Maritime Administration Enhancement Act of 2015

Maritime Administration Enhancement Act of 2015

(Sec. 2) This bill revises:

• the licensing and service requirements for U.S. Merchant Marine Academy cadet commitment agreements, and
• requirements for U.S. Merchant Marine Academy student incentive payment agreements related to licensing, the service commitment, and the circumstances under which an individual may be ordered to active duty.

(Sec. 3) Payments to individuals may be modified if the total amount of payments to an individual does not exceed $32,000.

(Sec. 4) The Internal Revenue Code is amended to reflect the transfer of the Maritime Administration from the Department of Commerce to the Department of Transportation.

(Sec. 5) The definition of "short sea transportation" shall include carriage by a documented vessel of cargo that is: (1) shipped in discrete units or packages that are handled individually, palletized, or unitized for purposes of transportation; or (2) freight vehicles carried aboard commuter ferry boats.

(Sec. 6) The national security aspects of the U.S. Merchant Marine are reauthorized through FY2017.