I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 321 

To allow for a contract for operation of Melville Hall at the United States 

Merchant Marine Academy, after receipt of a gift from the United 

States Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association and Foundation, 

Inc., for renovation of such hall and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 13, 2015 

Mr. SESSIONS (for himself and Mr. JOLLY) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To allow for a contract for operation of Melville Hall at 

the United States Merchant Marine Academy, after receipt of a gift from the United States Merchant Marine 

Academy Alumni Association and Foundation, Inc., for 

renovation of such hall and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘U.S. Merchant Marine 

5 Academy Improvement Act of 2015’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. MELVILLE HALL OF UNITED STATES MERCHANT 

2 MARINE ACADEMY. 

3 (a) GIFT TO THE MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY.— 

4 The Maritime Administrator may accept a gift of money 

5 from the Foundation under section 51315 of title 46, 

6 United States Code, for the purpose of renovating Melville 

7 Hall on the campus of the United States Merchant Marine 

8 Academy. 

9 (b) COVERED GIFTS.—A gift described in this sub10 section is a gift under subsection (a) that the Maritime 

11 Administrator determines exceeds the sum of— 

12 (1) the minimum amount that is sufficient to 

13 ensure the renovation of Melville Hall in accordance 

14 with the capital improvement plan of the United 

15 States Merchant Marine Academy that was in effect 

16 on the date of enactment of this Act; and 

17 (2) 25 percent of the amount described in para18 graph (1). 

19 (c) OPERATION CONTRACTS.—Subject to subsection 

20 (d), in the case that the Maritime Administrator accepts 

21 a gift of money described in subsection (b), the Maritime 

22 Administrator may enter into a contract with the Founda23 tion for the operation of Melville Hall to make available 

24 facilities for, among other possible uses, official academy 

25 functions, third-party catering functions, and industry 

26 events and conferences. 


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1 (d) CONTRACT TERMS.—The contract described in 

2 subsection (c) shall be for such period and on such terms 

3 as the Maritime Administrator considers appropriate, in4 cluding a provision, mutually agreeable to the Maritime 

5 Administrator and the Foundation, that— 

6 (1) requires the Foundation— 

7 (A) at the expense solely of the Foundation 

8 through the term of the contract to maintain 

9 Melville Hall in a condition that is as good as 

10 or better than the condition Melville Hall was 

11 in on the later of— 

12 (i) the date that the renovation of 

13 Melville Hall was completed; or 

14 (ii) the date that the Foundation ac15 cepted Melville Hall after it was tendered 

16 to the Foundation by the Maritime Admin17 istrator; and 

18 (B) to deposit all proceeds from the oper19 ation of Melville Hall, after expenses necessary 

20 for the operation and maintenance of Melville 

21 Hall, into the account of the Regimental Affairs 

22 Non-Appropriated Fund Instrumentality or suc23 cessor entity, to be used solely for the morale 

24 and welfare of the cadets of the United States 

25 Merchant Marine Academy; and 


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1 (2) prohibits the use of Melville Hall as lodging 

2 or an office by any person for more than 4 days in 

3 any calendar year other than— 

4 (A) by the United States; or 

5 (B) for the administration and operation of 

6 Melville Hall. 

7 (e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

8 (1) CONTRACT.—The term ‘‘contract’’ includes 

9 any modification, extension, or renewal of the con10 tract. 

11 (2) FOUNDATION.—In this section, the term 

12 ‘‘Foundation’’ means the United States Merchant 

13 Marine Academy Alumni Association and Founda14 tion, Inc. 

15 (f) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec16 tion may be construed under section 3105 of title 41, 

17 United States Code, as requiring the Maritime Adminis18 trator to award a contract for the operation of Melville 

19 Hall to the Foundation. 

Æ 


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