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Training course on workings of Congress

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§315. Training course on workings of Congress

(a) In General.-Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2016, the Commandant, in consultation with the Superintendent of the Coast Guard Academy and such other individuals and organizations as the Commandant considers appropriate, shall develop a training course on the workings of the Congress and offer that training course at least once each year.

(b) Course Subject Matter.-The training course required by this section shall provide an overview and introduction to the Congress and the Federal legislative process, including-

(1) the history and structure of the Congress and the committee systems of the House of Representatives and the Senate, including the functions and responsibilities of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate;

(2) the documents produced by the Congress, including bills, resolutions, committee reports, and conference reports, and the purposes and functions of those documents;

(3) the legislative processes and rules of the House of Representatives and the Senate, including similarities and differences between the two processes and rules, including-

(A) the congressional budget process;

(B) the congressional authorization and appropriation processes;

(D) the Senate advice and consent process for treaty ratification;

(4) the roles of Members of Congress and congressional staff in the legislative process; and

(5) the concept and underlying purposes of congressional oversight within our governance framework of separation of powers.

(1) Outside experts.-The Commandant shall ensure that not less than 60 percent of the lecturers, panelists, and other individuals providing education and instruction as part of the training course required by this section are experts on the Congress and the Federal legislative process who are not employed by the executive branch of the Federal Government.

(2) Authority to accept pro bono services.-In satisfying the requirement under paragraph (1), the Commandant shall seek, and may accept, educational and instructional services of lecturers, panelists, and other individuals and organizations provided to the Coast Guard on a pro bono basis.

(d) Completion of Required Training.-A Coast Guard flag officer who is newly appointed or assigned to a billet in the National Capital Region, and a Coast Guard Senior Executive Service employee who is newly employed in the National Capital Region, shall complete a training course that meets the requirements of this section not later than 60 days after reporting for duty.

(Added Pub. L. 114–120, title II, §214(b)(1), Feb. 8, 2016, 130 Stat. 43 , §60; amended Pub. L. 114–328, div. C, title XXXV, §3503(a), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2775 ; Pub. L. 115–232, div. C, title XXXV, §3532, Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 2321 ; renumbered §315, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, §104(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4196 .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The date of the enactment of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2016, referred to in subsec. (a), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 114–120, which was approved Feb. 8, 2016.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 315, act Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 520 , related to dropping for disabilities due to vicious habits, prior to repeal by act Aug. 3, 1950, ch. 536, §36, 64 Stat. 408 . See section 1207 of Title 10.

Amendments

2018-Pub. L. 115–282 renumbered section 60 of this title as this section.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 115–232 amended subsec. (d) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (d) related to completion of required training for then current and newly appointed flag officers and employees.

2016-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–328 substituted "Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2016" for "Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015".

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2016 Amendment

Pub. L. 114–328, div. C, title XXXV, §3503(e), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2775 , provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section, sections 429, 676a, and 2702 of this title, sections 3104, 4503, and 7510 of Title 46, Shipping, and provisions set out as a note under section 1151 of Title 16, Conservation] shall take effect as if included in the enactment of Public Law 114–120 [Feb. 8, 2016]."

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