[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 51 (Monday, May 1, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3193-S3194]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. McCAIN (for himself and Mr. Inouye):
  S. 2487. A bill to authorize appropriations for Fiscal Year 2001 for 
certain maritime programs of the Department of Transportation; to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.


     maritime administration authorization act for fiscal year 2001

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, today I am introducing a bill to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal year 2001 for the Maritime Administration. 
The introduction of this bill continues the Senate Commerce Committee's 
commitment to insuring our nations maritime industry can compete in the 
world market.
  The bill contains the authorization of appropriations for the 
Maritime Administration [MarAd] for fiscal year 2001 covering two 
appropriations accounts: (1) operations and training and (2) the loan 
guarantee program authorized by title XI of the Merchant Marine Act, 
1936. Operations and training activities include the costs incurred by 
MarAd headquarters and regional staffs in the administration and 
direction of programs that support the American maritime industry. 
These funds also cover operations of the United States Merchant Marine 
Academy (USMMA) and assistance to the six state maritime academies. The 
title XI loan guarantee program for shipbuilding authorizes the 
Secretary of Transportation to guarantee private sector financing for 
the construction or reconstruction of U.S.-flag vessels in U.S. 
shipyards.
  Additionally, the bill amends Title IX of the Merchant Marine Act of 
1936 to provide a waiver to eliminate the three year period that bulk 
and breakbulk vessels newly registered under the U.S. flag must wait in 
order to carry government-impelled cargo. The bill also provides a one 
year window of opportunity for vessels newly registered under the U.S.-
flag to enter into the cargo preference trade without waiting the 
traditional three year period.
  Finally, the bill provides the Secretary of Transportation the 
authority, regardless of any other law, to scrap 39 obsolete vessels in 
the National Defense Reserve Fleet that pose an immediate hazard to 
navigation and the environment and to scrap additional vessels if the 
Secretary determines they pose a hazard. It requires the Secretary to 
report to Congress within one year of the date of enactment with a plan 
to dispose of the remaining obsolete vessels and extends the deadline 
for completing disposal of all obsolete vessels by three years.
  I look forward to working on this important legislation and hope my 
colleagues will join me and the other sponsors in expeditiously moving 
this authorization through the legislative process and I ask unanimous 
consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2487

       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 ``Maritime Administration 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001''.

     SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2001.

       There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
     Transportation for the Maritime Administration the following 
     amounts:
       (1) For the expenses necessary for operations and training 
     activities, not to exceed $80,240,000 for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 2001.
       (2) For the costs, as defined in section 502 of the Federal 
     Credit Reform Act of 1990, of guaranteed loans authorized by 
     title XI of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended (46 
     U.S.C. App. 1271 et seq.), $2,000,000, to be available until 
     expended. In addition, for administrative expenses related to 
     loan guarantee commitments under title XI of the Merchant 
     Marine Act, 1936, as amended (46 U.S.C. App. 1271 et seq.), 
     $4,179,000.

[[Page S3194]]

     SEC. 3. DOCUMENTATION OF CERTAIN DRY CARGO VESSELS.

       (a) In General.--Title IX of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 
     (46 U.S.C. App. 101 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
     thereof the following:

     ``SEC. 910. DOCUMENTATION OF CERTAIN DRY CARGO VESSELS.

