House Passes Coast Guard Authorization Bill; Includes AWO-Sought Harassment Reporting Compromise. The House of Representatives passed H.R. 4275, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025, by a vote of 399-12, on July 23. The bill includes bipartisan compromise language on harassment reporting and Hudson River anchorages.

The harassment compromise amends reporting requirements under the Safer Seas Act of 2022 and achieves three important AWO objectives: it removes the requirement to report complaints or incidents of harassment that violate company policy but not law; defines harassment by linking it to protected characteristics under existing law and further provides that the behavior in question must be so severe or pervasive as to create a hostile, intimidating, or abusive work environment; and clarifies that the requirement to report harassment shall not be construed to prevent a vessel owner from taking immediate personnel action to address the situation, preserving legal defenses under existing EEOC policy and precedent.

The Hudson River compromise suspends the establishment of new anchorage grounds between Palisades and Germantown, NY - which AWO was not seeking - and restores the boundaries of the Port of New York that existed prior to publication of a Coast Guard Marine Safety Information Bulletin that inflamed local concerns about this issue. At the same time, it preserves the ability of AWO members to anchor where needed to ensure safe vessel operations.

AWO thanks Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA) of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Chairman Mike Ezell (R-MS) and Ranking Member Salud Carbajal (D-CA) of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee for their leadership in passing the legislation and forging this bipartisan compromise.

Because the Senate passed a Coast Guard authorization bill (S.524) in March, House-Senate conference discussions on a bicameral agreement are expected to commence soon, in anticipation of its being attached to the annual defense authorization bill. AWO is reaching out to key Senate leaders to advocate for inclusion of the harassment and Hudson compromises in the final measure and will continue to seek a bipartisan agreement on ATB engine room crewing, another important association priority.

AWO Advances Deregulatory Advocacy Agenda. AWO continues to work to maximize opportunities for regulatory reform, guided by feedback from members. Our deregulatory action agenda, prioritized based on a survey of the Board of Directors about which items would be most impactful, has been posted to the Members Section of the AWO website, along with a feedback form to solicit additional regulatory reform ideas.

In recent weeks, AWO has convened our Towing Vessel Inspection, Mariner Credentialing, and Company Security Officer working groups to further refine our recommendations, and we are meeting with government partners to continue to promote our deregulatory objectives. To review the list, or to send us a new idea to reduce regulatory burdens, please click here. If you have any questions, please contact Caitlyn Stewart.

AWO Releases Falls Overboard Prevention Report and Announces Safety Standdown Day. AWO is pleased to announce publication of our Falls Overboard Prevention Report, a comprehensive, data-driven analysis of falls overboard in the U.S. tugboat, towboat, and barge industry. Since 1995, AWO has worked alongside the Coast Guard to track falls overboard, which have consistently been the leading cause of fatalities in our industry. Developed with input from member companies and AWO's Falls Overboard Subcommittee, the report offers adaptable solutions tailored to various operations and vessel types, including engineering improvements and administrative controls, which will help companies identify contributing causes of falls and prioritize controls; apply practical, scalable safety improvements across different vessel types; and strengthen Safety Management Systems.  

To raise awareness and reinforce safety practices, AWO is organizing a Falls Overboard Safety Standdown Day on August 28. All U.S. towing vessel operators are encouraged to participate by holding brief discussions with crews and shoreside teams to: 

• Review falls overboard prevention procedures with their crews. 

• Reinforce safe deck behavior, buddy systems, fall restraint use, and proper PPE. 

• Encourage mariners to post on social media about their discussions.

AWO has created materials to help you participate in the Safety Standdown Day. If your company chooses to join in, share your participation on social media using the hashtags #StopFallsOverboard and #AWOSafety and tag AWO on X (Twitter): @AWOAdvocacy, or on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

For more information or to access the AWO Falls Overboard Prevention Report, please contact Lillie Wightman.

President Trump Signs One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4, contains several provisions of interest to AWO members, including:  

• Enhancing funds for shipbuilding initiatives, including $450 million for maritime industrial workforce development programs. 

• Providing approximately $25 billion for the U.S. Coast Guard to improve operations, shore infrastructure, and navigational safety, including $162 million for Waterways Commerce Cutters. 

• Repealing unobligated funds for numerous sustainability programs affecting transportation.  

• Authorizing an overtime deduction in an amount equal to the qualified overtime compensation received during the taxable year.  

• Increasing the maximum deduction limit for depreciable business assets to $2.5 million.  

• Eliminating and restricting the de minimis entry privilege for commercial shipments, and establishing new civil penalties; and  

• Requiring that all commercial shipments be subject to standard customs duties and procedures beginning July 1, 2027.  

AWO has compiled a comprehensive summary of relevant provisions so members can review the law's impact on their operations.  

For further information, please contact Lillie Wightman.  

AWO PAC is the connected political action committee for The American Waterways Operators and serves as the trade association's separate segregated fund. As a trade association, AWO is prohibited from using general treasury funds or membership dues to make federal contributions. AWO is one of the most effective advocacy associations in Washington, DC, and relies on voluntary personal contributions to fund AWO PAC.

AWO PAC supports federal candidates who are champions of the U.S. tugboat, towboat and barge industry and who are leaders on issues important to our industry. AWO PAC is dedicated to protecting AWO members' investments in the safest, most environmentally responsible and most economical mode of freight transportation and safeguarding the integrity of the Jones Act to protect the bottom lines of our members.

AWO PAC may solicit contributions from individuals of a member company once the member representative gives AWO written prior approval.

NMFS Delays Rice's Whale Critical Habitat Designation. Following the release of a revised Biological Opinion earlier this year stating that oil and gas activities are likely to jeopardize the continued existence of Rice's Whales, the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the Natural Resources Defense Council agreed to delay a judicial deadline for a critical habitat designation for Rice's Whales. The designation was originally required by July 15, 2025, but was delayed until July 2027. NMFS explained the delay, stating that the agency requires "additional time to analyze the impact of the rule and evaluate the science underlying it. As part of that process, NMFS plans to coordinate its efforts with the scientific and academic communities."

AWO is actively engaged to ensure that critical habitat designations protect endangered species while avoiding unnecessarily broad operational constraints on vessel operations.

If you have questions about the Rice's Whale or how these NMFS actions could affect your operations, please reach out to Liam Morcroft.

University of Washington Requests Participation in Mariner Wellness Survey. The University of Washington has launched the 2025 Mariner Mental Health & Wellbeing Survey to assess job satisfaction, mental health, and working conditions across the U.S. maritime industry. Open from June 16 to September 16, the anonymous survey seeks responses from licensed and unlicensed mariners, cadets, pilots, and crew working on U.S.-flagged vessels. Results will inform evidence-based solutions that will be shared with industry leaders, unions, and training institutions to support mariner wellbeing. 

To learn more about this study, please contact marinersurvey@uw.edu.

AWO Updates HERO Award Form, Offers Media Outreach Help. AWO recently updated the American Waterways HERO Award form to include the option to request AWO public affairs assistance in sharing submitted lifesaving rescue action(s) with media and/or elected representatives. AWO is proud to spotlight these brave men and women and is eager to help get the word out on our social media platforms, with local media outlets, and with local Members of Congress. This kind of inspiring news not only celebrates our industry's courageous mariners but also helps raise public awareness about the vital work they do.

Please reach out to Deanna Wisniewski with any questions.