116 STAT. 1090 PUBLIC LAW 107-217—AUG. 21, 2002 § 548. Surplus vessels The Maritime Administration shall dispose of surplus vessels of 1,500 gross tons or more which the Administration determines to be merchant vessels or capable of conversion to merchant use. The vessels shall be disposed of in accordance with the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 App. U.S.C. 1101 et seq.), and other laws authorizing the sale of such vessels. § 549. Donation of personal property through state agencies (a) DEFINITIONS. —In this section, the following definitions apply: (1) PUBLIC AGENCY.— The term "public agency" means— (A) a State; (B) a political subdivision of a State (including a unit of local government or economic development district); (C) a department, agency, or instrumentality of a State (including instrumentalities created by compact or other agreement between States or political subdivisions); or (D) an Indian tribe, band, group, pueblo, or community located on a state reservation. / (2) STATE. — The term "State" means a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. (3) STATE AGENCY. —The term "state agency" means an agency designated under state law as the agency responsible for fair and equitable distribution, through donation, of property transferred under this section. (b) AUTHORIZATION. — (1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of General Services, in the Administrator's discretion and under regulations the Administrator may prescribe, may transfer property described in paragraph (2) to a state agency. (2) PROPERTY.— (A) IN GENERAL.—Property referred to in paragraph (1) is any personal property that— (i) is under the control of an executive agency; and (ii) has been determined to be surplus property. (B) SPECIAL RULE. —In determining whether the property is to be transferred for donation under this section, no distinction may be made between property capitalized in a working-capital fund established under section 2208 of title 10 (or similar fund) and any other property. (3) NO COST.— Transfer of property under this section is without cost, except for any costs of care and handling. (c) ALLOCATION AND TRANSFER OF PROPERTY.— (1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall allocate and transfer property under this section in accordance with criteria that are based on need and use and that are established after consultation with state agencies to the extent feasible. The Administrator shall give fair consideration, consistent with the established criteria, to an expression of need and interest from a public agency or other eligible institution within a State. The Administrator shall give special consideration to an eligible recipient's request, transmitted through the state agency, for a specific item of property. (2) ALLOCATION AMONG STATES. —The Administrator shall allocate property among the States on a fair and equitable
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