H.R. 5964: Improving Protections for Midshipmen Act

117th Congress · introduced 2021-11-12 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2021-11-12 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Improving Protections for Midshipmen Act

Plain summary

Improving Protections for Midshipmen Act This bill addresses sexual harassment and sexual assault at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and provides for greater diversity and inclusion at the academy and within the maritime transportation system workforce. The Department of Transportation (DOT) shall establish a Sexual Assault Advisory Council to review the academy's policy on sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking and other relevant matters related to sexual assault and sexual harassment. The DOT's Maritime Administration shall (1) establish an information management system to track the number of sexual assault or sexual harassment incidents every fiscal year at the academy, and (2) implement comprehensive in-person sexual assault risk-reduction and response training for all midshipmen at the academy. Additionally, the bill designates a Special Victims' Counsel to provide legal assistance to any cadet of the academy who is the victim of a sex-related offense. Further, the Coast Guard shall assess the feasibility of implementing a program modeled on the Catch a Serial Offender program of the Department of Defense. The bill also expands the authority of the Coast Guard to suspend or revoke a mariner's license on grounds related to sexual harassment or assault. With respect to diversity and inclusion, DOT shall establish an interagency task force to discuss and share tools and practices that promote diversity and inclusiveness within the maritime transportation system workforce. The Maritime Administration shall promulgate a Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan to increase recruiting efforts in historically underrepresented communities.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Improving Protections for Midshipmen Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3] reported raising $7.6 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117hr5964.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/hr>

Record fed-us-cong117-hr5964 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117