Naval joint exercise involvement for training ships operated by State maritime academies

(a) In general The Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with the Maritime Administrator, shall, to the extent practicable, include in national and international maritime warfare exercises not less than 1 training vessel used by a State maritime academy and maintained pursuant to section 51504 of title 46, United States Code, in order to provide an opportunity to integrate merchant mariners with naval and military operations. (b) Participants Subject to guidance issued by the Secretary of the Navy and Maritime Administrator, an individual may participate in the exercise aboard that training ship if the individual is— (1) a licensed merchant mariner; or (2) a student from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, a State maritime academy, a Center of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education, or a merchant marine center established under section 147 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3197), as added by section 612 of this Act. (c) Priority In selecting participants under subsection (b) the Administrator shall give priority to students described in paragraph (2) of subsection (b). (d) Vessels In coordination with the Secretary of the Navy, the Maritime Administrator shall rotate training vessels to ensure that each training vessel described in subsection (a) has an equal opportunity to participate in such exercises.