PUBLIC LAW 105-85—NOV. 18, 1997 111 STAT. 2075 TITLE XXXVI—MARITIME ADMINISTRATION Sec. 3601. Authorization of appropriations for fiscal year 1998. Sec. 3602. Repeal of obsolete annual report requirement concerning relative cost of shipbuilding in the various coastal districts of the United States. Sec. 3603. Provisions relating to maritime security fleet program. Sec. 3604. Authority to utilize replacement vessels and capacity. Sec. 3605. Authority to convey National Defense Reserve Fleet vessel. Sec. 3606. Determination of gross tonnage for purposes of tank vessel double hull requirements. SEC. 3601. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1998. Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 1998, to be available without fiscal year limitation if so provided in appropriation Acts, for the use of the Department of Transportation for the Maritime Administration as follows: (1) For expenses necessary for operations and training activities, $70,000,000. (2) For expenses under the loan guarantee program authorized by title XI of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C. App. 1271 et seq.), $39,000,000 of which— (A) $35,000,000 is for the cost (as defined in section 502(5) of the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990 (2 U.S.C. 661a(5))) of loan guarantees under the program; and (B) $4,000,000 is for administrative expenses related to loan guarantee commitments under the program. SEC. 3602. REPEAL OF OBSOLETE ANNUAL REPORT REQUIREMENT CONCERNING RELATIVE COST OF SHIPBUILDING IN THE VARIOUS COASTAL DISTRICTS OF THE UNITED STATES. (a) REPEAL.—Section 213 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C. App. 1123), is amended by striking out paragraph (c). (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— Such section is further amended— (1) by striking out "on—" in the matter preceding paragraph (a) and inserting in lieu thereof "on the following:"; (2) by redesignating paragraphs (a) and (b) as paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively; (3) by striking out the semicolon at the end of each of those paragraphs and inserting in lieu thereof a period; and (4) by realigning those paragraphs so as to be indented 2 ems from the left margin. SEC. 3603. PROVISIONS RELATING TO MARITIME SECURITY FLEET PROGRAM. (a) AUTHORITY OF CONTRACTORS TO OPERATE SELF-PROPELLED TANK VESSELS IN NONCONTIGUOUS DOMESTIC TRADES. —Section 656(b) of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C. App. 1187e(b)) is amended by inserting "(1)" after "(b)", and by adding at the end the following new paragraph: "(2) Subsection (a) shall not apply to operation by a contractor of a self-propelled tank vessel in a noncontiguous domestic trade, or to ownership by a contractor of an interest in a self-propelled tank vessel that operates in a noncontiguous domestic trade.". (b) RELIEF FROM DELAY IN CERTAIN OPERATIONS FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION.—Section 652(c) of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936
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