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The Coast Guard announced in the Federal Register that the Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee and its working groups will meet to discuss matters relating to medical certification determinations for issuance of licenses, certificates of registry, and merchant mariners’ documents, medical standards and guidelines for the physical qualifications of operators of commercial vessels, medical examiner education, and medical research. The meetings will be open to the public.

Dates: September 13-14, 2018
Time: 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., each day. These meetings may adjourn early if the Committee has completed its business.
Location:  STAR Center, 2 West Dixie Highway, Dania Beach, Florida 33004

Agenda

Day 1

The agenda for the September 13, 2018, meeting is as follows:

(1) The full Committee will meet briefly to discuss the Working Groups’ business/task statements, which are listed under paragraph 2 and 3 (a)-(b) below.

(2) General Discussion of Mariner Mental Health Issues with presentations by mariner service organizations and industry.

(3) Working Groups will separately address the following task statements, which are available on Homeport.

(a) Task statement 16-24 Recommendations on Appropriate Diets and Wellness for Mariners While Onboard Merchant Vessels; and

(b) Task statement 17-26, Input to Support Regulatory Reform of Coast Guard Regulations-Executive Orders 13771 and 13783.

(4) Public comment period.

(5) Reports of Working Groups. At the end of the day, the Working Groups will report to the full Committee on what was accomplished in their meetings. The full Committee will not take action on these reports on this date. Any official action taken as a result of these Working Group meetings will be taken on day two of the meeting.

(6) Adjournment of meeting

Day 2

The agenda for the September 14, 2018, meeting is as follows:

(1) Introduction.

(2) Designated Federal Officer announcements.

(3) Remarks from U.S. Coast Guard Leadership.

(4) Roll call of Committee members and determination of a quorum.

(5) Reports from the following Working Groups:

(a) Task statement 16-24, requesting recommendations on appropriate diets and wellness for mariners while aboard merchant vessels; and

(b) Task statement 17-26, Input to Support Regulatory Reform of Coast Guard Regulations-Executive Orders 13771 and 13783.

(6) New Business:

(a) Task Statement X-1, Communication Between External Stakeholders and the Mariner; and

(b) Task Statement X-2, Mariner Health Issues.

(7) Other items for discussion:

(a) Report on the Mariner Credentialing Program;

(b) Report on National Maritime Center activities; and

(c) Drug and Alcohol Prevention and Investigations.

(8) Public comment period.

(9) Discussion of Working Group recommendations. The Committee will review the information presented on each issue, deliberate on any recommendations presented by the Working Groups, approve/formulate recommendations and close any completed tasks. Official action on these recommendations may be taken on this date.

(10) Closing remarks/plans for next meeting.

(11) Adjournment of meeting.

For more information view the Federal Register Notice or contact Mr. Davis Breyer, Alternate Designated Federal Officer of the Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee 202-372-1445 or davis.j.breyer@uscg.mil.

This blog is not a replacement or substitute for the formal posting of regulations and updates or existing processes for receiving formal feedback of the same. Links provided on this blog will direct the reader to official source documents, such as the Federal Register, Homeport and the Code of Federal Regulations. These documents remain the official source for regulatory information published by the Coast Guard.