[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 10 (Thursday, January 15, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 1707-1709]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-00753]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
46 CFR Part 350
[Docket No. MARAD-2026-0004]
RIN 2133-AC00
Seamen's Service Awards; Amendment Replacing Gulf of Mexico With
Gulf of America
AGENCY: Maritime Administration (MARAD), Department of Transportation
(DOT).
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: This final rule amends MARAD's regulations governing Seamen's
Service Awards. The amendment changes the name ``Gulf of Mexico'' to
``Gulf of America'' consistent with Executive Order (E.O.) 14172,
Restoring Names that Honor American Greatness. The amendment also
provides factual clerical changes, such as updating citations to
authority and physical office names and addresses.
DATES: This final rule is effective January 15, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Hatcher, Office of Sealift
Support, at (202) 366-0688 or [email protected]. The mailing
address for the Maritime Administration, Office of Sealift Support is
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Electronic Access and Filing
An electronic copy of this document may also be downloaded by
accessing the Office of the Federal Register's home page at:
www.federalregister.gov.
Background
This action conforms 46 CFR part 350 to Executive Order 14172 by
changing ``Gulf of Mexico'' to ``Gulf of America'' in the name of a
seaman's service award during World War II specified in the
regulations.\1\ The rule would also provide necessary clerical updates
to DOT's regulations, such as updating citations to authority, physical
office addresses, and office names.
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\1\ MARAD is unable to revise 46 CFR 350.47(d) to update the
term ``Gulf of Mexico'' to ``Gulf of America'' because the term
``Gulf of Mexico'' within the regulation is statutorily mandated in
the term ``Gulf of Mexico Fisheries'' (see 16 U.S.C. 1852
(b)(2)(D)(i)).
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Regulatory Analyses and Notices
Administrative Procedure Act
MARAD issues this final rule without prior notice and the
opportunity for public comment and the 30-day delayed effective date
ordinarily prescribed by the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), general notice and the opportunity for
public comment are not required with respect to a rulemaking when an
``agency for good cause finds (and incorporates the finding and a brief
statement of reasons therefor in the rules issued) that notice and
public procedure thereon are impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to
the public interest.'' MARAD has determined that there is good cause to
waive the opportunity for prior notice and comment, finding it
unnecessary with respect to a geographic name change effectuated
previously by Executive direction and for factual clerical changes such
as updating citations to authority, physical office addresses, and
[[Page 1708]]
office names. Neither of these updates imposes any regulatory
requirements or costs on members of the public. MARAD waives the 30-day
delay in effective date under 5 U.S.C. 553(d) for the same reasons.
Executive Orders 12866, 13563, 14192 and DOT Rulemaking Procedures
Executive Order (E.O.) 12866, as supplemented by E.O. 13563,
provides for determining whether a regulatory action is ``significant''
and therefore subject to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) review
and to the requirements of E.O. 12866.
Today's final rule is not significant and has not been reviewed by
OMB under E.O. 12866. This rule is limited to conforming the agency's
implementing regulation at 46 CFR part 350 to a geographic name change
previously effectuated by Executive direction and making clerical
updates to citations of authority, physical office addresses, office
names. This rule does not result in any changes to costs or benefits.
Executive Order 14192, titled ``Unleashing Prosperity through
Deregulation,'' directs that, unless prohibited by law, whenever an
executive department or agency publicly proposes for notice and comment
or otherwise promulgates a new regulation, it must identify at least
two existing regulations to be repealed. In addition, any new
incremental costs of all new regulations must be significantly less
than zero. Only those rules deemed significant under section 3(f) of
Executive Order 12866, ``Regulatory Planning and Review,'' are subject
to these requirements. Per OMB Memo M-25-20, E.O. 14192 applies to a
rulemaking action that is ``a significant regulatory action as defined
in Section 3(f) of E.O. 12866 that has been finalized and that imposes
total costs greater than zero.'' As discussed above, this rule provides
clerical updates to the regulation and changes the name ``Gulf of
Mexico'' to the ``Gulf of America.'' Accordingly, this action is
neither a regulatory nor a deregulatory rule under Executive Order
14192.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
Pursuant to the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), MARAD has
considered the impacts of this rulemaking action on small entities (5
U.S.C. 601 et seq.). Rules that are exempt from notice and comment are
also exempt from the RFA requirements, including conducting a
regulatory flexibility analysis, when among other things the agency for
good cause finds that notice and public procedure are impracticable,
unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest. See 5 U.S.C. 603(a).
