Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025

Enhanced Tribal and Native Hawaiian Engagement: The creation of a Special Advisor to the Commandant for Tribal and Native Hawaiian Affairs aims to ensure meaningful and timely government-to-government consultation and engagement with Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations (Section 203).

Improved Family Leave Policies: The bill modifies family leave to include the placement of a minor child for long-term foster care or adoption, providing more flexibility for Coast Guard members (Section 241).

Increased Personnel Benefits and Support: Provisions include the authorization of a maternity uniform allowance for officers (Section 245), travel allowances for members assigned to Alaska (Section 249), and a tuition assistance and advanced education pilot program (Section 250).

Direct Hire Authority for Critical Roles: This allows for faster hiring of professionals in medical, childcare, housing, and investigative positions, which helps fill essential service gaps (Section 243(a)).

Command Sponsorship for Dependents: Members of the Coast Guard assigned to Unalaska, Alaska, can request command sponsorship for their dependents (Section 244).

College Student Precommissioning Initiative: This program provides financial assistance for eligible undergraduate students to enlist in the Coast Guard Reserve and work toward a commission (Section 246).

Embedded Behavioral Health Technician Program: This pilot program aims to provide integrated behavioral health care, psychological assessments, and increased access to care at the clinic level (Section 248(a)).

Additional Behavioral Health Specialists: The bill requires the hiring and deployment of at least five additional specialists, with a focus on treating military sexual trauma (Section 248(b)).

Tuition Assistance for Sea Duty: A pilot program provides financial assistance and reduced service obligations for active-duty members completing sea duty tours (Section 250).

Incentives for Remote Civilian Firefighters: Establishes recruitment, relocation, and retention bonuses for civilian firefighters in remote locations (Section 251).

Merchant Mariner Credentialing Updates: The bill makes it easier to obtain credentials by allowing certain training programs to substitute for sea service requirements (Section 301).

Enhanced Safety for Arctic Maritime Operations: By requiring a study on Bering Strait traffic and emergency response capabilities, the bill aims to address navigation safety risks and the potential impacts of maritime accidents on Native Alaskan village communities (Section 322).

Protection of Submerged Infrastructure: The mandate to restructure federal anchorages and identify areas where anchorages are too close to pipelines is designed to prevent accidents such as those involving underwater pipelines (Section 323).

Improved Response to Maritime Casualties: The bill allows for the periodic inspection of vessels and the verification of their ability to respond to marine casualties, including firefighting, which could improve safety during emergencies (Section 401).

Victim Support and Evidence Preservation: The establishment of a comprehensive policy for the retention of and access to evidence and records related to sexual misconduct aims to ensure that victims can pursue claims for veterans benefits and support legal proceedings (Section 502).

Support for Academy Cadets: The bill provides for the consideration of requests from Coast Guard Academy cadets to transfer to other institutions following incidents of sexual assault or related offenses, which can be done expeditiously (Section 503).

Standardized Policies for Misconduct: The creation of a "Safe-to-Report" policy is intended to handle minor collateral misconduct that may occur during the reporting of a sexual assault, aiming to protect those who come forward (Section 505).

Enhanced Victim Support: The bill requires the Coast Guard to develop policies for the care and support of members who are alleged victims of covered misconduct, ensuring they receive care without unreasonable delay (Section 515).

Improved Safety via Expedited Transfers: New policies will implement an expedited transfer process to help individuals move away from environments where they have experienced sexual assault or domestic violence (Section 528).

Expanded Medical and Mental Health Access: Members who have experienced sexual assault are provided the opportunity to request medical examinations to evaluate signs and symptoms of mental, behavioral, or emotional disorders (Section 517).

Stronger Accountability for Senior Leaders: The bill establishes a policy to improve oversight and investigations regarding alleged misconduct by senior leaders, including a requirement to report allegations to the Inspector General within 72 hours (Section 519).

Protection Against Retaliation: New policies require the review of proposed involuntary separations for members who have reported misconduct to ensure the separation was not retaliatory (Section 527).

Increased Training Standards: The bill mandates annual covered misconduct prevention and response training for all members and civilian employees (Section 532).

Restrictions on Foreign Vessel Procurement: The bill contains a restriction that prohibits the Coast Guard from procuring vessels that have major components constructed in foreign shipyards, which may limit procurement options (Section 233).

Budgetary Constraints on Aviation: The bill limits the ability to obligate funds for the procurement or modernization of helicopters until a specific report regarding aircraft alternatives is submitted (Section 115).

New Requirements for Service Members: The bill mandates a training course on the workings of Congress, which may represent an additional requirement for personnel serving in specific liaison or administrative roles (Section 204).

Service Obligations for Students: Participants in the precommissioning initiative must enter into written agreements to serve active duty for a minimum of 3 years following graduation (Section 246(c)(2)(C)).

Penalties for Breach of Agreement: Members who break their educational assistance agreements can be ordered to active duty for up to 4 years (Section 246(c)(5)(A)).

Restrictions on Vessel Operations: The implementation of a performance-driven examination schedule may restrict vessel eligibility if they have a history of violations or accidents (Section 312(a)(3)).

Liability for Negligent Operation: Operating a vessel in a grossly negligent manner that results in serious bodily injury can now lead to felony charges and significant civil penalties (Section 311).

Increased Risk to the Arctic Environment: The study on the Bering Strait identifies a potential increase in maritime accidents and spill events, which could negatively impact the Arctic maritime environment and local communities (Section 322).

Potential Burdens on Small Uncrewed Systems: While a pilot program exists to ease regulations for certain oceanographic surveys, the Coast Guard still maintains authority to intervene if there is an immediate safety or security concern (Section 332).

Restrictions on Vessel Owners: Under the new rules for abandoned and derelict vessels, owners or operators may face civil penalties of up to $500 and be held liable for the removal of their vessels (Section 347).

Increased Oversight for Vessel Operators: The bill allows the President to require periodic inspections of vessels and their equipment to ensure they can respond to marine casualties, which may impose new requirements on operators (Section s 401).

Changes to Discharge Status: Under new provisions, a board of review may downgrade an honorable discharge to a general discharge if a former member is found to have committed sexual assault or sexual harassment (Section 508).

Involuntary Separation Reviews: Members who report misconduct and are recommended for involuntary separation within two years may face a mandatory review process by a flag officer (Section 527).

Personnel Record Notations: Members may have a notation of conviction or punitive action for covered misconduct placed in their personnel service records, which is intended to alert future supervisors (Section s 526).

Administrative Assignment of Subjects: The expedited transfer process allows for a subject of an investigation to be administratively assigned to another unit, which is intended to be non-punitive but changes their work environment (Section 528).