SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Truth in Video Game Rating Act''.

SEC. 2. DECEPTIVE RATINGS OF VIDEO GAMES.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Federal Trade Commission shall prescribe rules under section 553 of
title 5, United States Code, to prohibit the following as an unfair and
deceptive act or practice prescribed pursuant to section 18(a)(1)(B) of
the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)):
            (1) Rating game only on partial content.--Such rules shall
        prohibit any rating organization from assigning a content
        rating to any video or computer game that is to bear a label
        containing such content rating when sold or distributed in
        interstate commerce unless such rating organization has
        reviewed the playable content of the video or computer game in
        its entirety.
            (2) Withholding content for rating.--
                    (A) In general.--Such rules shall prohibit any
                person who produces, sells, or otherwise distributes
                video or computer games in interstate commerce from
                withholding or hiding any playable content of the video
                or computer game from, or in any other manner failing
                to disclose any playable content of a video or computer
                game to, a rating organization.
                    (B) Hidden content.--Such rules shall provide that
                where, in the course of obtaining a content rating, a
                person submits to a rating organization a video or
                computer game that contains hidden content, that such
                person also provide the rating organization with the
                necessary codes or methods of accessing such hidden
                content.
            (3) Gross mischaracterization of content.--Such rules shall
        prohibit any rating organization from providing a content
        rating that grossly mischaracterizes (as defined by the
        Commission in such rules) the content of the video or computer
        game.

SEC. 3. G.A.O. STUDY.

    (a) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall
conduct a study to determine--
            (1) the efficacy of the Entertainment Software Ratings
        Board ratings system in assigning appropriate content ratings
        to video and computer games, including ratings for online or
        Internet-based games;
            (2) whether content ratings systems, like that used by the
        Entertainment Software Ratings Board, should be peer-reviewed;
            (3) whether an independent ratings system, developed and
        administered by persons or entities with no financial interest
        in the video and computer game industry, would result in more
        accurate and effective content ratings for video and computer
        games than the rating system used by the Entertainment Software
        Ratings Board; and
            (4) the efficacy of a universal ratings system for visual
        content, including films, broadcast and cable television and
        video, and computer games.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on
the findings of the study conducted pursuant to subsection (a). The
report shall contain recommendations regarding effective approaches to
video and computer game content ratings that address the unique ratings
challenges of online and Internet-based video games.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Content rating.--The term ``content rating'' means any
        rating of the content of a video or computer game provided to
        notify consumers of any content which may be offensive to
        consumers or may not be suitable to persons of varying ages,
        including such content as violence, graphic sexual content,
        nudity, or strong language.
            (2) Hidden content.--The term ``hidden content'' means any
        playable content that may be disabled or blocked from a user of
        the video or computer game so that it can be accessed only by
        inputting a code or command or by altering the game's software
        with a modification, patch, or similar tool, utility, or
        method.
            (3) Playable content.--The term ``playable content'', with
        respect to video or computer games, means all of the scenes,
        visual images, sounds, and words that a user can access after
        installing the game on a computer, console, telecommunication
        device, or similar technology, and includes hidden content.
            (4) Rating organization.--The term ``rating organization''
        means the Entertainment Software Ratings Board or any other
        independent organization that assigns content ratings for video
        or computer games.
            (5) Video or computer game.--The term ``video or computer
        game'' means any product, whether distributed electronically or
        through a tangible device, consisting of data, programs,
        routines, instructions, applications, symbolic languages, or
        similar electronic information that enables a user to interact
        with a computer-controlled virtual environment for
        entertainment purposes.


SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Board
of Visitors Enhancement Act''.

SEC. 2. UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY BOARD OF VISITORS.

