Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 49 Part 1.djvu/2053

 2008 T itle VII- Private Charter Operation. Completion of long- range program upon finding of ina bility to meet spe cified obj ec- tives. Ante, pp. 1985,1989. Construction of new vessels in domestic yards on Atlantic, Gulf, and Pa cific c oasts. R econdit ioning of old vessels. P rovi so. Construction in na vy yards, if private bids unsatisfactory. Advertising and co m- petiti ve bidd ing. Contract provi sions and requirements. Ante, p. 1995. Opening, etc ., bids. Charter or sale of vessels acquired by Com miss ion . Operation in foreign commerce, by pr iv ate ope rato rs. 74TH C ONGRESS. SESS. II. CH. 858. JUNE 29, 1936. whic h does no t meet t he follow ing requi rements : (1) The vessel shall be of steel or other acceptable metal, shall be propelled by steam or motor, sha ll be as n early fire proof as p racticable, shall be built in a domestic yard or shall have been documented under the laws of the United States not later than February 1, 1928, or actually ordered and under construction for the account of citizens of the United States prior to such date, and shall be documented under the laws of the United States, during the entire life of the subsidy contract ; and (2) if the vessel shall be constructe d after th e passage of this Ac t it shall be either a vessel constructed according to plans and specifica- tions approved by the Commission and the Secretary of the Navy, with particular reference to economical conversion into an auxiliary naval vessel, or a vessel approved by the Commission and the Navy Department as otherwise useful to the United States in time of national emergency. TITLE VII-PRIVATE CHARTER OPERATION SEC. 701. Whenever the Commission shall find and determine, and su ch fi nding and deter minat ion s hall be ap prove d by the P resid ent of the United States, that the national policy declared in section 101 of this Act, and the objectives set forth in section 210 of this Act, cannot be fully realized within a reasonable time, in whole or in part, under the provi sions of t itles V an d VI, the Commi ssion is h ereby authorized and directed to complete its long-range program previously adopted as hereinafter provided in this title. SEC. 702 . The Commission is authorized to have constructed in domestic yards, on the Atlantic and Gulf and Pacific coasts, such new vessels as it shall determine may be required to carry out the objects of this Act, and to have old vessels reconditioned or remodel ed in such yards : Provided, That if satisfactory contracts for such new construction or reconstruction, in accordance with the provisions of this Act, cannot be obtained from private shipbuilders, the Com- mis sion is aut hor ized to hav e s uch vess els con str ucte d, reco ndi tion ed, or remodeled in United States navy yards. SEC. 703. (a) No contract for the building of a new vessel, or for the reconditioning or reconstruction of any other vessel, sha ll be made by the Commission with any private shipbuilder, except after due advertisement and upon sealed competitive bids. (b) All contracts for the construction, reconditioning, or recon- struction of a vessel or vessels by a private shipbuilder under author- ity of this title shall be subject to all the provisions and requirements prescribed in title V of this Act with respect to contracts w ith a private shipbuilder for the construction of vessels under authority of that title. (c) All bids required by the Commission for the construction, reconstruction, or reconditioning of vessels, and for the chartering of the Commission's vessels hereinafter provided for, shall be opened at the time, hour, an d place st ated in th e advertis ement for bids, and all interested persons, including representatives of the press, shall be permitted to attend, and the results of such bidding shall be publicly announced. SEC. 704. All vessels transferred to or otherwise acquired by the Commission in any manner maybe chartered or sold by the Commis- sion pursuant to the further provisions of this Act. All vessels transferred to the Commission by this Act and now being operated by private operators on lines in foreign commerce of the United States may be temporarily operated by the Commission for its account by private operators until such time an d upon such operat-