Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 118.djvu/2071

 118 STAT. 2041 PUBLIC LAW 108–375—OCT. 28, 2004 year under section 516(g) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2321j(g)). (d) COSTS OF TRANSFERS.—Any expense incurred by the United States in connection with a transfer authorized under subsection (a) or (b) shall be charged to the recipient. (e) REPAIR AND REFURBISHMENT IN UNITED STATES SHIP YARDS.—To the maximum extent practicable, the President shall require, as a condition of the transfer of a vessel under this section, that the country to which the vessel is transferred have such repair or refurbishment of the vessel as is needed, before the vessel joins the naval forces of that country, performed at a shipyard located in the United States, including a United States Navy ship yard. (f) EXPIRATION OF AUTHORITY.—The authority to transfer a vessel under this section shall expire at the end of the two year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act. SEC. 1014. INDEPENDENT STUDY TO ASSESS COST EFFECTIVENESS OF THE NAVY SHIP CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM. (a) STUDY.—The Secretary of Defense shall provide for a study of the cost effectiveness of the ship construction program of the Navy. The study shall be conducted by a group of industrial experts independent of the Department of Defense. The study shall examine both— (1) a variety of approaches by which the Navy ship construction program could be made more efficient in the near term; and (2) a variety of approaches by which, with a nationally integrated effort over the next decade, the United States ship building industry might enhance its health and viability. (b) NEAR TERM IMPROVEMENTS IN EFFICIENCY.—With respect to the examination under subsection (a)(1) of approaches by which the Navy ship construction program could be made more efficient in the near term, the Secretary shall provide for the persons con ducting the study to— (1) determine the potential cost savings on an annual basis, with an estimate of return on investment, from implementation of each approach examined; and (2) establish priorities for potential implementation of the approaches examined. (c) UNITED STATES SHIPBUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE MODERNIZA TION PLAN.—With respect to the examination under subsection (a)(2) of approaches by which the United States shipbuilding industry might enhance its health and viability through a nationally integrated effort over the next decade, the Secretary shall provide for the persons conducting the study to— (1) propose a plan incorporating a variety of approaches that would modernize the United States shipbuilding infra structure within the next decade, resulting in a healthier and more viable shipbuilding industrial base; (2) establish priorities for potential implementation of the approaches examined; and (3) estimate the resources required to implement each of the approaches examined. (d) REPORT.—Not later than October 1, 2005, the Secretary of Defense shall submit a report to the congressional defense committees providing the results of the study under subsection President.

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