[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 259 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 259

      To increase the role of the Secretary of Transportation in 
  administering section 901 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 20, 1999

  Mr. Inouye introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
      To increase the role of the Secretary of Transportation in 
  administering section 901 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, and for 
                            other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. TRANSPORTATION IN AMERICAN VESSELS OF GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL 
              AND CERTAIN CARGOES.

    Section 901(b)(2) of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C. App. 
1241(b)(2)), is amended to read as follows:
            ``(2)(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
        Secretary of Transportation shall have the sole responsibility 
        for determining and designating the programs that are subject 
        to the requirements of this subsection. Each department or 
        agency that has responsibility for a program that is designated 
        by the Secretary of Transportation pursuant to the preceding 
        sentence shall, for the purposes of this subsection, administer 
        such program pursuant to regulations promulgated by such 
        Secretary.
            ``(B) The Secretary of Transportation shall--
                    ``(i) review the administration of the programs 
                referred to in subparagraph (A);
                    ``(ii) resolve any question concerning the 
                administration of those programs with respect to this 
                section;
                    ``(iii) provide for penalties and sanctions for 
                violation of this Act; and
                    ``(iv) on an annual basis, submit a report to 
                Congress concerning the administration of such 
                programs.''.

SEC. 2. CONFORMING CARGO PREFERENCE YEAR TO FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR.

    Section 901b(c)(2) of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C. App. 
1241f(c)(2)) is amended by striking ``1986.'' and inserting ``1986, the 
18-month period commencing April 1, 1999, and the 12-month period 
beginning on the first day of October in the year 2000 and each year 
thereafter.''.
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