    Section 51312 of title 46, United States Code, is amended to read
as follows:
``Sec. 51312. Board of Visitors
    ``(a) In General.--A Board of Visitors to the United States
Merchant Marine Academy (referred to in this section as the `Board' and
the `Academy', respectively) shall be established to provide
independent advice and recommendations on matters relating to the
United States Merchant Marine Academy.
    ``(b) Appointment and Membership.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date of
        the enactment of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Board of
        Visitors Enhancement Act, the Board shall be composed of--
                    ``(A) 2 Senators appointed by the chairman, in
                consultation with the ranking member, of the Committee
                on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate;
                    ``(B) 3 members of the House of Representatives
                appointed by the chairman, in consultation with the
                ranking member, of the Committee on Armed Services of
                the House of Representatives;
                    ``(C) 1 Senator appointed by the Vice President,
                who shall be a member of the Committee on
                Appropriations of the Senate;
                    ``(D) 2 members of the House of Representatives
                appointed by the Speaker of the House of
                Representatives, in consultation with the Minority
                Leader, at least 1 of whom shall be a member of the
                Committee on Appropriations of the House of
                Representatives;
                    ``(E) the Commander of the Military Sealift
                Command;
                    ``(F) the Assistant Commandant for Prevention
                Policy of the United States Coast Guard;
                    ``(G) 4 individuals appointed by the President; and
                    ``(H) as ex officio members--
                            ``(i) the chairman of the Committee on
                        Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
                        Senate;
                            ``(ii) the chairman of the Committee on
                        Armed Services of the House of Representatives;
                            ``(iii) the chairman of the Advisory Board
                        to the Academy established under section 51313;
                        and
                            ``(iv) the member of the House of
                        Representatives in whose congressional district
                        the Academy is located, as a non-voting member,
                        unless such member of the House of
                        Representatives is appointed as a voting member
                        of the Board under subparagraph (B) or (D).
            ``(2) Presidential appointees.--Of the individuals
        appointed by the President under paragraph (1)(H)--
                    ``(A) at least 2 shall be graduates of the Academy;
                    ``(B) at least 1 shall be a senior corporate
                officer from a United States maritime shipping company
                that participates in the Maritime Security Program, or
                in any Maritime Administration program providing
                incentives for companies to register their vessels in
                the United States, and this appointment shall rotate
                biennially among such companies; and
                    ``(C) 1 or more may be a Senate-confirmed
                Presidential appointee, a member of the Senior
                Executive Service, or an officer of flag-rank who from
                the United States Coast Guard, the National Oceanic and
                Atmospheric Administration, or any of the military
                services that commission graduates of the Academy,
                exclusive of the Board members described in
                subparagraph (E), (F), or (G) of paragraph (1).
            ``(3) Term of service.--Each member of the Board shall
        serve for a term of 2 years commencing at the beginning of each
        Congress, except that any member whose term on the Board has
        expired shall continue to serve until a successor is
        designated.
            ``(4) Vacancies.--If a member of the Board is no longer
        able to serve on the Board or resigns, the Designated Federal
        Officer selected under subsection (g)(2) shall immediately
        notify the official who appointed such member. Not later than
        60 days after that notification, such official shall designate
        a replacement to serve the remainder of such member's term.
            ``(5) Current members.--Each member of the Board serving as
        a member of the Board on the date of the enactment of the U.S.
        Merchant Marine Academy Board of Visitors Enhancement Act shall
        continue to serve on the Board for the remainder of such
        member's term.
            ``(6) Designation and responsibility of substitute board
        members.--
                    ``(A) Authority to designate.--A member of the
                Board described in subparagraph (E), (F), or (G) of
                paragraph (1) or subparagraph (B) or (C) of paragraph
                (2) may, if unable to attend or participate in an
                activity described in subsection (d), (e), or (f),
                designate another individual to serve as a substitute
                member of the Board, on a temporary basis, to attend or
                participate in such activity.
                    ``(B) Requirements.--A substitute member of the
                Board designated under subparagraph (A) shall be--
                            ``(i) an individual who has been appointed
                        by the President and confirmed by the Senate;
                            ``(ii) a member of the Senior Executive
                        Service; or
                            ``(iii) an officer of flag-rank who is
                        employed by--
                                    ``(I) the United States Coast
                                Guard; or
                                    ``(II) the Military Sealift
                                Command.
                    ``(C) Participation.--A substitute member of the
                Board designated under subparagraph (A)--
                            ``(i) shall be permitted to fully
                        participate in the proceedings and activities
                        of the Board;
                            ``(ii) shall report back to the member on
                        the Board's activities not later than 15 days
                        following the substitute member's participation
                        in such activities; and
                            ``(iii) shall be permitted to participate
                        in the preparation of reports described in
                        paragraph (j) related to any proceedings or
                        activities of the Board in which such
                        substitute member participates.
    ``(c) Chairperson.--
            ``(1) In general.--On a biennial basis, the Board shall
        select from among its members, a member of the House of
        Representatives or a Senator to serve as the Chairperson.
            ``(2) Rotation.--A member of the House of Representatives
        and a member of the Senate shall alternately serve as the Chair
        of the Board on a biennial basis.
            ``(3) Term.--An individual may not serve as Chairperson for
        more than 1 consecutive term.
    ``(d) Meetings.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Board shall meet several times each
        year as provided for in the Charter described in paragraph
        (2)(B), including at least 1 meeting held at the Academy.
            ``(2) Selection and consideration.--Not later than 60 days
        after the date of the enactment of the U.S. Merchant Marine
        Academy Board of Visitors Enhancement Act, the Designated
        Federal Officer selected under subsection (g)(2) shall organize
        a meeting of the Board for the purposes of--
                    ``(A) selecting a Chairperson; and
                    ``(B) considering an official Charter for the
                Board, which shall provide for the meeting of the Board
                several times each year.
    ``(e) Visiting the Academy.--
            ``(1) Annual visit.--The Board shall visit the Academy
        annually on a date selected by the Board, in consultation with
        the Secretary of Transportation and the Superintendent of the
        Academy.
            ``(2) Other visits.--In cooperation with the
        Superintendent, the Board or its members may make other visits
        to the Academy in connection with the duties of the Board.
            ``(3) Access.--While visiting the Academy under this
        subsection, members of the Board shall have reasonable access
        to the grounds, facilities, midshipmen, faculty, staff, and
        other personnel of the Academy for the purpose of carrying out
        the duties of the Board.
    ``(f) Responsibility.--The Board shall inquire into the state of
morale and discipline, the curriculum, instruction, physical equipment,
fiscal affairs, academic methods, and other matters relating to the
Academy that the Board decides to consider.
    ``(g) Department of Transportation Support.--The Secretary of
Transportation shall--
            ``(1) provide support as deemed necessary by the Board for
        the performance of the Board's functions;
            ``(2) not later than 30 days after the date of the
        enactment of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Board of Visitors
        Enhancement Act, select a Designated Federal Officer to support
        the performance of the Board's functions; and
            ``(3) in cooperation with the Maritime Administrator and
        the Superintendent of the Academy, advise the Board of any
        institutional issues, consistent with applicable laws
        concerning the disclosure of information.
    ``(h) Staff.--Staff members may be designated to serve without
reimbursement as staff for the Board by--
            ``(1) the Chairperson of the Board;
            ``(2) the chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science,
        and Transportation of the Senate; and
            ``(3) the chairman of the Committee on Armed Services of
        the House of Representatives.
    ``(i) Travel Expenses.--While serving away from home or regular
place of business, a member of the Board or a staff member designated
under subsection (h) shall be allowed travel expenses, including per
diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized under section 5703 of title
5, United States Code.
    ``(j) Reports.--
            ``(1) Annual report.--Not later than 60 days after each
        annual visit required under subsection (e)(1), the Board shall
        submit to the President a written report of its actions, views,
        and recommendations pertaining to the Academy.
            ``(2) Other reports.--If the members of the Board visit the
        Academy under subsection (e)(2), the Board may--
                    ``(A) prepare a report on such visit; and
                    ``(B) if approved by a majority of the members of
                the Board, submit such report to the President not
                later than 60 days after the date of the approval.
            ``(3) Advisors.--The Board may call in advisers--
                    ``(A) for consultation regarding the execution of
                the Board's responsibility under subsection (f); or
                    ``(B) to assist in the preparation of a report
                described in paragraph (1) or (2).
            ``(4) Submission.--A report submitted to the President
        under paragraph (1) or (2) shall be concurrently submitted to--
                    ``(A) the Secretary of Transportation;
                    ``(B) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
                Transportation of the Senate; and
                    ``(C) the Committee on Armed Services of the House
                of Representatives.''.

            Passed the Senate June 26, 2014.

            Attest:

                                                NANCY ERICKSON,

                                                             Secretary.


SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Understanding the True Cost of
College Act of 2012''.

SEC. 2. INSTITUTION FINANCIAL AID OFFER FORM.

