### **CHAPTER 257—CONTRACTS FOR LONG-TERM LEASE OR CHARTER OF VESSELS, AIRCRAFT, AND COMBAT VEHICLES**

Sec.
3671.
Requirement for authorization by law of certain contracts relating to vessels, aircraft, and combat vehicles.
3672.
Requirement of specific authorization by law for appropriation, and for obligation and expenditure, of funds for certain contracts relating to aircraft, naval vessels, and combat vehicles.
3673.
Limitation on indemnification.
3674.
Long-term lease or charter defined; substantial termination liability.
3675.
Capital lease or lease-purchase treated as an acquisition.
3676.
Guidelines.
3677.
Contracts for lease or use of vessels for a term of greater than two years but less than five years: prior notice to congressional committees.
3678.
Contracts with terms of 18 months or more: limitation.

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Riding Gang Member Requirements

Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title X, §1018, Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2380, as amended by Pub. L. 110–417, div. C, title XXXV, §3504, Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4762, provided that:

"(a) In General.—The Secretary of Defense may not award, renew, extend, or exercise an option to extend any charter of a vessel documented under chapter 121 of title 46, United States Code, for the Department of Defense, or any contract for the carriage of cargo by a vessel documented under that chapter for the Department of Defense, unless the charter or contract, respectively, includes provisions that—

"(1) subject to paragraph (2), allow riding gang members to perform work on the vessel during the effective period of the charter or contract only under terms, conditions, restrictions, and requirements as provided in section 8106 of title 46, United States Code; and

"(2) require that riding gang members hold a merchant mariner's document issued under chapter 73 of title 46, United States Code, or a transportation security card issued under section 70105 of such title.

"(b) Exemption.—

"(1) In general.—In accordance with regulations issued by the Secretary of Defense, an individual shall not be treated as a riding gang member for the purposes of section 8106 of title 46, United States Code, and this section if—

"(A) the individual is aboard a vessel that is under charter or contract for the carriage of cargo for the Department of Defense, for purposes other than engaging in the operation or maintenance of the vessel; and

"(B) the individual—

"(i) accompanies, supervises, guards, or maintains unit equipment aboard a ship, commonly referred to as supercargo personnel;

"(ii) is one of the force protection personnel of the vessel;

"(iii) is a specialized repair technician; or

"(iv) is otherwise required by the Secretary of Defense to be aboard the vessel.

"(2) Background check.—

"(A) In general.—This section shall not apply to an individual unless—

"(i) the name and other necessary identifying information for the individual is submitted to the Secretary for a background check; and

"(ii) except as provided in subparagraph (B), the individual successfully passes a background check by the Secretary prior to going aboard the vessel.

"(B) Waiver.—The Secretary may waive the application of subparagraph (A)(ii) for an individual who holds a merchant mariner's document issued under chapter 73 of title 46, United States Code, or a transportation security card issued under section 70105 of such title.

"(3) Exempted individual not treated as in addition to the crew.—An individual who, under paragraph (1), is not treated as a riding gang member shall not be counted as an individual in addition to the crew for the purposes of section 3304 of title 46, United States Code."

[Amendments made by Pub. L. 117–263 to section 70105 of Title 46, Shipping, referred to in section 1018(a)(2), (b)(2)(B) of Pub. L. 109–364, set out above, are such that section 70105 now refers to "transportation worker identification credential" rather than "transportation security card". See section 70105 of Title 46.]