Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 110 Part 5.djvu/44

 110 STAT. 3118 PUBLIC LAW 104-239—OCT. 8, 1996 Public Law 104-239 104th Congress An Act Oct. 8, 1996 To amend the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 to revitaUze the United States-flag [H.R. 1350] merchant marine, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of Maritime the United States of America in Congress assembled, 19%"*^ ^* °^ SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. ^o\T^^®^®'^^®- This Act may be cited as the "Maritime Security Act of 1996". 46 USC app. "^ -^ 1245 note. SEC. 2. MARITIME SECURITY PROGRAM. Title VI of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C. App. 1171 et seq.) is amended— (1) by striking the title heading and inserting the following: "TITLE VI—VESSEL OPERATING ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS "Subtitle A—Operating-Differential Subsidy Program"; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subtitle: "Subtitle B—Maritime Security Fleet Program "ESTABLISHMENT OF FLEET 46 USC app. "SEC 651. (a) IN GENERAL. —The Secretary of Transportation 1187. shall establish a fleet of active, militarily useful, privately-owned vessels to meet national defense gmd other security requirements and maintain a United States presence in international commercial shipping. The Fleet shall consist of privately owned. United Statesflag vessels for which there are in effect operating agreements under this subtitle, and shall be known as the Maritime Security Fleet. "(b) VESSEL ELIGIBILITY.— A vessel is eligible to be included \ in the Fleet if the vessel is self-propelled and— "(1)(A) is operated by a person as an ocean common carrier; "(B) whether in commercial service, on charter to the Department of Defense, or in other employment, is either— "(i) a roU-on/roU-off vessel with a carrying capacity of at least 80,000 square feet or 500 twenty-foot equivalent units; or "(ii) a lighter aboard ship vessel with a barge capacity of at least 75 barges; or "(C) any other type of vessel that is determined by the Secretary to be suitable for use by the United States for

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