Because, as discussed above, this rule is exempt from the APA notice
and comment requirements, MARAD is not required to conduct a regulatory
flexibility analysis.
Executive Order 13132, Federalism
MARAD has examined this final rule pursuant to E.O. 13132 (64 FR
43255, August 10, 1999) and concluded that no additional consultation
with States, local governments, or their representatives is mandated
beyond the rulemaking process. The Agency has concluded that the
rulemaking would not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant
consultation with State and local officials or the preparation of a
federalism summary impact statement. The final rule will not have,
pursuant to E.O. 13132 section 1(a): ``substantial direct effects on
the States, on the relationship between the national government and the
States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the
various levels of government.''
The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-4) requires
agencies to prepare a written assessment of the costs, benefits, and
other effects of proposed or final rules that include a Federal mandate
likely to result in the expenditure by State, local, or tribal
governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of more than
$100 million annually, adjusted annually for inflation. This action
will not result in additional expenditures by State, local, or tribal
governments or by any members of the private sector. Therefore, MARAD
has not prepared an economic assessment pursuant to the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act.
Regulation Identifier Number (RIN)
A regulation identifier number (RIN) is assigned to each regulatory
action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulations. The
Regulatory Information Service Center publishes the Unified Agenda in
the Spring and Fall of each year. The RIN number contained in the
heading of this document can be used to cross-reference this action
with the Unified Agenda.
Paperwork Reduction Act
Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, a person is not required
to respond to a collection of information by a Federal agency unless
the collection displays a valid OMB control number. This final rule
includes no new collection of information and will not change any
existing collections of information as it does not actually waive any
regulatory requirements.
Privacy Act
Anyone can search the electronic form of all comments received into
any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment
(or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association,
business, labor union, etc.). For information on DOT's compliance with
the Privacy Act, please visit https://www.transportation.gov/privacy.
List of Subjects in 46 CFR Part 350
Decoration, Seamen.
Accordingly, the Department of Transportation amends 46 CFR Part
350 as follows:
PART 350--SEAMEN'S SERVICE AWARDS
0
1. Revise the authority citation for part 350 to read as follows:
Authority: 46 U.S.C. chapter 519; 49 U.S.C. 322(a); 49 CFR 1.93.
0
2. Revise Sec. 350.1 to read as follows:
Sec. 350.1 Purpose.
The purpose of this part is to prescribe regulations to implement
46 U.S.C. chapter 519 to authorize the issue of decorations, medals,
and other recognition for service in the U.S. merchant marine, and for
other purposes, and to provide for the replacement of awards previously
issued for service in the U.S. merchant marine under prior law.
0
3. Amend Sec. 350.2 by revising paragraph (c) to read as follows:
Sec. 350.2 Special medals and awards.
* * * * *
(c) Inquiries. Direct all inquiries concerning eligibility and
procedures for the issuance of these medals to Maritime Administrator,
Attention: Seamen's Service Awards, Maritime Administration, U.S.
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC
20590.
0
4. Amend Sec. 350.3 by revising paragraph (a)(7) to read as follows:
Sec. 350.3 Other original recognition of service.
* * * * *
(a) * * *
(7) Atlantic War Zone Bar and Medal, awarded to merchant seamen who
served in the Atlantic War Zone, including the North Atlantic, South
Atlantic, Gulf of America, Caribbean, Barents Sea, and the Greenland
Sea,
[[Page 1709]]
between December 7, 1941, and November 8, 1945.
* * * * *
0
5. Amend Sec. 350.4 by:
0
a. Revising paragraph (c); and
0
b. Removing paragraphs (d) and (e).
The revision reads as follows:
Sec. 350.4 Eligibility for awards.
* * * * *
(c) Inquiries. The information establishing eligibility, along with
a written request must be directed to Maritime Administrator,
Attention: Seamen's Service Awards, Maritime Administration, U.S.
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC
20590.
0
6. Revise Sec. 350.5 to read as follows:
Sec. 350.5 Replacement decorations.
Decorations that have been previously issued may be replaced at
cost upon written request made to Maritime Administrator, Attention:
Seamen's Service Awards, Maritime Administration, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
(Authority: 46 U.S.C. Chapter 519; 49 U.S.C. 322(a); 49 CFR 1.93)
By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
T. Mitchell Hudson, Jr.,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2026-00753 Filed 1-14-26; 8:45 am]
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