Chief Prevention Officer

Section 312 of title 14 is amended— (1) by redesignating subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g) as subsections (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), and (l), respectively; and (2) by inserting the following: (a) In general There shall be in the Coast Guard a Chief Prevention Officer selected by the Commandant who shall serve in the grade of a Rear Admiral (Upper Half) or higher. At a minimum, the Chief Prevention Officer shall serve at the Assistant Commandant level. (b) Responsibilities The Chief Prevention Officer shall be responsible for carrying out the duties set forth in section 504(c). (c) Authorities In addition to the duties described in subsection (b), the Chief Prevention Officer shall— (1) be the sole office for the Coast Guard to promulgate regulations and agency policy regarding all Coast Guard duties in marine safety, security, and stewardship, subject only to the Commandant’s directives; (2) make recommendations to the Commandant for the adoption of new methodologies or technologies that should be leveraged for marine safety, security, and stewardship; and (3) coordinate with Coast Guard research and development and have the authority to enter into memorandums of agreement or similar with public or private entities for the purpose of testing and assessing new technology. (d) Staff Under the direction of the Chief Prevention Officer, a civilian from the Senior Executive Service (career reserved) shall serve as the Deputy Chief Prevention Officer. (e) Limitations (1) In general The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating is prohibited from removing or redesignating the Chief Prevention Officer position, to include the Deputy Chief Preservation Officer, unless otherwise permitted by an express Act of Congress. (2) Final agency action The Chief Prevention Officer, or his or her designee, has the sole authority to make agency decisions regarding marine safety, security, and stewardship in accordance with his or her duties. These decisions shall be considered final agency action, and may only be appealed up to the Commandant of the Coast Guard..