I

103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1780

To amend the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, to authorize State maritime

academies to reimburse qualified individuals for fees imposed for the

issuance of certain entry level merchant seamen licenses and merchant

mariners’ documents, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APRIL 21, 1993

Mr. FIELDS of Texas (for himself, Mr. STUDDS, Mr. TAUZIN, Ms. SNOWE,

and Mr. KING) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries

A BILL

To amend the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, to authorize

State maritime academies to reimburse qualified individuals for fees imposed for the issuance of certain entry

level merchant seamen licenses and merchant mariners’

documents, 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 ‘‘Maritime Academy Li5 censing Relief Act’’.
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1 SEC. 2. REIMBURSEMENT OF CERTAIN FEES BY STATE

2 MARITIME ACADEMIES.

3 (a) CONDITION OF ASSISTANCE.—Section 1304(d) of

4 the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 App. U.S.C.

5 1295c(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

6 ‘‘(3)(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), an agreement

7 under this subsection shall require a State maritime acad8 emy to reimburse each qualified individual for any fee or

9 charge for which the individual is liable to the United

10 States for—

11 ‘‘(i) the issuance of an entry level license under

12 chapter 71 of title 46, United States Code;

13 ‘‘(ii) the first issuance of a merchant mariner’s

14 document under chapter 73 of that title;

15 ‘‘(iii) an evaluation or examination for such a li16 cense or merchant mariner’s document conducted

17 before the end of the period described in subpara18 graph (D)(ii); or

19 ‘‘(iv) an application for such a license, mer20 chant mariner’s document, evaluation, or examina21 tion.

22 ‘‘(B) A State maritime academy shall reimburse

23 qualified individuals under subparagraph (A) to the extent

24 amounts are available under subparagraph (C).

25 ‘‘(C) In addition to annual payments under para26 graph (1)(A) and subject to the availability of appropria-
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1 tions, the Secretary shall annually pay to each State mari2 time academy that enters into an agreement under para3 graph (1) amounts to reimburse qualified individuals

4 under subparagraph (A).

5 ‘‘(D) In this paragraph, the term ‘qualified individ6 ual’ means an individual who—

7 ‘‘(i) is attending or is a graduate of a State

8 maritime academy;

9 ‘‘(ii) fulfills the requirements for a license or

10 merchant mariner’s document described in subpara11 graph (A) not later than three months after the date

12 the individual graduates from a State maritime

13 academy; and

14 ‘‘(iii) is liable for a fee or charge described in

15 subparagraph (A).’’.

16 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by

17 subsection (a) is effective October 1, 1993.

18 (c) AMENDMENT OF EXISTING AGREEMENTS.—As

19 soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this

20 Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall amend agree21 ments under section 1304(d) of the Merchant Marine Act,

22 1936 (46 App. U.S.C. 1295c(d)) pursuant to the amend23 ment made by subsection (a).

24 (d) ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS AUTHORIZED.—

25 In addition to amounts authorized to be appropriated for
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1 assistance to State maritime academies, there is author2 ized to be appropriated $300,000 for Fiscal Year 1994

3 to reimburse qualified individuals pursuant to the amend4 ment made by subsection (a).

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