[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 963 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 963

   To require the Commandant of the Coast Guard to convey the United 
  States Coast Guard Cutter BRAMBLE, upon its decommissioning, to the 
 Port Huron Museum of Arts and History, Port Huron, Michigan, for use 
     for education and historical display, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 30, 2003

Ms. Stabenow (for herself and Mr. Levin) introduced the following bill; 
    which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To require the Commandant of the Coast Guard to convey the United 
  States Coast Guard Cutter BRAMBLE, upon its decommissioning, to the 
 Port Huron Museum of Arts and History, Port Huron, Michigan, for use 
     for education and historical display, 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. CONVEYANCE OF DECOMMISSIONED COAST GUARD CUTTER BRAMBLE.

    (a) In General.--Upon the scheduled decommissioning of the United 
States Coast Guard Cutter BRAMBLE (WLB 406), the Commandant of the 
Coast Guard shall convey all right, title, and interest of the United 
States in and to that vessel to the Port Huron Museum of Arts and 
History, a nonprofit corporation organized under the laws of the State 
of Michigan, located in Port Huron, Michigan, without consideration, 
if--
            (1) the Museum agrees--
                    (A) to use the vessel for purposes of education and 
                historical display;
                    (B) not to use the vessel for commercial 
                transportation purposes;
                    (C) to make the vessel available to the United 
                States if needed for use by the Commandant in time of 
                war or a national emergency; and
                    (D) to hold the United States harmless for any 
                claims arising from exposure to hazardous materials, 
                including asbestos and polychlorinated biphenyls 
                (PCBs), after conveyance of the vessel under this 
                subsection, except for claims arising from the use by 
                the United States under subparagraph (C);
            (2) the Museum has funds available, in the form of cash, 
        liquid assets, or a written loan commitment, in the amount of 
        at least $700,000 that the Museum agrees to commit to operate 
        and maintain the vessel in good working condition; and
            (3) the Museum agrees to any other conditions the 
        Commandant considers appropriate.
    (b) Maintenance of Vessel.--Prior to conveyance of the vessel under 
this section, the Commandant shall, to the extent practicable, and 
subject to other Coast Guard mission requirements, maintain the 
integrity of the vessel and its equipment until the delivery to the 
Museum.
    (c) Delivery.--If a conveyance of the United States Coast Guard 
Cutter BRAMBLE is made under this section, the Commandant shall deliver 
the vessel at the place where the vessel is located, in its present 
condition, and without cost to the United States.
    (d) Conveyance Not a Distribution in Commerce.--The conveyance of 
the vessel under this section shall not be considered a distribution in 
commerce for purposes of section 6(e) of the Toxic Substances Control 
Act (15 U.S.C. 2605(e)).
    (e) Other Excess Equipment.--The Commandant may convey to the 
Museum any excess equipment or parts from other decommissioned Coast 
Guard vessels for use to enhance the operability and function of the 
United States Coast Guard Cutter BRAMBLE as an historical display.
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