[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 119, 109th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

119 STAT. 2654

Public Law 109-141
109th Congress

An Act


 
To commend the outstanding efforts in response to Hurricane Katrina by
members and employees of the Coast Guard, to provide temporary relief to
certain persons affected by such hurricane with respect to certain laws
administered by the Coast Guard, and for other purposes.  NOTE: Dec.
22, 2005 -  [H.R. 4508]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,  NOTE: Coast Guard
Hurricane Relief Act of 2005.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Coast Guard Hurricane Relief Act of
2005''.

SEC. 2. COMMENDATION, RECOGNITION, AND THANKS FOR COAST GUARD PERSONNEL.

(a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
(1) On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf of
Mexico coastal region of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama,
causing the worst natural disaster in United States history.
(2) The Coast Guard strategically positioned its aircraft,
vessels, and personnel the day before Hurricane Katrina made
landfall and launched search and rescue teams within hours after
Hurricane Katrina struck.
(3) The Coast Guard moved its operations in areas threatened
by Hurricane Katrina to higher ground and mobilized cutters,
small boats, and aircraft from all around the United States to
help in the response to Hurricane Katrina.
(4) The response to Hurricane Katrina by members and
employees of the Coast Guard has been immediate, invaluable, and
courageous.
(5) The Coast Guard rescued more than 33,000 people affected
by Hurricane Katrina through the air and by water, including
evacuations of hospitals, and has been at the center of efforts
to restore commerce to areas affected by Hurricane Katrina by
clearing shipping channels, replacing aids to navigation, and
securing uprooted oil rigs.
(6) The Coast Guard was at the forefront of the Federal
response to the numerous oil and chemical spills in the area
affected by Hurricane Katrina.
(7) Members and employees of the Coast Guard--
(A) have shown great leadership in helping to
coordinate relief efforts with respect to Hurricane
Katrina;
(B) have used their expertise and specialized skills
to provide immediate assistance to victims and survivors
of the hurricane; and

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119 STAT. 2655

(C) have set up remote assistance operations in the
affected areas in order to best provide service to the
Gulf of Mexico coastal region.
(8) Members and employees of the Coast Guard have worked
together to bring clean water, food, and resources to victims
and survivors in need.

(b) Commendation, Recognition, and Thanks.--The Congress--
(1) commends the outstanding efforts in response to
Hurricane Katrina by members and employees of the Coast Guard;
(2) recognizes that the actions of these individuals went
above and beyond the call of duty; and
(3) thanks them for their continued dedication and service.

(c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the Coast
Guard should play a major role in response to any future national
emergency or disaster caused by a natural event in the United States in
a coastal or offshore area.

SEC. 3. TEMPORARY AUTHORIZATION TO EXTEND THE DURATION OF LICENSES,
CERTIFICATES OF REGISTRY, AND MERCHANT MARINERS' DOCUMENTS.

(a) Licenses and Certificates of Registry.--Notwithstanding sections
7106 and 7107 of title 46, United States Code, the Secretary of the
department in which the Coast Guard is operating may temporarily extend
the duration of a license or certificate of registry issued for an
individual under chapter 71 of that title until not later than February
28, 2006, if--
(1) the individual is a resident of Alabama, Mississippi, or
Louisiana; or
(2) the individual is a resident of any other State, and the
records of the individual--
(A) are located at the Coast Guard facility in New
Orleans that was damaged by Hurricane Katrina; or
(B) were damaged or lost as a result of Hurricane
Katrina.

(b) Merchant Mariners' Documents.--Notwithstanding section 7302(g)
of title 46, United States Code, the Secretary of the department in
which the Coast Guard is operating may temporarily extend the duration
of a merchant mariners' document issued for an individual under chapter
73 of that title until not later than February 28, 2006, if--
(1) the individual is a resident of Alabama, Mississippi, or
Louisiana; or
(2) the individual is a resident of any other State, and the
records of the individual--
(A) are located at the Coast Guard facility in New
Orleans that was damaged by Hurricane Katrina; or
(B) were damaged or lost as a result of Hurricane
Katrina.

(c) Manner of Extension.--Any extensions granted under this section
may be granted to individual seamen or a specifically identified group
of seamen.

SEC. 4. TEMPORARY AUTHORIZATION TO EXTEND THE DURATION OF VESSEL
CERTIFICATES OF INSPECTION.

(a) Authority to Extend.--Notwithstanding section 3307 and 3711(b)
of title 46, United States Code, the Secretary of the department in
which the Coast Guard is operating may temporarily extend

[[Page 2656]]
119 STAT. 2656

the duration or the validity of a certificate of inspection or a
certificate of compliance issued under chapter 33 or 37, respectively,
of title 46, United States Code, for up to 3 months for a vessel
inspected by a Coast Guard Marine Safety Office located in Alabama,
Mississippi, or Louisiana.
(b) Expiration of Authority.--The authority provided under this
section expires February 28, 2006.

SEC. 5. PRESERVATION OF LEAVE LOST DUE TO HURRICANE KATRINA OPERATIONS.

(a) Preservation of Leave.--Notwithstanding section 701(b) of title
10, United States Code, any member of the Coast Guard who serves on
active duty for a continuous period of 30 days, who is assigned to duty
or otherwise detailed in support of units or operations in the Eighth
Coast Guard District area of responsibility for activities to mitigate
the consequences of, or assist in the recovery from, Hurricane Katrina,
during the period beginning on August 28, 2005, and ending on January 1,
2006, and who would otherwise lose any accumulated leave in excess of 60
days as a consequence of such assignment, is authorized to retain an
accumulated total of up to 90 days of leave.
(b) Excess Leave.--Leave in excess of 60 days accumulated under
subsection (a) shall be lost unless used by the member before the
commencement of the second fiscal year following the fiscal year in
which the assignment commences, or in the case of a Reserve members, the
year in which the period of active service is completed.

Approved December 22, 2005.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 4508:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 151 (2005):
Dec. 14, considered and passed House.
Dec. 16, considered and passed Senate.