Service Academy Parity Act

This Act may be cited as the “Service Academy Parity Act”.

(a) In general.— Section 1922 of title 14, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in the section heading by striking “Appointments” and inserting “Nominations and appointments”;

(2) by striking “Appointments” and inserting the following:

“(a) In general.— Appointments”; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

“(b) Requirements.— An individual may be nominated for a competitive appointment as a cadet at the Coast Guard Academy only if the individual—

(1) is a citizen or national of the United States; and

(2) meets such minimum requirements as the Secretary shall establish.

(c) Nominators.— Nominations for competitive appointments for the positions allocated under subsection (d) may be made as follows:

(1) The Vice President or, if there is no Vice President, the President pro tempore of the Senate, may nominate individuals at large.

(2) A Senator may nominate residents of the State represented by that Senator.

(3) A Member of the House of Representatives may nominate residents of the State in which the congressional district represented by that Member is located.

(4) A Delegate to the House of Representatives from the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or American Samoa may nominate residents of the jurisdiction represented by that Delegate.

(5) The Resident Commissioner to the United States from Puerto Rico may nominate residents of Puerto Rico.

(6) The Commandant may nominate enlisted members of the Coast Guard or the Coast Guard Reserve.

(d) Allocation of positions.— Subject to the authorized strength determined by the Secretary and the numerical limitation under section 1921, beginning in the 2029 academic year, positions for competitive appointments of cadets at the Coast Guard Academy shall be allocated each year as follows:

(1) 3 individuals selected in order of merit, as established by competitive examination, from among the children of members of the Armed Forces who were killed in action or died of, or have a service-connected disability rated at not less than 100 per centum resulting from, wounds or injuries received or diseases contracted in, or preexisting injury or disease aggravated by, active service, the children of members of the Armed Forces who are in missing status (as defined in section 551 of title 37), and the children of civilian Federal employees who are in missing status (as defined in section 5561 of title 5). The determination of the Department of Veterans Affairs as to service connection of the cause of death or disability, and the percentage at which the disability is rated, is binding upon the Secretary.

(2) 1 individual nominated at large by the Vice President or, if there is no Vice President, by the President pro tempore of the Senate.

(3) 230 positions shall be allocated for residents of each State nominated by Members of Congress from that State in proportion to representation in Congress from that State.

(4) 1 individual nominated by the Delegate to the House of Representatives from the District of Columbia from among residents of the District of Columbia.

(5) 1 individual nominated by the Delegate to the House of Representatives from the Virgin Islands from among residents of the Virgin Islands.

(6) 1 individual nominated by the Delegate to the House of Representatives from Guam from among residents of Guam.

(7) 1 individual nominated by the Delegate to the House of Representatives from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands from among residents of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

(8) 1 individual nominated by the Delegate to the House of Representatives from American Samoa from among residents American Samoa.

(9) 2 individuals from Puerto Rico nominated by the Resident Commissioner to the United States from Puerto Rico from among residents of Puerto Rico.

(10) 20 individuals nominated by the Commandant from among enlisted members of the Coast Guard or the Coast Guard Reserve.

(e) Congressional nomination process.— Beginning in the 2029 academic year, the Secretary, in collaboration with the Commandant, shall initiate the process by which Members of Congress may nominate cadets to the Coast Guard Academy for the subsequent academic year.

(f) Competitive system for appointment.—

(1) Establishment.—

(A) In general.— The Secretary shall establish a competitive system for selecting individuals nominated under subsection (d) to fill the positions allocated under subsection (d).

(B) Considerations.— The system established under subparagraph (A) shall be capable of determining the relative merit of each individual based—

(i) on competitive examinations;

(ii) an assessment of the academic background of the individual; and

(iii) any other effective indicator of motivation and probability of successful completion of training at the Coast Guard Academy.

(2) Appointments by jurisdiction.— The Secretary shall appoint individuals to fill the positions allocated under subsection (d) for each jurisdiction in the order of merit of the individuals nominated from that jurisdiction.

(3) Remaining unfilled positions.— If 1 or more positions remain unfilled after the appointments are made under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall appoint individuals to fill the positions in the order of merit of the remaining individuals nominated from all jurisdictions.

(g) Congressional notification in advance of appointments.—

(1) Timing.— In the case of a nominee of a Senator, Representative, or Delegate who is selected for appointment as a cadet, the applicable Senator, Representative, or Delegate shall be notified not less than 48 hours before the official notification or announcement of the appointment is made.

(2) Transparency.— On written request by a Member of Congress, the Superintendent of the Coast Guard Academy shall furnish to the Member of Congress, the name of the nominating authority responsible for the nomination of any named or identified individual for appointment to the Coast Guard Academy.”.

(b) Clerical amendment.— The analysis for chapter 19 of title 14, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 1922 and inserting the following: