### §8671. Determination of vessel delivery dates

(a) In General.—The delivery of a covered vessel shall be deemed to occur on the date on which—

(1) the Secretary of the Navy determines that the vessel is assembled and complete; and

(2) custody of the vessel and all systems contained in the vessel transfers to the Navy.

(b) Inclusion in Budget and Acquisition Reports.—The delivery dates of covered vessels shall be included—

(1) in the materials submitted to Congress by the Secretary of Defense in support of the budget of the President for each fiscal year (as submitted to Congress under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code); and

(2) in any relevant Selected Acquisition Report submitted to Congress under section 4351 of this title.

(c) Listing as Battle Force Ship in Naval Vessel Register.—A covered vessel may not be listed in the Naval Vessel Register or other fleet inventory measures as a battle force ship until the delivery date specified in subsection (a).

(d) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) The term "covered vessel" means any vessel of the Navy that is under construction or constructed using amounts authorized to be appropriated for the Department of Defense for shipbuilding and conversion, Navy.

(2) The term "battle force ship" means the following:

(A) A commissioned United States Ship warship capable of contributing to combat operations.

(B) A United States Naval Ship that contributes directly to Navy warfighting or support missions.

(Added Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title I, §121(a)(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2029, §7301; renumbered §8671 and amended Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, §807(d)(2), title X, §1014, Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1836, 1948; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, §1849(f), formerly §1849(m), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4264, renumbered §1849(f) and amended Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVII, §1701(o)(5)(B), (6)(D), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2147.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Amendments

2021—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 116–283, §1849(f), formerly §1849(m), as renumbered and amended by Pub. L. 117–81, §1701(o)(5)(B), (6)(D), substituted "section 4351" for "section 2432".

2018—Pub. L. 115–232, §807(d)(2), renumbered section 7301 of this title as this section.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 115–232, §1014(a)(2), added subsec. (c). Former subsec. (c) redesignated (d).

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 115–232, §1014(b), added subsec. (d) and struck out former subsec. (d). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "In this section, the term 'covered vessel' means any vessel of the Navy that is under construction on or after the date of the enactment of this section using amounts authorized to be appropriated for the Department of Defense for shipbuilding and conversion, Navy."

Pub. L. 115–232, §1014(a)(1), redesignated subsec. (c) as (d).

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

#### Effective Date of 2021 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 117–81 applicable as if included in the enactment of title XVIII of Pub. L. 116–283 as enacted, see section 1701(a)(2) of Pub. L. 117–81, set out in a note preceding section 3001 of this title and note below.

Amendment by Pub. L. 116–283 effective Jan. 1, 2022, with additional provisions for delayed implementation and applicability of existing law, see section 1801(d) of Pub. L. 116–283, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

#### Effective Date of 2018 Amendment

Amendment by section 807(d)(2) of Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

#### Certification

Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title I, §121(b), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2030, provided that:

"(1) In general.—Not later than January 1, 2017, the Secretary of the Navy shall certify to the congressional defense committees [Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives] that the delivery dates of the following vessels have been adjusted in accordance with section 7301 [now 8671] of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a):

"(A) The U.S.S. John F. Kennedy (CVN–79).

"(B) The U.S.S. Zumwalt (DDG–1000).

"(C) The U.S.S. Michael Monsoor (DDG–1001).

"(D) The U.S.S. Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG–1002).

"(E) Any other vessel of the Navy that is under construction on the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 23, 2016].

"(2) Contents.—The certification under paragraph (1) shall include—

"(A) an identification of each vessel for which the delivery date was adjusted; and

"(B) the delivery date of each such vessel, as so adjusted."