at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in accordance with the Campus Modernization Plan required by section 51329 of title 46, United States Code. (2) For expenses necessary to support the State maritime academies, $58,800,000, of which-- (A) $4,800,000 shall be for the Student Incentive Payment Program; (B) $13,000,000 shall be for direct payments for State maritime academies; (C) $12,000,000 shall be for training ship fuel assistance; (D) $4,000,000 shall be for offsetting the costs of training ship sharing; and (E) $25,000,000 shall be for maintenance and repair of State maritime academy training vessels. (3) For expenses necessary to support the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel program, including funds for construction and necessary expenses to construct shoreside infrastructure to support such vessels, $110,000,000. (4) For expenses necessary to support Maritime Administration operations and programs, $105,500,000, of which-- (A) $15,000,000 shall be for the maritime environmental and technical assistance program under section 50307 of title 46, United States Code; (B) $15,000,000 shall be for the United States marine highway program, including to make grants authorized under section 55601 of title 46, United States Code; (C) $2,000,000 shall be for the Office of Environment and Compliance, including to assist in the environmental review of grant and permit programs administered by the Maritime Administration; and (D) $73,500,000 shall be for headquarters operations expenses. (5) For expenses necessary for the disposal of obsolete vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet of the Maritime Administration, $6,000,000. (6) For expenses necessary to maintain and preserve a United States flag merchant marine to serve the national security needs of the United States under chapter 531 of title 46, United States Code, $390,000,000. [[Page S3828]] (7) For expenses necessary to maintain and preserve a United States flag merchant marine to serve the national security needs of the United States under chapter 534 of title 46, United States Code, $122,400,000. (8) For expenses necessary for the loan guarantee program authorized under chapter 537 of title 46, United States Code, $33,700,000, of which-- (A) $30,000,000 may be used for the cost (as such term is defined in section 502(5) of the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990 (2 U.S.C. 661a(5)) of loan guarantees under the program; and (B) $3,700,000 may be used for administrative expenses relating to loan guarantee commitments under the program. (9) For expenses necessary to provide assistance to small shipyards and for maritime training programs authorized under section 54101 of title 46, United States Code, $355,000,000. (10) For expenses necessary to implement the port infrastructure development program, as authorized under section 54301 of title 46, United States Code, subject to the limitation under subsection (b), $550,000,000, to remain available until expended. (11) For expenses necessary to establish and maintain a workforce development and innovation program, $100,000,000. (b) Limitation.-- (1) In general.--No funds may be obligated or expended for the port infrastructure development program pursuant to subsection (a)(9) to make a grant to be used for the purchase of fully automated cargo handling equipment that is remotely operated or remotely monitored with or without the exercise of human intervention or control, if the Secretary of Transportation determines such equipment would result in a net loss of jobs within a port or port terminal. (2) Report.--If the Secretary makes a determination pursuant to paragraph (1), not later than 3 days after the date on which such determination is made, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report that includes the data and analysis used by the Secretary in making such determination. ______