Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 117.djvu/1837

 117 STAT. 1818

46 USC app. 1162.

46 USC 53110 note.

PUBLIC LAW 108–136—NOV. 24, 2003

by the owner of the vessel placed under the foreign registry; and ‘‘(B) the replacement vessel is not more than 10 years of age on the date of that documentation; or ‘‘(2) an operating agreement covering the vessel under chapter 531 of title 46, United States Code, has expired.’’. (b) MERCHANT MARINE ACT, 1936.—Section 512 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C. 1162) is amended— (1) by striking ‘‘Notwithstanding’’ and inserting ‘‘(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), notwithstanding’’; and (2) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘(b)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the restrictions and requirements of section 506 shall terminate upon the expiration of the 20-year period beginning on the date of the original delivery of the vessel from the shipyard for operation of a vessel in any domestic trade in which it has operated at any time since 1996. ‘‘(2) Paragraph (1) shall not affect any requirement to make payments under section 506.’’. SEC. 3533. INTERIM RULES.

The Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Defense may each prescribe interim rules necessary to carry out their respective responsibilities under this subtitle and the amendments made by this subtitle. For this purpose, the Secretaries are excepted from compliance with the notice and comment requirements of section 553 of title 5, United States Code. All interim rules prescribed under the authority of this section that are not earlier superseded by final rules shall expire no later than 270 days after the effective date of this subtitle. SEC. 3534. REPEALS AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

(a) REPEALS.—The following provisions are repealed: (1) Subtitle B of title VI of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C. App. 1187 et seq.). (2) Section 804 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C. App. 1222). (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— (1) Section 12102(d)(4) of title 46, United States Code, is amended by inserting ‘‘or chapter 531 of title 46, United States Code’’ after ‘‘Merchant Marine Act, 1936’’. (2) Section 1137 of Public Law 104–324 (46 U.S.C. App. 1187 note) is amended by striking ‘‘section 651(b) of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936’’ and inserting ‘‘section 53102(b) of title 46, United States Code’’.

46 USC app. 1187–1187e.

SEC. 3535. GAO STUDY OF ADJUSTMENT OF OPERATING AGREEMENT PAYMENT CRITERIA.

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study of the potential impact of amending section 53106 of title 46, United States Code, as amended by this Act— (1) to increase or decrease the 7,500 ton limitation; (2) to apply the limitation to bagged cargo as well as bulk cargo; and (3) to so modify the tonnage limitation and apply it to bagged cargo as well as bulk cargo. (b) MATTERS TO BE ADDRESSED.—

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