Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1984

(Measure passed Senate, amended)

Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1984 - Authorizes appropriations for the Coast Guard for FY 1985 and 1986 for: (1) operation and maintenance, including icebreaking; (2) acquisition, construction, rebuilding, and improvement of aids to navigation, shore facilities, vessels, and aircraft; (3) research, development, test, and evaluation; (4) the alteration or removal of bridges over navigable waters of the United States constituting obstructions to navigation; and (5) retirement pay and benefits.

Establishes an end-of-year strength for the Coast Guard for FY 1985 and 1986.

Authorizes average military training loads for FY 1985 and 1986 for: (1) recruitment and special training; (2) flight training; (3) professional training; (4) officer acquisition.

Permits the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating (the Secretary) to transfer up to five percent of appropriations among categories after giving the appropriate congressional committees 15 days notice of such intent.

Expresses the sense of the Congress that the United States has important interests in maintaining a fleet of icebreaking vessels for operation in the Arctic and Antarctic.

Directs the Secretary to plan for the design and construction of at least two additional polar icebreaking vessels to be operational by the end of FY 1990. Requires the Secretary to make status reports on such plans in January of 1985 and 1986.

Establishes civil and criminal penalties for operating a vessel while intoxicated. Requires vessel casualty statistics to indicate when the use of alcohol contributed to a casualty. Requires the boating safety information dissemination program to include information on the hazards of operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol.

Excludes recreational vessels and associated components with safety defects which create a substantial risk of personal injury to the public from vessels which meet minimum safety standards.

Directs the Secretary to establish a helicopter rescue swimming program to train Coast Guard personnel.

Requires the Secretary to proceed vigorously with efforts to develop improved lifesaving equipment for use on passenger ferries.

Requires the use of authorizations to maintain in full operation the Vessels Traffic Service (VTS) system in San Francisco, California, for FY 1985 and 1986, but prohibits any contracting out of Coast Guard functions until the Coast Guard conducts a study and reports to Congress on such system.

Requires the procurement of at least 27 long range search and surveillance aircraft. Encourages the Secretary to develop an electronic surveillance system capable of producing and documenting images for use on such aircraft.

Prohibits any person in charge of a vessel in any capacity from discriminating against a seaman who in good faith reports or is about to report certain violations to the Secretary. Grants such seaman a remedy in Federal district court.

Encourages the Secretary to identify functions performed by the Guard which are not inherently governmental and could be performed more cost effectively under contract with the private sector. Requires the Secretary to give the appropriate congressional committees 30 days notice before using funds to develop a contracting out proposal for functions currently performed by Coast Guard or civilian personnel. Requires the Secretary to give to Congress a list of such functions before the start of each fiscal year.

Renders specified Coast Guard provisions gender neutral.

Repeals the duplicate tankerman manning requirement.

Makes the Secretary of Transportation partially responsible for administering Coast Guard medical benefits when the Coast Guard is operating under such Secretary's department.

Requires that at least 30 Coast Guard cutters be available for duty on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts at all times.

Permits the Secretary to designate two officers of the Guard to serve on the Reserve Forces Policy Board whenever the Guard is operating in that Department.

Directs the Secretary to require exposure suits on vessels operating in specified waters. Establishes civil and criminal penalties for violations of this requirement.

Directs the Secretary to make a grant to the Maritime Fire and Safety Association to develop a fire response capability for vessels through equipment and trained personnel. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1985 through 1987.

Authorizes the Secretary to pay preappointment travel expenses for cadet orientation visits.

Authorizes the Secretary to authorize certain additional Reserve commodores and rear admirals to meet planned mobilization requirements.

Establishes the position of Associate Deputy Secretary of Transportation within that Department to assist and act for the Secretary when the Secretary and Deputy Secretary are unable.

Permits the Secretary to test a flat rate per diem allowances system for military travel allowances through FY 1986. Requires prior notification of the appropriate congressional committees.

Limits the vessel pilot's annual physical examination requirement to those pilots on vessels above a specified tonnage.

Modifies civil penalties for violations of certain vessel personnel licensing requirements.

Includes vessels operating on the Great Lakes within certain licensed personnel requirements from which vessels operating on other lakes are generally excluded.

Modifies vessel manning requirements for certain vessels.

Limits the licensed master requirement to certain vessels propelled by machinery or carrying passengers.

Requires a coastwise seagoing vessel to be under the control of a licensed pilot if the vessel is not sailing on register, is underway, and not on the high seas in addition to existing requirements.

Directs the Secretary of Transportation to designate which areas of Prince William Sound, Alaska, may be navigated by a vessel not controlled by a licensed pilot.

Permits the Secretary to require certain self-propelled vessels engaged in foreign commerce and operating on the navigable waters of the U.S. to be controlled by a licensed pilot.

Increases the minimum tonnage of vessels traveling from coast to coast which are required to have an official logbook.

Deems the Trent River Railroad Bridge in New Bern, North Carolina, an unreasonable obstruction to navigation.

Amends the Coastwise Load Line Act, 1935 to modify loadline requirements for certain fishing vessels. Applies such Act to the Great Lakes except as specified.

Makes technical amendments regarding commercial fishing industry vessels.

Redefines "passenger" to include individuals carried on sailing school vessels. Redefines "sailing instruction" to include certain classroom work for learning disabled students.

Amends the Uniformed Services Pay Act of 1981 to place the compensation of the Commandant of the Coast Guard on a par with that of the chiefs of staff of the uniformed services.