       ``(a) In General.--The restrictions of section 901(b)(1) of 
     this Act concerning a vessel built in a foreign country shall 
     not apply to a drybulk or breakbulk vessel over 7,500 
     deadweight tons that has been delivered from a foreign 
     shipyard or contracted for construction in a foreign shipyard 
     before the earlier of--
       ``(1) the date that is 1 year after the date of enactment 
     of the Maritime Administration Authorization Act for Fiscal 
     Year 2001; or
       ``(2) the effective date of the OECD Shipbuilding Trade 
     Agreement Act.
       ``(b) Compliance with Certain U.S.-build Requirements.--A 
     vessel timely contracted for or delivered pursuant to this 
     section and documented under the laws of the United States 
     shall be deemed to have been United-States built for purposes 
     of sections 901(b) and 901b of this Act if--
       ``(1) following delivery by a foreign shipyard, the vessel 
     has any additional shipyard work necessary to receive a Coast 
     Guard certificate of inspection performed in a United States 
     shipyard;
       ``(2) the vessel is not documented in another country 
     before being documented under the laws of the United States;
       ``(3) the vessel complies with the same inspection 
     standards set forth for ocean common carriers in section 1137 
     of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1996 (46 U.S.C. App. 
     1187 note); and
       ``(4) actual delivery of a vessel contracted for 
     construction takes place on or before the 3-year anniversary 
     of the date of the contract to construct the vessel.
       ``(c) Section 12106(e) of Title 46.--Section 12106(e) of 
     title 46, United States Code, shall not apply to a vessel 
     built pursuant to this section.''.
       (b) Conforming Calendar Year to Federal Fiscal Year for 
     Section 901b Purposes.--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, 2000, and the 12-month period beginning 
     on the first day of October in the year 2001 and each year 
     thereafter.''.

     SEC. 4. SCRAPPING OF CERTAIN VESSELS.

       (a) In General.--Section 510(i) of the Merchant Marine Act, 
     1936 (46 U.S.C. App. 1160(i)) is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``The Secretary''; and
       (2) by adding at the end thereof the following:
       ``(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
     following vessels of the National Defense Reserve Fleet may 
     be scrapped in foreign countries under terms and conditions 
     prescribed by the Secretary:
       ``(1) EXPORT CHALLENGER.
       ``(2) EXPORT COMMERCE.
       ``(3) BUILDER.
       ``(4) ALBERT E. WATTS.
       ``(5) WAYNE VICTORY.
       ``(6) MORMACDAWN.
       ``(7) MORMACMOON.
       ``(8) SANTA ELENA.
       ``(9) SANTA ISABEL.
       ``(10) SANTA CRUZ.
       ``(11) PROTECTOR.
       ``(12) LAUDERDALE.
       ``(13) PVT. FRED C. MURPHY.
       ``(14) BEAUJOLAIS.
       ``(15) MEACHAM.
       ``(16) NEACO.
       ``(17) WABASH.
       ``(18) NEMASKET.
       ``(19) MIRFAK.
       ``(20) GEN. ALEX M. PATCH.
       ``(21) ARTHUR M. HUDDELL.
       ``(22) WASHINGTON.
       ``(23) SUFFOLK COUNTY.
       ``(24) CRANDALL.
       ``(25) CRILLEY.
       ``(26) RIGEL.
       ``(27) VEGA.
       ``(28) COMPASS ISLAND.
       ``(29) DONNER.
       ``(30) PRESERVER.
       ``(31) MARINE FIDDLER.
       ``(32) WOOD COUNTY.
       ``(33) CATAWBA VICTORY.
       ``(34) GEN. NELSON M. WALKER.
       ``(35) LORAIN COUNTY.
       ``(36) LYNCH.
       ``(37) MISSION SANTA YNEZ.
       ``(38) CALOOSAHATCHEE.
       ``(39) CANISTEO.
       ``(3) If the Secretary determines that additional vessels 
     in the National Defense Reserve Fleet will become hazards to 
     navigation or the environment, those vessels may be scrapped 
     in a manner consistent with this subsection.''
       (b) Report.--No later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Maritime 
     Administration shall submit to the congress a report on the 
     implementation of the Administration's program to rid the 
     National Defense Reserve Fleet of obsolete vessels, 
     including--
       (1) the number of vessels scrapped to date;
       (2) the proceeds realized from the sale of vessels to be 
     scrapped; and
       (3) the number of vessels remaining to be scrapped.
       (c) Extension of Disposal Deadline.--Section 6(c)(1)(A) of 
     the National Marine Heritage Act of 1994 (16 U.S.C. 
     5405(c)(1)(A)) is amended by striking ``2001;'' and inserting 
     ``2004;''.
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