    (a) Institution Financial Aid Offer Form.--Section 484 of the
Higher Education Opportunity Act (20 U.S.C. 1092 note) is amended--
            (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
    ``(a) Standard Format.--The Secretary of Education, in consultation
with the heads of relevant Federal agencies, shall develop a standard
format for financial aid offer forms based on recommendations from
representatives of students, students' families, institutions of higher
education, secondary school and postsecondary counselors, and nonprofit
consumer groups.'';
            (2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
    ``(b) Key Required Contents for Offer Form.--The standard format
developed under subsection (a) shall include, in a consumer-friendly
manner that is simple and understandable, the following items clearly
separated from each other and listed on the first page of the financial
aid offer form in either electronic or written format:
            ``(1) Information on the student's cost of attendance based
        on the most current costs for the academic period covered by
        the financial aid offer form, including the following:
                    ``(A) Tuition and fees, as determined under section
                472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
                1087ll).
                    ``(B) Room and board costs, as determined under
                section 472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
                U.S.C. 1087ll).
                    ``(C) Books and supplies, as determined under
                section 472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
                U.S.C. 1087ll).
                    ``(D) Transportation, as determined under section
                472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
                1087ll).
                    ``(E) Miscellaneous personal expenses, as
                determined under section 472 of the Higher Education
                Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ll).
            ``(2) The amount of financial aid that the student does not
        have to repay, such as scholarships, grant aid offered under
        title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et
        seq.), or grant aid offered by the institution, a State, or an
        outside source to the student for such academic period,
        including a disclosure that the financial aid does not have to
        be repaid and whether the student can expect to receive similar
        amounts of such financial aid for each academic period the
        student is enrolled at the institution.
            ``(3) The net amount that the student, or the student's
        family on behalf of the student, will have to pay for the
        student to attend the institution for such academic period,
        equal to--
                    ``(A) the cost of attendance as described in
                paragraph (1) for the student for such academic period,
                minus
                    ``(B) the amount of financial aid described in
                paragraph (2) that is included in the financial aid
                offer form.
            ``(4) Work study assistance, including a disclosure that
        the aid must be earned by the student and a disclosure that the
        assistance offered is subject to the availability of employment
        opportunities.
            ``(5) The types and amounts of loans under part D or E of
        title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087a
        et seq., 1087aa et seq.) that the institution recommends for
        the student for such academic period, a disclosure that such
        loans have to be repaid, a disclosure that the student can
        borrow a lesser amount than the recommended loan amount, a
        clear use of the word `loan' to describe the recommended loan
        amounts, the interest rates, fees, the expected monthly
        repayment amounts assuming a 10-year repayment plan, and the
        total amounts the student will pay over the life of the loans.
            ``(6) Where a student or the student's family can seek
        additional information regarding the financial aid offered,
        including contact information for the institution's financial
        aid office and the Department of Education's website on
        financial aid.
            ``(7) A disclosure that Federal student loans offer
        generally more favorable terms and beneficial repayment options
        than private education loans so students should examine
        available Federal student loan options before applying for
        private education loans, and an explanation to be written by
        the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the heads of
        relevant Federal agencies, of the benefits unique to Federal
        student loans, including various repayment plans, loan
        forgiveness, and loan deferment, and the terms to examine
        carefully if considering a private education loan.
            ``(8) The deadline and summary of the process, if any, for
        accepting the financial aid offered in the financial aid offer
        form.
            ``(9) The academic period covered by the financial aid
        offer form and a clear indication whether the aid offered is
        based on full-time or part-time enrollment.
            ``(10) With respect to institutions where more than 30
        percent of enrolled students borrow loans to pay for their
        education, the institution's most recent cohort default rate,
        as defined in section 435(m) of the Higher Education Act of
        1965 (20 U.S.C. 1085(m)), compared to the national average
        cohort default rate.
            ``(11) Any other information the Secretary of Education, in
        consultation with the heads of relevant Federal agencies,
        determines necessary so that students and parents can make
        informed loan borrowing decisions, including quality metrics
        such as percentage of students at the institution who take out
        student loans and average debt at graduation for students at
        the institution.''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Other Required Contents for the Offer Form.--The standard
format developed under subsection (a) shall also include the following
information to be included on the financial aid offer form in a concise
format determined by the Secretary of Education, in consultation with
the heads of relevant Federal agencies:
            ``(1) A concise summary of the terms and conditions of
        financial aid recommended under paragraphs (2), (4), and (5) of
        subsection (b) and a method to provide students with additional
        information about such terms and conditions, such as links to
        the supplementary information, including that the student may
        be eligible for longer loan repayment terms.
            ``(2) At the institution's discretion, additional options
        for paying for the net amount listed in subsection (b)(3), such
        as the amount recommended to be paid by the student or
        student's family, Federal Direct PLUS Loans under section 455
        of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e), or
        private education loans. If the institution recommends private
        education loans, as defined in section 140 of the Truth in
        Lending Act (15 U.S.C. 1650), the financial aid offer form
        shall contain the additional following disclosures on the offer
        form:
                    ``(A) The availability of, and the student's
                potential eligibility for, Federal financial assistance
                under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
                U.S.C. 1070 et seq.).
                    ``(B) The impact of a proposed private education
                loan on the student's potential eligibility for other
                financial assistance, including Federal financial
                assistance under title IV of the Higher Education Act
                of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.).
                    ``(C) The student's ability to select a private
                educational lender of the student's choice.
                    ``(D) The student's right to accept or reject a
                private education loan within the 30-day period
                following a private educational lender's approval of a
                student's application and a student's 3-day right-to-
                cancel period.
                    ``(E) With respect to dependent students, any
                reference to private education loans shall be
                accompanied by information about the recommended family
                contribution and the availability of, and terms and
                conditions associated with, Federal Direct PLUS Loans
                under section 455 of the Higher Education Act of 1965
                (20 U.S.C. 1087e) for the student's parents regardless
                of family income, and of the student's increased
                eligibility for Federal student loans under title IV of
                the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070 et
                seq.) if the student's parents are not able to borrow
                under the Federal Direct PLUS Loan program.
            ``(3) The following disclosures:
                    ``(A) That the financial aid offer form only
                contains information for 1 academic period and the
                financial aid offered in following academic periods may
                change, unless the institution is offering aid that
                covers multiple academic periods.
                    ``(B) How non-institutional scholarships awarded to
                the student affect the financial aid package offered to
                the student.
                    ``(C) A concise summary of any Federal or
                institutional conditions required to receive and renew
                financial aid and a method to provide students with
                additional information about these conditions, such as
                links to the supplementary information.
    ``(d) Additional Requirements for Financial Aid Offer Form.--In
addition to the requirements listed under subsections (b) and (c), the
financial aid offer form shall meet the following requirements:
            ``(1) Clearly distinguish between the aid offered in
        paragraphs (2), (4), and (5) of subsection (b), by including a
        subtotal for the aid offered in each of such paragraphs and by
        refraining from commingling the different types of aid
        described in such paragraphs.
            ``(2) Use standard definitions and names for the terms
        described in subsection (b) that are developed by the Secretary
        of Education in consultation with the heads of relevant Federal
        agencies, representatives of institutions of higher education,
        nonprofit consumer groups, students, and secondary school and
        higher education guidance counselors, not later than 3 months
        after the date of enactment of the Understanding the True Cost
        of College Act of 2012.
            ``(3) If an institution's recommended Federal student loan
        aid offered in subsection (b)(5) is less than the Federal
        maximum available to the student, the institution shall provide
        additional information on Federal student loans, including the
        types and amounts for which the student is eligible in an
        attached document or webpage.
            ``(4) Use standard formatting and design that the Secretary
        of Education, in consultation with the heads of relevant
        Federal agencies, representatives of institutions of higher
        education, nonprofit consumer groups, students, and secondary
        school and higher education guidance counselors determine is
        appropriate to produce multiple draft financial aid offer
        designs for consumer testing not later than 3 months after the
        date of enactment of the Understanding the True Cost of College
        Act of 2012 to ensure--
                    ``(A) that figures described in paragraphs (1)
                through (5) of subsection (b) are in the same font,
                appear in the same order, and are displayed prominently
                on the first page of the financial aid offer form
                whether produced in written or electronic format; and
                    ``(B) that the other information required in (b)
                and (c) appears in a standard format and design on the
                financial aid offer form.
            ``(5) Include an attestation that the student has accessed
        and read the financial aid offer form, if provided to the
        student in electronic format.
            ``(6) Include language developed by the Secretary of
        Education, in consultation with the heads of relevant Federal
        agencies, notifying eligible students that they may be eligible
        for education benefits, and where they can locate more
        information about such benefits, described in the following
        provisions:
                    ``(A) Chapter 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, or 35 of title
                38, United States Code.
                    ``(B) Chapter 101, 105, 106A, 1606, 1607, or 1608
                of title 10, United States Code.
                    ``(C) Section 1784a, 2005, or 2007 of title 10,
                United States Code.
    ``(e) Additional Information.--Nothing in this section shall
preclude an institution from supplementing the financial aid offer form
with additional information so long as such additional information
supplements the financial aid offer form and is not located on the
financial aid offer form.
    ``(f) Consumer Testing.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 3 months after the date
        of enactment of the Understanding the True Cost of College Act
        of 2012, the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the
        heads of relevant Federal agencies, shall establish a process
        to submit the financial aid offer form developed under this
        section for consumer testing among representatives of students
        (including low-income students, first generation college
        students, adult students, and prospective students), students'
        families (including low-income families, families with first
        generation college students, and families with prospective
        students), institutions of higher education, secondary school
        and postsecondary counselors, and nonprofit consumer groups.
            ``(2) Length of consumer testing.--The Secretary of
        Education shall ensure that the consumer testing lasts no
        longer than 6 months after the process for consumer testing is
        developed under paragraph (1).
            ``(3) Use of results.--The results of consumer testing
        under paragraph (1) shall be used in the final development of
        the financial aid offer form.
            ``(4) Reporting requirement.--Not later than 3 months after
        the date the consumer testing under paragraph (1) concludes,
        the Secretary of Education shall submit to Congress the final
        standard financial aid offer form and a report detailing the
        results of such testing, including whether the Secretary added
        any additional items to the standard financial aid offer form
        pursuant to subsection (b)(10).
            ``(5) Authority to modify.--The Secretary of Education may
        modify the definitions, terms, formatting, and design of the
        financial aid offer form based on the results of consumer
        testing required under this subsection and before finalizing
        the form.''.
    (b) Mandatory Form.--Part B of title I of the Higher Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1011 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:

``SEC. 124. USE OF MANDATORY FINANCIAL AID OFFER FORM.

    ``(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each
institution of higher education that receives Federal financial
assistance under this Act shall use the financial aid offer form
developed under section 484 of the Higher Education Opportunity Act (20
U.S.C. 1092 note) in providing written or electronic financial aid
offers to students enrolled in, or accepted for enrollment in, the
institution.
    ``(b) Effective Date.--The requirement under subsection (a) shall
take effect 8 months after the Secretary of Education finalizes the
offer form developed under section 484(a) of the Higher Education
Opportunity Act (20 U.S.C. 1092 note).''.


SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``United Nations Rapid Deployment
Police and Security Force Act of 2000''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) United States Presidential Decision Directive 71 calls
        for a stronger United States response to maintaining order in
        societies recovering from conflict. It aims to improve
        coordination of United States efforts and to enhance the
        ability of other countries, the United Nations, and regional
        organizations to plan, mount, and sustain operations in support
        of the rule of law.
            (2) In a press briefing on February 24, 2000, Secretary of
        State Madeleine Albright stated the following: ``The recent
        slowness in deploying desperately needed civilian police to
        Kosovo provides only the latest evidence that present
        international capabilities are not adequate. And the ongoing
        deployment of CIVPOL teams to East Timor and Sierra Leone show
        that the need will not soon diminish. In response, we must
        recognize that old models of peacekeeping don't always meet
        current challenges. Peace operations today often require skills
        that are neither strictly military nor strictly police but,
        rather, a combination of the two. The international community
        needs to identify and train units that are able to control
        crowds, deter vigilante actions, prevent looting and disarm
        civilian agitators while, at the same time, winning the trust
        of the communities in which they are deployed.''.
            (3) In his April 2000 report, ``We the Peoples, The Role of
        the United Nations in the 21st Century'', United Nations
        Secretary General Kofi Annan states that only member nations of
        the United Nations can fix the ``structural weakness of United
        Nations peace operations . . . Our system for launching
        operations has sometimes been compared to a volunteer fire
        department, but that description is too generous. Every time
        there is a fire, we must first find fire engines and the funds
        to run them before we can start dousing any flames. The present
        system relies almost entirely on last minute, ad hoc
        arrangements that guarantee delay, with respect to the
        provision of civilian personnel even more so than military.
        Although we have understandings for military standby
        arrangements with Member States, the availability of the
        designated forces is unpredictable and very few are in a state
        of high readiness. Resource constraints preclude us even from
        being able to deploy a mission headquarters rapidly.''.
            (4) The December 1999 United Nations ``Report on the
        Independent Inquiry into the Actions of the United Nations
        During the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda'' indicates that in April
        1994, the United Nations Security Council failed to deploy
        5,500 United Nations peacekeepers to Rwanda within two weeks of
        the initial violence, thereby allowing the conflict to
        escalate. The 6-month estimated cost of the deployment would
        have been $115,000,000. Instead, the genocide consumed 800,000
        lives along with $2,000,000,000 in humanitarian aid.
            (5) In Srebrenica, Bosnia, on July 11, 1995, Bosnian Serb
        troops forced the retreat of Dutch United Nations peacekeepers
        who were part of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and
        Herzegovina (UNMIBH) from a ``safe haven'', resulting in the
        massacre of 7,000 Bosnian civilians and expulsion of 40,000
        Bosnian civilians.
            (6) The United Nations peacekeeping budget estimate for the
        United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina from July 1,
        1997, to June 30, 1998, was $165,600,000, while the North
        Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-sponsored intervention in
        the Serbian province of Kosovo cost $37,000,000 per day.
            (7) In July 1999, 4,700 civilian police officers were
        requested to be deployed to the Serbian province of Kosovo but,
        as of April 17, 2000, the United Nations has deployed only
        2,901 of the requested police officers, resulting in the
        breakdown of law and order and the escalation of unrest in
        Kosovo.
            (8) In May 2000, Revolutionary United Front rebels in
        Sierra Leone, in violation of the ceasefire and peace accords,
        captured and held prisoner approximately 500 United Nations
        Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) peacekeepers. The weapons,
        equipment, and vehicles of the peacekeepers were also seized.
        The UNAMSIL force had been deployed too slowly and was
        undertrained and understaffed, consisting of only 8,700
        peacekeepers of the 11,000 peacekeepers requested by the United
        Nations Security Council.
            (9) On February 24, 2000, the United Nations Security
        Council approved a United States-sponsored proposal to send
        5,537 troops on an observer mission to the Democratic Republic
        of the Congo (to be known as the United Nations Organization
        Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC)), a
        Republic \1/3\ the size of the United States, to monitor the
        implementation of the Lusaka accords. However, it will take at
        least three months to deploy the required forces. On April 25,
        2000, South African Foreign Minister Dlamini-Zuma urged rapid
deployment of the troops and stated ``[i]f deployment is very slow [the
accords] can fall apart . . . The troops should have been deployed a
long time ago.''.
            (10) The United States has the power in the United Nations
        Security Council to veto decisions that are not within the
        national interests of the United States.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF A UNITED NATIONS RAPID DEPLOYMENT POLICE AND
              SECURITY FORCE.

    (a) Establishment.--The President shall direct the United States
representative to the United Nations to use the voice, vote, and
influence of the United States to urge the United Nations--
            (1) to establish a United Nations Rapid Deployment Police
        and Security Force that is rapidly deployable, under the
        authority of the United Nations Security Council, and trained
        to standardized objectives;
            (2) to recruit personnel to serve in this Force; and
            (3) to provide equitable and reliable funding for the
        United Nations Rapid Deployment Police and Security Force.
    (b) Mission Statement.--The United Nations Rapid Deployment Police
and Security Force should have a mission statement that provides for
the following:
            (1) The United Nations Rapid Deployment Police and Security
        Force will engage in operations when--
                    (A) the United Nations Security Council determines
                that an imminent threat to the peace requires a
                preventive deployment of forces and the Security
                Council deems it as an appropriate response;
                    (B) the United Nations Security Council determines
                ongoing gross violations of human rights or breaches of
                the peace require rapid intervention by the
                international community and the Security Council deems
                it as an appropriate response;
                    (C) peace has been restored to a region but the
                rule of law has not yet been reestablished and when
                national civilian police or United Nations member
                nations personnel are not available and the Security
                Council deems it as an appropriate response; or
                    (D) the United Nations Rapid Deployment Police and
                Security Force can utilize its personnel to help train
                the military and civilian police of member nations of
                the United Nations to better participate in
                international peace operations.
            (2) The United Nations Rapid Deployment Police and Security
        Force will consist of not more than 6000 personnel who are--
                    (A) placed under the authority of the United
                Nations Security Council;
                    (B) under the direction of the Secretary General of
                the United Nations;
                    (C) deployed only by United Nations Security
                Council resolution;
                    (D) volunteers from United Nations member nations
                employed directly by the United Nations;
                    (E) trained as a single unit, appropriately
                equipped, expressly for international peace operations
                including civilian policing; and
                    (F) rapidly deployable.
            (3) The United Nations Rapid Deployment Police and Security
        Force will be organized as a sub-department within the United
        Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations or under the
        control of the United Nations's Military Staff Committee and
        will contain personnel trained as military staff officers and
        civilian police officers to be deployed immediately to a
        potential conflict area.
            (4) The deployment of the United Nations Rapid Deployment
        Police and Security Force will be limited to a maximum of 6
        months, at which time the Police and Security Force would be
        replaced by personnel supplied by United Nations member
        nations.
            (5) The basing and infrastructure service of the United
        Nations Rapid Deployment Police and Security Force will be
        leased from existing member nations' institutions.

SEC. 5. REPORT ON UNITED NATIONS RAPID DEPLOYMENT POLICE AND SECURITY
              FORCE.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the
President shall prepare and transmit to the Congress a report on the
progress of negotiations with the United Nations and its member nations
regarding the creation of a United Nations Rapid Deployment Police and
Security Force described in section 3.

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) The term ``international peace operations'' means--
                    (A) any such operation carried out under chapter VI
                or chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations;
                and
                    (B) any such United Nations operation that includes
                civilian policing.
            (2) The term ``rapidly deployable'' refers to the capacity
        to deploy military or civilian personnel to a region undergoing
        conflict within 15 days of the enactment of a United Nations
        Security Council resolution authorizing a deployment.


SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``United Nations Rapid Deployment Act
of 2001''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The December 1999 United Nations ``Report on the
        Independent Inquiry into the Actions of the United Nations
        During the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda'' indicates that in April
        1994, the United Nations Security Council failed to deploy
        5,500 United Nations peacekeepers to Rwanda within two weeks of
        the initial violence, thereby allowing the conflict to
        escalate. The six-month estimated cost of the deployment would
        have been $115,000,000. Instead, the genocide consumed 800,000
        lives along with $2,000,000,000 in humanitarian aid.
            (2) The April 2000 report of the United Nations Secretary
        General, ``We the Peoples, The Role of the United Nations in
        the 21st Century'', states that only member nations of the
        United Nations can fix the structural weakness of United
        Nations peace operations. The report compares the current
        system for launching peacekeeping operations to a volunteer
        fire department that has to find fire engines and the funds to
        run them before starting to douse any flames. The present
        United Nations system relies almost entirely on last minute, ad
        hoc arrangements that guarantee delay, with respect to the
        provision of civilian personnel even more so than military
        personnel. Availability and readiness of forces is very
        unpredictable and constraints on resources preclude rapid
        deployment.
            (3) In August 2000, the specially-appointed panel on United
        Nations Peace Operations issued its findings. Known as the
        ``Brahimi Report'' (A/55/305; S/2000/809), the report concludes
        that ``few of the basic building blocks are in place for the
        United Nations to rapidly acquire and deploy the human and
        material resources required to mount any complex peace
        operation in the future''. These building blocks include a
        standing police corps, a reserve corps of mission leadership, a
        sufficient stockpile of equipment, and arrangements for
        recruitment of civilian personnel. Furthermore, the report
        encourages member nations to enter partnerships with one
        another in the context of the United Nations Stand-by
        Arrangements System (UNSAS). These partnerships would form the
        basis for Rapid Deployment Brigades (RDBs), which would develop
        the operational capabilities to fully deploy ``traditional''
        peacekeeping operations within 30 days of the adoption of an
        authorizing Security Council resolution and to fully deploy
        ``complex'' peacekeeping operations within 90 days of the
        adoption of an authorizing Security Council resolution.
            (4) Former United States Ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke,
        speaking before the United Nations Security Council on November
        15, 2000, stated that ``[u]nless we move decisively on
        meaningful peacekeeping reform, those that threaten
        peacekeepers across the globe may draw the conclusion that the
        UN lacks the will, the cohesion and even the capability to
        perform its essential peacekeeping function''.
            (5) Both the nations of Europe and the United States have
        recognized the value and need for rapidly deployable combat
        units in response to a full spectrum of contingencies,
        including peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, low-
        intensity conflicts, and full-scale warfare. The European Union
        has proposed forming a standing police force and rapid
        deployment brigades as part of the European Defense Force, and
        in the United States, the Department of Defense is establishing
        interim brigade combat teams as part of the overall Army
        transformation strategy.
            (6) The United States' veto power in the United Nations
        Security Council gives it the capacity to halt the deployment
        of United Nations forces if the deployment is not in the
        national interests of the United States.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF A UNITED NATIONS RAPID DEPLOYMENT POLICE AND
              SECURITY FORCE.

    (a) Establishment.--The President shall direct the United States
representative to the United Nations to use the voice, vote, and
influence of the United States to urge the United Nations--
            (1) to establish a United Nations Rapid Deployment Police
        and Security Force (UNRDPSF) that--
                    (A) is rapidly deployable under the authority of
                the United Nations Security Council;
                    (B) should be able to deploy within 15 days of a
                United Nations Security Council resolution to establish
                international peace operations;
                    (C) is limited to a maximum deployment of six
                months for any given mission;
                    (D) should be deployed only when the United Nations
                Security Council determines that violations of human
                rights, breaches of the peace, or the failure to
                restore the rule of law, requires rapid response to
                ensure adherence to negotiated agreements to prevent or
end hostilities;
                    (E) should be composed of at least 6,000 volunteers
                who train together and are appropriately equipped
                expressly for international peace operations, including
                civilian policing; and
                    (F) should be given the authority to protect
                itself, execute negotiated peace accords, disarm
                combatants, protect civilians, detain war criminals,
                restore the rule of law, and to carry out other
                purposes as detailed in United Nations Security Council
                resolutions;
            (2) to recruit personnel to serve in the Force; and
            (3) to provide equitable and reliable funding for the
        Force.
    (b) Definition.--In this section, the term ``international peace
operations'' means any operation carried out under a United Nations
Security Council resolution.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF RAPID DEPLOYMENT BRIGADES.

    In order to promote the development of human and material resources
for United Nations peacekeeping operations as recommended by the August
2000 Report of the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations (A/55/305;
S/2000/809), commonly known as the ``Brahimi Report'', the President--
            (1) shall direct the Secretary of State and the United
        States representative to the United Nations to encourage the
        member nations of the United Nations to enter into partnerships
        with one another, in the context of the United Nations Stand-by
        Arrangements System (UNSAS), to form the basis for Rapid
        Deployment Brigades, which would develop the operational
        capabilities to fully deploy ``traditional'' peacekeeping
        operations within 30 days of the adoption of a Security Council
        resolution and ``complex'' peacekeeping operations within 90
        days of the adoption of a Security Council resolution; and
            (2) shall direct the Secretary of Defense to undertake a
        study, not later than six months after the date of the
        enactment of this Act, to determine the advisability of and the
        feasibility of using interim combat brigade teams as part of
        Rapid Deployment Brigades as described in paragraph (1).

SEC. 5. REPORT ON UNITED NATIONS RAPID DEPLOYMENT.

    Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act,
the President shall prepare and transmit to the Congress a report on--
            (1) the status of negotiations to establish a United
        Nations Rapid Deployment Police and Security Force (UNRDPSF) in
        accordance with section 3;
            (2) the status of United States activities to encourage
        member nations of the United Nations to establish Rapid
        Deployment Brigades in accordance with section 4(1); and
            (3) the results of the study conducted under section 4(2).


SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``United States Commission on
International Religious Freedom Reform and Reauthorization Act of
2014''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT AND COMPOSITION.

    (a) Leadership.--Subsection (d) of section 201 of the International
Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6431(d)) is amended to read as
follows:
    ``(d) Election of Chair.--At the first meeting of the Commission
after May 30 of each year, a majority of the Members of the Commission
present and voting shall elect the Chair and Vice Chair of the
Commission, subject to the following requirements:
            ``(1) Initial elections.--At the first meeting of the
        Commission after May 30, 2015, the Members of the Commission
        shall elect as Chair a Commissioner appointed by an elected
        official of the political party that is not the political party
        of the President, and as Vice Chair a Commissioner appointed by
        an elected official of the political party of the President.
            ``(2) Future elections.--At the first meeting of the
        Commission after May 30, 2016, the Members of the Commission
        shall elect as Chair a Commissioner appointed by an elected
        official of the political party of the President, and as Vice
        Chair a Commissioner appointed by an elected official of the
        political party that is not the political party of the
        President. Thereafter, positions of Chair and Vice Chair shall
        continue to rotate on an annual basis between Commissioners
        appointed by elected officials of each political party.
            ``(3) Term limits.--No Member of the Commission is eligible
        to be elected as Chair of the Commission for a second term, and
        no Member of the Commission is eligible to be elected as Vice
        Chair of the Commission for a second term.''.
    (b) Attendance at Meetings of Ambassador at Large for International
Religious Freedom.--Subsection (f) of such section (22 U.S.C. 6431(f))
is amended by adding at the end the following: ``The Ambassador at
Large shall be given advance notice of all Commission meetings and may
attend all Commission meetings as a non-voting Member of the
Commission.''.
    (c) Appointments in Cases of Vacancies.--Subsection (g) of such
section (22 U.S.C. 6431(g)) is amended by striking the second sentence.

