Salud Carbajal (D-CA)
Mariner Exam Modernization Act
A Democratic bill with 2 Republican cosponsors · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 750.
Cleared committee, waiting for its first floor vote
A committee approved it and it is on the calendar of the chamber it started in.
This is further than most bills get, and still no promise of a vote: the calendar is a queue, and the majority leadership decides what is called. A bill can sit here until the Congress ends.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
This bill is titled the Mariner Exam Modernization Act. It makes changes to title 46 of the United States Code regarding merchant mariner credential examination working groups. The legislation updates the requirements, composition, and responsibilities of the working group that reviews these examinations. It requires the Commandant to convene the working group annually or when new questions are created, and allows members to participate remotely. The bill also mandates a plan to update and modernize the examination and testing procedures, alongside a briefing for specific congressional committees.
How the text last changed
Reported in House (10/29/2026), compared with Introduced in House. Each change is on the Text tab.
The newer version of the bill adjusts the composition of a working group related to merchant mariner credential examinations, adding a specific representative to the group. It also updates the alphabetical labeling of subparagraphs within that section to accommodate the new addition. These changes affect the individuals and entities designated to participate in the working group under Section 2.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Inclusion of Mariners and Academics: Section 2 adds at least two individuals who have passed the exam in the five years prior to the working group's commissioning, and at least one representative from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, to the working group. This brings practical, recent testing experience and academic expertise directly into the review process.
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Remote Participation: Section 2 allows working group members to participate remotely if they lack the means to attend in person. This makes it easier for qualified individuals to serve without travel burdens.
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Modernized Testing and Elimination of Outdated Material: Section 2 requires the Commandant to develop a plan that eliminates or updates outdated topics, questions, and core competencies, and modernizes testing procedures to match contemporary standardized testing. This can make the testing process fairer and more relevant for test-takers.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Extended Deadlines for Working Group Establishment: Section 2 changes the timeframe for establishing the working group from 90 days to 180 days after the enactment of the Mariner Exam Modernization Act. This extends the wait time for the working group to officially form and begin its work.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
No significant interests or groups are affected by this bill.
A committee approved it and sent it to the floor
What changed from Introduced in House
The newer version of the bill adjusts the composition of a working group related to merchant mariner credential examinations, adding a specific representative to the group. It also updates the alphabetical labeling of subparagraphs within that section to accommodate the new addition. These changes affect the individuals and entities designated to participate in the working group under Section 2.
Each change
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In Section 2, the labeling for subparagraphs (F), (G), and (H) was changed to subparagraphs (G), (H), and (I) respectively.
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In Section 2, a new requirement was added to include at least 1 representative from the United States Merchant Marine Academy as part of the working group.
Written by an AI model from a comparison of this version’s text with the one before it, not by a person. .
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- 10/29/2026
- Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 119-853.
- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 750.
- 6/11/2025
- Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Discharged
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 52 - 12.
- 5/20/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/14/2025
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
- 5/13/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Mike EzellRepublican · Mississippi
Brian FitzpatrickRepublican · Pennsylvania