[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5136 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5136

Entitled the ``Offshore Supply Vessel Construction and Development Act 
                               of 1994''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 29, 1994

  Mr. Tauzin introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
               Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
Entitled the ``Offshore Supply Vessel Construction and Development Act 
                               of 1994''.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Offshore Supply Vessel Construction 
and Development Act of 1994''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF OFFSHORE SUPPLY VESSEL.

    Section 2101(19) of title 46, United States Code, is amended to 
read as follows:
            ``(19) `offshore supply vessel' means a motor vessel that 
        regularly transports goods, supplies, individuals in addition 
        to the crew, or equipment in support of exploration, 
        exploitation, or production of offshore mineral or energy 
        resources that--
                    ``(A) is more than 15 regulatory gross tons but 
                less than 500 regulatory gross tons; or
                    ``(B) is more than 15 international gross tons, and 
                not more than a maximum number of international gross 
                tons prescribed by regulation of the Secretary.''.

SEC. 3. APPLICATION TO VESSELS.

    (a) Section 3702(b) of title 46, United States Code, is amended to 
read as follows:
    ``(b)(1) The following vessels are deemed not to be a tank vessel 
for purposes of this chapter or any other law:
            ``(A) An offshore supply vessel.
            ``(B) A fishing or fish tender vessel of not more than 750 
        regulatory gross tons, when engaged in the fishing industry.
    ``(2) This subsection does not affect the authority of the 
Secretary under chapter 33 of this title to regulate the operation of 
vessels listed in paragraph (1) of this subsection to ensure the safe 
carriage of oil and hazardous substances.''.
    (b) Section 3306(a) of title 46, United States Code, is amended 
after ``safety'' by inserting ``of the marine environment and''.
    (c) Section 5209 of Public Law 102-587 is repealed.
    (d) Section 321 of Public Law 103-206 is repealed.

SEC. 4. AUTHORITY TO PRESCRIBE REGULATIONS FOR MANNING AND LICENSING.

    (a) Section 7310 of title 46, United States Code, is amended to 
read as follows: ``For service on an offshore supply vessel, an 
individual may be rated as able seaman--offshore supply vessels if the 
individual has the following service on deck on board vessels operating 
on the oceans or the navigable waters of the United States (including 
the Great Lakes):
            ``(1) At least 6 months service on an offshore supply 
        vessel of less than 500 regulatory gross tons, or 1600 
        international gross tons.
            ``(2) An amount of service prescribed by the Secretary on 
        an offshore supply vessel of at least 1600 international gross 
        tons.''.
    (b) Section 7312(d) of title 46, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``a vessel of less than 500 gross tons'' through ``energy 
resources'' and inserting ``an offshore supply vessel''.
    (c) Section 8104(g) of title 46, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) after ``offshore supply vessel'' by inserting ``of not 
        more than 500 regulatory gross tons or 1600 international gross 
        tons,'' and
            (2) by adding at the end of the subsection: ``The Secretary 
        may prescribe requirements for the minimum number of watches on 
        an offshore supply vessel of more than 1600 international gross 
        tons.''.
    (d) Section 8301(b) of title 46, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) after ``offshore supply vessel'' by inserting ``of not 
        more than 500 regulatory gross tons or 1600 international gross 
        tons,'';
            (2) after ``200'' by inserting ``regulatory''; and
            (3) by adding at the end of the subsection, ``The Secretary 
        may prescribe requirements for the minimum number of licensed 
        individuals on an offshore supply vessel of more than 1600 
        international gross tons.''.

SEC. 5. CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENT.

    Section 8103(b)(3)(A) of title 46, United States Code, is amended 
to read as follows:
            ``(A) an offshore supply vessel, or a similarly engaged 
        vessel of less than 1600 regulatory gross tons or to a maximum 
        international tonnage prescribed by regulation of the 
        Secretary;''.

SEC. 6. RESPONSE PLANNING REQUIREMENT.

    (a) Chapter 31 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by 
adding the following section:
``Sec. 3103. Vessel response plans for offshore supply vessels
    ``(a) The Secretary shall prescribe regulations for vessel 
pollution response plans for domestic operations of an offshore supply 
vessel if--
            ``(1) the vessel is over 400 international gross tons; and
            ``(2) the keel of the vessel is laid after July 18, 1994 or 
        the vessel undergoes a change substantially affecting its 
        tonnage after that date.
    ``(b) In prescribing regulations under this section, the Secretary 
shall consider the unique characteristics, methods of operation, and 
nature of the service of the vessels.''.
    (b) The table of sections for chapter 31 of title 46, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

``3103. Vessel response plans for offshore supply vessels.''.

SEC. 7. TONNAGE MEASUREMENT DEFINITIONS.

    Section 14101 of title 46, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(a)'' before ``In this part''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(b) When used in a law, regulation, document, ruling, or other 
official act referring to the tonnage measurement of a vessel--
            ``(1) `international gross tons' means gross tons as 
        measured under chapter 143 of this title; and
            ``(2) `regulatory gross tons' means gross tons as measured 
        under chapter 145 of this title.''.
                                 <all>