SEC. 3. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.

    Section 203(e) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998
(22 U.S.C. 6432a) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(e) Views of the Commission.--The Members of the Commission may
speak in their capacity as private citizens. Statements on behalf of
the Commission shall be issued in writing over the names of the
Members. Members of the Commission shall make every effort to reach
consensus on all statements on behalf of the Commission, including
testimony, press releases, and articles by Commissioners or Commission
staff. When a statement supported by all Commissioners is not possible,
the Commission shall issue a statement only if such statement is
approved by an affirmative vote of at least six of the nine Members of
the Commission and each Member of the Commission may include the
individual or dissenting views of the Member. The Commission shall in
its written statements clearly describe its statutory authority,
distinguishing that authority from that of appointed or elected
officials of the United States Government. Oral statements, where
practicable, shall include a similar description.''.

SEC. 4. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.

    (a) Staff Directors.--Section 204 of the International Religious
Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6432b) is amended by striking
subsections (a), (b), and (c) and inserting the following new
subsections:
    ``(a) Committee Functions.--Subject to subsection (c), the
Commission may appoint and fix the pay of such staff personnel as it
deems desirable. All decisions pertaining to the hiring, firing, and
fixing of pay of personnel of the Commission shall be by an affirmative
vote of at least six of the nine Members of the Commission, except
that--
            ``(1) Members of the Commission appointed by an elected
        official of the political party of the President, by a majority
        vote thereof, shall be entitled to appoint, terminate, and fix
        the pay of a Majority Staff Director and shall have the
        authority to appoint, terminate, and fix the pay of three
        professional staff members who shall be responsible to the
        Members of the Commission of the political party of the
        President; and
            ``(2) Members of the Commission appointed by an elected
        official of the political party that is not the political party
        of the President, by a majority vote thereof, shall be entitled
        to appoint, terminate, and fix the pay of a Minority Staff
        Director and shall have the authority to appoint, terminate,
        and fix the pay of three professional staff members who shall
        be responsible to the Members of the Commission of the
        political party that is not the political party of the
        President.
    ``(b) Staff Appointments and Compensation.--All staff appointments
shall be made without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and
subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5 relating to classification of
positions and General Schedule pay rates, except that the rate of pay
for the Majority Staff Director, Minority Staff Director, and other
personnel may not exceed the rate payable for level V of the Executive
Schedule under section 5316 of such title.
    ``(c) Qualifications of Professional Staff.--The Commission shall
ensure that the professional staff of the Commission consists of
persons with expertise in areas relevant to the issue of international
religious freedom, including foreign affairs, direct experience abroad,
human rights, and international law.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--Subsection (e) of such section (22
U.S.C. 6432b(e)) is amended by striking ``The Executive Director'' both
places it appears and inserting ``The Majority Staff Director and the
Minority Staff Director''.

SEC. 5. REPORT OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Report Publication Date.--Section 205(a) of the International
Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6433(a)) is amended by
striking ``Not later than May 1 of each year'' and inserting ``Each
year, not earlier than 30 days after, and not later than 90 days after,
the publication of the Department of State's Annual Report on
International Religious Freedom''.
    (b) Consensus on Reports.--Section 205(c) of the International
Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6433(c)) is amended to read as
follows:
    ``(c) Individual or Dissenting Views.--Members of the Commission
shall make every effort to reach consensus on the report. When a report
supported by all Commissioners is not possible, the report shall be
approved by an affirmative vote of at least six of the nine Members of
the Commission and each Member of the Commission may include the
individual or dissenting views of the Member.''.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 207(a) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998
(22 U.S.C. 6435(a)) is amended by striking ``2014'' and inserting
``2016''.

SEC. 7. TERMINATION.

    Section 209 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22
U.S.C. 6436) is amended by striking ``September 30, 2014'' and
inserting ``September 30, 2016''.


SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``United States Mariner and Vessel
Protection Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of the Act is to assist in the defense of United
States-flag vessels against piracy and to ensure the traditional right
of self-defense of those vessels against piracy.

SEC. 3. USE OF MARITIME SAFETY AND SECURITY TEAMS TO DEFEND UNITED
              STATES-FLAG VESSELS IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS.

    Section 70106 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding
at the end the following:
    ``(d) International Deployment.--
            ``(1) In general.--In addition to authorities provided
        under this section, the Commandant of the Coast Guard may
        deploy a maritime safety and security team on a temporary
        basis, not to exceed six months, to deter, protect against, and
        rapidly respond to acts of piracy against vessels (as defined
        in section 70122) in international waters.
            ``(2) Notification of congress.--The Commandant shall
        notify the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of
        the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce,
        Science, and Transportation of the Senate not later than 10
        days after the deployment of a maritime safety and security
        team authorized under this subsection.''.

SEC. 4. AUTHORITY TO USE FORCE.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 701 of title 46, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 70122. Authority to use force
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall issue regulations
establishing standards and circumstances under which an individual is
authorized to use force (including lethal force) against an individual
in the defense of a vessel against piracy.
    ``(b) Limitation on Liability.--
            ``(1) Liability of owners, operators and masters.--An
        owner, operator, time charterer, or master of vessel shall not
        be liable for damages in any action brought in a Federal or
        State court arising out of the use of force authorized under
        regulations under subsection (a), including the use of or
        failure to use a firearm so authorized.
            ``(2) Liability of an individual.--An individual shall not
        be liable for damages in any action brought in a Federal or
        State court arising out of use of force authorized under
        regulations under subsection (a) by that individual unless the
        individual is grossly negligent or engages in willful
        misconduct.
            ``(3) Liability of federal government.--For purposes of an
        action against the United States with respect to an act or
        omission arising out of a use of force authorized under
        regulations under subsection (a), an individual shall be
        treated as an employee of the Federal Government under chapter
        171 of title 28, relating to tort claims procedure.
            ``(4) Limitation on application.--The limitations on
        liability described in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) apply only
        if the individual who uses force authorized under regulations
        under subsection (a)--
                    ``(A) holds a license issued under section 7101 or
                a merchant mariner document issued under section 7301;
                and
                    ``(B) in a case in which the use of force included
                the use of a firearm, has completed training certified
                by the Coast Guard for use of firearms aboard vessels.
    ``(c) Vessel Defined.--For purposes of this section, the term
`vessel' means a vessel for which the Secretary has issued a
certificate of inspection under section 3309 and that is operating in
waters designated by the Secretary as high-risk waters.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis at the beginning of such
chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``70122. Authority to use force.''.
    (c) Deadlines.--The Secretary of the department in which the Coast
Guard is operating shall--
            (1) no later than 3 months after the date of enactment of
        this Act, issue regulations under section 70122(a) of title 46,
        United States Code, as amended by this section; and
            (2) in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and no
        later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act,
        issue regulations to certify, for purposes of section
        70122(b)(4)(B) of such title, courses to train on a recurrent
        basis individuals who hold a license issued under section 7101
        or a merchant mariner document issued under section 7301 in the
        use of firearms aboard vessels.

SEC. 5. AGREEMENTS.

    To carry out the purpose of this Act, the Secretary of the
department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall work through the
International Maritime Organization to establish agreements to promote
coordinated action among flag and port states to deter, protect
against, and rapidly respond to acts of piracy against the vessels of,
and in the waters under the jurisdiction of, those nations, and to
ensure limitations on liability similar to those established by section
70122 of title 46, United States Code, as amended by this Act.


SECTION 1. INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION OF FIREARMS OR AMMUNITION.

