Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 120.djvu/1730

 PUBLIC LAW 109–304—OCT. 6, 2006

120 STAT. 1699

by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Administrator shall report directly to the Secretary of Transportation and carry out the duties prescribed by the Secretary. ‘‘(c) DEPUTY MARITIME ADMINISTRATOR.—The Maritime Administration shall have a Deputy Maritime Administrator, who is appointed in the competitive service by the Secretary, after consultation with the Administrator. The Deputy Administrator shall carry out the duties prescribed by the Administrator. The Deputy Administrator shall be Acting Administrator during the absence or disability of the Administrator and, unless the Secretary designates another individual, during a vacancy in the office of Administrator. ‘‘(d) DUTIES AND POWERS VESTED IN SECRETARY.—All duties and powers of the Maritime Administration are vested in the Secretary. ‘‘(e) REGIONAL OFFICES.—The Maritime Administration shall have regional offices for the Atlantic, Gulf, Great Lakes, and Pacific port ranges, and may have other regional offices as necessary. The Secretary shall appoint a qualified individual as Director of each regional office. The Secretary shall carry out appropriate activities and programs of the Maritime Administration through the regional offices. ‘‘(f) INTERAGENCY AND INDUSTRY RELATIONS.—The Secretary shall establish and maintain liaison with other agencies, and with representative trade organizations throughout the United States, concerned with the transportation of commodities by water in the export and import foreign commerce of the United States, for the purpose of securing preference to vessels of the United States for the transportation of those commodities. ‘‘(g) DETAILING OFFICERS FROM ARMED FORCES.—To assist the Secretary in carrying out duties and powers relating to the Maritime Administration, not more than five officers of the armed forces may be detailed to the Secretary at any one time, in addition to details authorized by any other law. During the period of a detail, the Secretary shall pay the officer an amount that, when added to the officer’s pay and allowances as an officer in the armed forces, makes the officer’s total pay and allowances equal to the amount that would be paid to an individual performing work the Secretary considers to be of similar importance, difficulty, and responsibility as that performed by the officer during the detail. ‘‘(h) CONTRACTS AND AUDITS.— ‘‘(1) CONTRACTS.—In the same manner that a private corporation may make a contract within the scope of its authority under its charter, the Secretary may make contracts for the United States Government and disburse amounts to— ‘‘(A) carry out the Secretary’s duties and powers under this section and subtitle V of title 46; and ‘‘(B) protect, preserve, and improve collateral held by the Secretary to secure indebtedness. ‘‘(2) AUDITS.—The financial transactions of the Secretary under paragraph (1) shall be audited by the Comptroller General. The Comptroller General shall allow credit for an expenditure shown to be necessary because of the nature of the business activities authorized by this section or subtitle V of title 46. At least once a year, the Comptroller General shall report to Congress any departure by the Secretary from this section or subtitle V of title 46.

VerDate 14-DEC-2004

13:05 Jul 12, 2007

Jkt 059194

PO 00002

Frm 00443

Fmt 6580

Sfmt 6581

E:\PUBLAW\PUBL002.109

APPS06

PsN: PUBL002