    (a) In General.--Section 926A of title 18, United States Code, is
amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 926A. Interstate transportation of firearms or ammunition
    ``(a) Notwithstanding any provision of any law, rule, or regulation
of a State or any political subdivision thereof:
            ``(1) A person who is not prohibited by this chapter from
        possessing, transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm or
        ammunition shall be entitled to transport a firearm for any
        lawful purpose from any place where the person may lawfully
        possess, carry, or transport the firearm to any other such
        place if, during the transportation, the firearm is unloaded,
        and--
                    ``(A) if the transportation is by motor vehicle,
                the firearm is not directly accessible from the
                passenger compartment of the vehicle, and, if the
                vehicle is without a compartment separate from the
                passenger compartment, the firearm is in a locked
                container other than the glove compartment or console,
                or is secured by a secure gun storage or safety device;
                or
                    ``(B) if the transportation is by other means, the
                firearm is in a locked container or secured by a secure
                gun storage or safety device.
            ``(2) A person who is not prohibited by this chapter from
        possessing, transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm or
        ammunition shall be entitled to transport ammunition, or any
        detachable magazine or feeding device for ammunition, for any
        lawful purpose from any place where the person may lawfully
        possess, carry, or transport the ammunition, magazine, or
        feeding device to any other such place if, during the
        transportation, the ammunition, magazine, or feeding device is
        not loaded into a firearm, and--
                    ``(A) if the transportation is by motor vehicle,
                the ammunition, magazine, or feeding device is not
                directly accessible from the passenger compartment of
                the vehicle, and, if the vehicle is without a
                compartment separate from the passenger compartment,
                the ammunition, magazine, or feeding device is in a
                locked container other than the glove compartment or
                console; or
                    ``(B) if the transportation is by other means, the
                ammunition, magazine, or feeding device is in a locked
                container.
    ``(b) In subsection (a), the term `transport' includes staying in
temporary lodging overnight, stopping for food, fuel, vehicle
maintenance, an emergency, medical treatment, and any other activity
incidental to the transport, but does not include transportation--
            ``(1) with the intent to commit a crime punishable by
        imprisonment for a term exceeding one year that involves the
        use or threatened use of force against another; or
            ``(2) with knowledge, or reasonable cause to believe, that
        such a crime is to be committed in the course of, or arising
        from, the transportation.
    ``(c)(1) A person who is transporting a firearm, ammunition,
magazine, or feeding device may not be arrested or otherwise detained
for violation of any law or any rule or regulation of a State or any
political subdivision thereof related solely to the possession,
transportation, or carrying of firearms, ammunition, magazine, or
feeding device unless there is probable cause to believe that the
person is doing so in a manner not provided for in subsection (a).
    ``(2) When a person asserts this section as a defense in a criminal
proceeding, the prosecution shall bear the burden of proving, beyond a
reasonable doubt, that the conduct of the person did not satisfy the
conditions set forth in subsection (a).
    ``(3) When a person successfully asserts this section as a defense
in a criminal proceeding, the court shall award the prevailing
defendant a reasonable attorney's fee.
    ``(d)(1) A person who is deprived of any right, privilege, or
immunity secured by this section, section 926B or 926C, under color of
any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage of any State or
any political subdivision thereof, may bring an action in any
appropriate court against any other person, including a State or
political subdivision thereof, who causes the person to be subject to
the deprivation, for damages and other appropriate relief.
    ``(2) The court shall award a plaintiff prevailing in an action
brought under paragraph (1) damages and such other relief as the court
deems appropriate, including a reasonable attorney's fee.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for such chapter is
amended in the item relating to section 926A by striking ``firearms''
and inserting ``firearms or ammunition''.


SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``United States Secret Service
Accountability and Improvement Act of 2014''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    (a) In General.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) Several recent failures have drawn negative attention
        to the protective mission of the United States Secret Service.
        Such key failures include lapses in responding appropriately to
        potential threats to the White House complex, United States
        Secret Service personnel exhibiting conduct that is unbecoming
        to the Service in several instances, and reports of United
        States Secret Service personnel misusing the authorities and
        resources of the Service.
            (2) For example, on September 19, 2014, an individual
        obtained unauthorized access to the White House. Such access
        was obtained after failures in five security layers by the
        United States Secret Service. In another example, on November
        11, 2011, an individual fired multiple shots from a
        semiautomatic rifle at the White House complex. It was revealed
        that a total of seven bullets struck the exterior of the
        building. The Service failed to fully investigate the incident
        in a timely manner or to disclose it.
            (3) On March 23, 2014, a Special Agent assigned to the
        Counter Assault Team was found intoxicated to the point of
        unconsciousness in a hotel in Amsterdam in advance of a
        Presidential visit. In another example, on April 11, 2012,
        conduct unbecoming to United States Secret Service personnel
        was exhibited before a Presidential visit to Cartagena,
        Columbia. Nine personnel were involved in serious misconduct.
            (4) Surveillance personnel from the Washington field office
        were diverted in 2011 from supporting the protective mission at
        the request of senior leadership in order to provide protection
        to a United States Secret Service employee at her home
        following a neighborhood dispute. Such a diversion was outside
        the scope of the Service's duties and violated the Standards of
        Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch.
    (b) Further Findings.--Congress further finds that the protection
of the President, Vice President, First and Second Families, and former
Presidents is a matter of national security. Any issues that distract
from the protective mission of the United States Secret Service are a
threat to the national security of the United States.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established in the legislative branch an independent
advisory panel to--
            (1) examine the efficiency and effectiveness of the
        leadership structure, protocols, training, tools, and
        capabilities of the Department of Homeland Security's mission
        to protect national leaders, visiting heads of state and
        government, designated sites, and special events of national
        significance (in accordance with paragraph (1) of section
        3056(e) of title 18 United States Code); and
            (2) make recommendations to improve the overall efficiency
        and effectiveness of the United States Secret Service.

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) In General.--The independent advisory panel (in this Act
referred to as the ``Panel'') established pursuant to section 3 shall
be composed of eight members, as follows:
            (1) Two members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the
        House of Representatives, in coordination with the chairs of
        the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Homeland
        Security of the House of Representatives. Only one of such
        members may be from the same political party as the Speaker of
        the House of Representatives.
            (2) Two members shall be appointed by the majority leader
        of the Senate, in coordination with the chairs of the Committee
        on the Judiciary and the Committee on Homeland Security and
        Governmental Affairs of the Senate. Only one of such members
        may be from the same political party as the majority leader of
        the Senate.
            (3) One member shall be appointed by the minority leader of
        the House of Representatives, in coordination with the ranking
        members of the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on
        Homeland Security of the House of Representatives.
            (4) One member shall be appointed by the minority leader of
        the Senate, in coordination with the ranking members of the
        Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Homeland
        Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.
            (5) Two members shall be appointed by the President, in
        consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security. Only one
        of such members may be from the same political party as the
        President.
    (b) Prohibition.--Except as provided in subsection (a), members of
the Panel may not be current appointees of the President's
Administration or Members of Congress, in order to ensure objectivity
of the Panel's assessments. No member may be or have been an employee
of the United States Secret Service at any point in their career.
    (c) Deadline for Appointments.--All appointments to the Panel shall
be made not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
    (d) Co-Chairs.--The Panel shall have two co-chairs, as follows:
            (1) A co-chair who shall be a member of the Panel
        designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
            (2) A co-chair who shall be a member of the Panel
        designated by the majority leader of the Senate.
    (e) Vacancy.--In the event of a vacancy on the Panel, the
individual appointed to fill the vacant seat shall be--
            (1) subject to paragraph (2), appointed by the same officer
        (or the officer's successor) who made the appointment to the
        seat when the Panel was first established; or
            (2) if the officer's successor is of a party other than the
        party of the officer who made the initial appointment when the
        Panel was first established, chosen in consultation with the
        senior officers of the House of Representatives and the Senate
        of the party which is the party of the officer who made such
        initial appointment.
    (f) Government Employees.--Members of the Panel who are officers or
employees of the Federal Government shall serve without additional pay
(or benefits in the nature of compensation) for service as a member of
the Panel.
    (g) Initial Meeting.--The Panel shall meet and begin the operations
of the Panel not later than 60 days after the appointment of all Panel
members under subsection (a).

SEC. 5. DUTIES.

    The Panel shall assess the current leadership structure, protocols,
training, tools, and capabilities of the United States Secret Service,
including assessing--
            (1) the unity of effort between the divisions of the United
        States Secret Service, law enforcement agencies, and other
        components of the Department of Homeland Security related to
        the protective and investigative missions, including whether
        mission duplication with other Federal entities exists;
            (2) the impact of United States Secret Service personnel
        culture on the effectiveness and efficiency of the Service,
        including Special Agent and Uniformed Division retention;
            (3) the impact any leadership or security deficiencies have
        on the threat from acts of terrorism or other security
        incidents;
            (4) identification of all security breaches at locations
        under United States Secret Service protection in the past five
        years;
            (5) the extent to which current resources provide for
        accomplishing the mission of the United States Secret Service;
            (6) the effectiveness of communications and dissemination
        of homeland security information within the United States
        Secret Service and with other law enforcement entities in
        routine as well as emergency situations; and
            (7) any necessary recommendations for congressional
        consideration.

SEC. 6. POWERS AND AUTHORITIES.

    (a) In General.--The Panel or, on the authority of the Panel, any
portion thereof, may, for the purpose of carrying out this section--
            (1) hold such hearings and sit and act at such times and
        places, take such testimony, receive such evidence, administer
        such oaths (provided that the quorum for a hearing shall be two
        members of the Panel); and
            (2) subject to subsection (b), require by subpoena or
        otherwise provide for the attendance and testimony of such
        witnesses and the production of such books, records,
        correspondence, memoranda, papers, and documents, as the Panel,
        or such portion thereof, may determine advisable.
    (b) Open to the Public.--Hearings and other activities conducted
under subsection (a) shall be open to the public unless the Panel, or,
on the authority of the Panel, any portion thereof, determines that
such is not appropriate, including for reasons relating to the
disclosure of information or material regarding the national security
interests of the United States or the disclosure of sensitive law
enforcement data.
    (c) Subpoenas.--
            (1) Issuance.--
                    (A) In general.--A subpoena may be issued under
                this subsection only--
                            (i) by the two co-chairs; or
                            (ii) by the affirmative recorded vote of
                        six members of the Panel.
                    (B) Signature.--Subpoenas issued under this
                subsection may be--
                            (i) issued under the signature of the two
                        co-chairs or any member designated by a
                        majority of the Panel; and
                            (ii) served by any person designated by the
                        two co-chairs or by any member designated by a
                        majority of the Panel.
            (2) Enforcement.--
                    (A) In general.--In the case of contumacy or
                failure to obey a subpoena issued under this
                subsection, the United States district court for the
                judicial district in which the subpoenaed person
                resides, is served, or may be found, or where the
                subpoena is returnable, may issue an order requiring
                such person to produce documentary or other evidence.
                Any failure to obey the order of the court may be
                punished by the court as contempt of that court.
                    (B) Additional enforcement.--In the case of any
                failure of any witness to comply with any subpoena, the
                Panel may, by majority vote, certify a statement of
                fact constituting such failure to the appropriate
                United States attorney, who may bring the matter before
                a grand jury for its action, under the same statutory
                authority and procedures as if the United States
                attorney had received a certification under sections
                102 through 104 of the Revised Statutes of the United
                States (2 U.S.C. 192 through 194).
    (d) Personnel.--
            (1) In general.--The Panel shall have the authorities
        provided in section 3161 of title 5, United States Code, and
        shall be subject to the conditions specified in such section,
        except to the extent that such conditions would be inconsistent
        with the requirements of this section.
            (2) Compensation.--The co-chairs, in accordance with rules
        agreed upon by the Panel, may appoint and fix the compensation
        of a staff director and such other personnel as may be
        necessary to enable the Panel to carry out its functions,
        without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States
        Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, and
        without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter
        III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and
        General Schedule pay rates, except that no rate of pay fixed
        under this paragraph may exceed the equivalent of that payable
        for a position at level V of the Executive Schedule under
        section 5316 of title 5, United States Code.
            (3) Detailees.--Any employee of the Federal Government may
        be detailed to the Panel without reimbursement from the Panel,
        and such employee shall retain the rights, status, and
        privileges of such employee's regular employment without
        interruption.
            (4) Expert and consultant services.--The Panel is
        authorized to procure the services of experts and consultants
        in accordance with section 3109 of title 5, United States Code,
        but at rates not to exceed the daily rate paid a person
        occupying a position at level IV of the Executive Schedule
        under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code.
            (5) Volunteer services.--Notwithstanding section 1342 of
        title 31, United States Code, the Panel may accept and use
        voluntary and uncompensated services as the Panel determines
        necessary.
    (e) Security Clearances.--The appropriate departments or agencies
of the Federal Government shall cooperate with the Panel in
expeditiously providing to the Panel members and staff appropriate
security clearances to the extent possible pursuant to existing
procedures and requirements, except that no person shall be provided
with access to classified information under this section without the
appropriate security clearances.
    (f) Contracting.--The Panel may, to such extent and in such amounts
as are provided in appropriation Acts, enter into contracts to enable
the Panel to carry out its duties under this Act.
    (g) Postal Services.--The Panel may use the United States mails in
the same manner and under the same conditions as departments and
agencies of the Federal Government.
    (h) Support Services.--Upon request of the Panel, the Administrator
of General Services shall provide the Panel, on a reimbursable basis,
with the administrative support services necessary for the Panel to
carry out its duties under this Act. Such administrative services may
include human resource management, budget, leasing, accounting, and
payroll services.
    (i) Rules of Procedure.--The Panel may establish rules for the
conduct of the Panel's business, if such rules are not inconsistent
with this Act or other applicable law.
    (j) Nonapplicability of the Federal Advisory Committee Act.--The
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the
Panel.
    (k) Termination.--The Panel shall terminate on the date that is 60
days after the date of the submission of its final report.

SEC. 7. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

    (a) Interim Report.--Not later than nine months after the date of
the appointment of all the members of the Panel, the Panel shall submit
to the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Homeland
Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on the
Judiciary and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs of the Senate an interim report, including the results and
findings of the assessments carried out in accordance with section 5.
    (b) Other Reports and Briefings.--The Panel may from time to time
submit to the committees specified in subsection (a) such other reports
and briefings relating to the assessments carried out in accordance
with section 5 as the Panel considers appropriate. Such committees may
request information on the Panel's progress as it conducts its work.
    (c) Final Report.--Not later than eighteen months after the date of
the appointment of all the members of the Panel, the Panel shall submit
to the committees specified in subsection (a) a final report on the
assessments carried out in accordance with section 5. Such final report
shall--
            (1) include the findings of the Panel;
            (2) identify lessons learned related to United States
        Secret Service leadership issues; and
            (3) include specific recommendations, including those for
        congressional consideration, relating to--
                    (A) improving the efficiency and effectiveness of
                the leadership structure, protocols, training, tools,
                and capabilities of the Department of Homeland
                Security's mission to protect national leaders,
                visiting heads of state and government, designated
                sites, and special events of national significance (in
                accordance with paragraph (1) of section 3056(e) of
                title 18 United States Code);
                    (B) improving unity of effort between the divisions
                of the United States Secret Service and other law
                enforcement agencies and other components of the
                Department of Homeland Security relating to the
                protective and, as applicable, investigative missions,
                including whether duplication with other Federal
                entities exists;
                    (C) eliminating barriers to effective
                communications in routine as well as emergency
                situations;
                    (D) identifying and mitigating cultural issues
                within the United States Secret Service that detract
                from the mission of the Service; and
                    (E) improvements needed to mitigate risks based on
                past security breaches.