109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4508
AN ACT 
To commend the outstanding efforts in response to Hurri-
cane Katrina by members and employees of the Coast 
Guard, to provide temporary relief to certain persons 
affected by such hurricane with respect to certain laws 
administered by the Coast Guard, and for other pur-
poses.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Coast Guard Hurri-
cane Relief Act of 2005’’. 
SEC. 2. COMMENDATION, RECOGNITION, AND THANKS FOR 
COAST GUARD PERSONNEL. 
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following: 
(1) On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina 
struck the Gulf of Mexico coastal region of Lou-
isiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, causing the worst 
natural disaster in United States history. 
(2) The Coast Guard strategically positioned its 
aircraft, vessels, and personnel the day before Hurri-
cane Katrina made landfall and launched search and 
rescue teams within hours after Hurricane Katrina 
struck. 
(3) The Coast Guard moved its operations in 
areas threatened by Hurricane Katrina to higher 
ground and mobilized cutters, small boats, and air-
craft from all around the United States to help in 
the response to Hurricane Katrina. 
(4) The response to Hurricane Katrina by 
members and employees of the Coast Guard has 
been immediate, invaluable, and courageous.
(5) The Coast Guard rescued more than 33,000 
people affected by Hurricane Katrina through the 
air and by water, including evacuations of hospitals, 
and has been at the center of efforts to restore com-
merce to areas affected by Hurricane Katrina by 
clearing shipping channels, replacing aids to naviga-
tion, and securing uprooted oil rigs. 
(6) The Coast Guard was at the forefront of 
the Federal response to the numerous oil and chem-
ical spills in the area affected by Hurricane Katrina. 
(7) Members and employees of the Coast 
Guard—
(A) have shown great leadership in helping 
to coordinate relief efforts with respect to Hur-
ricane Katrina; 
(B) have used their expertise and special-
ized skills to provide immediate assistance to 
victims and survivors of the hurricane; and 
(C) have set up remote assistance oper-
ations in the affected areas in order to best pro-
vide service to the Gulf of Mexico coastal re-
gion. 
(8) Members and employees of the Coast Guard 
have worked together to bring clean water, food, and 
resources to victims and survivors in need.
(b) COMMENDATION, RECOGNITION, AND THANKS.—
The Congress—
(1) commends the outstanding efforts in re-
sponse to Hurricane Katrina by members and em-
ployees of the Coast Guard; 
(2) recognizes that the actions of these individ-
uals went above and beyond the call of duty; and 
(3) thanks them for their continued dedication 
and service. 
(c) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the Coast Guard should play a major role in 
response to any future national emergency or disaster 
caused by a natural event in the United States in a coastal 
or offshore area. 
SEC. 3. TEMPORARY AUTHORIZATION TO EXTEND THE DU-
RATION OF LICENSES, CERTIFICATES OF 
REGISTRY, AND MERCHANT MARINERS’ DOC-
UMENTS. 
(a) LICENSES AND CERTIFICATES OF REGISTRY.—
Notwithstanding section 7106 and 7107 of title 46, 
United States Code, the Secretary of the department in 
which the Coast Guard is operating may temporarily ex-
tend the duration of a license or certificate of registry 
issued for an individual under chapter 71 of that title until 
not later than February 28, 2006, if—
(1) the individual is a resident of Alabama, 
Mississippi, or Louisiana; or 
(2) the individual is a resident of any other 
State, and the records of the individual—
(A) are located at the Coast Guard facility 
in New Orleans that was damaged by Hurri-
cane Katrina; or 
(B) were damaged or lost as a result of 
Hurricane Katrina. 
(b) MERCHANT MARINERS’ DOCUMENTS.—Notwith-
standing section 7302(g) of title 46, United States Code, 
the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard 
is operating may temporarily extend the duration of a 
merchant mariners’ document issued for an individual 
under chapter 73 of that title until not later than Feb-
ruary 28, 2006, if—
(1) the individual is a resident of Alabama, 
Mississippi, or Louisiana; or 
(2) the individual is a resident of any other 
State, and the records of the individual—
(A) are located at the Coast Guard facility 
in New Orleans that was damaged by Hurri-
cane Katrina; or 
(B) were damaged or lost as a result of 
Hurricane Katrina.
(c) MANNER OF EXTENSION.—Any extensions grant-
ed under this section may be granted to individual seamen 
or a specifically identified group of seamen. 
SEC. 4. TEMPORARY AUTHORIZATION TO EXTEND THE DU-
RATION OF VESSEL CERTIFICATES OF IN-
SPECTION. 
(a) AUTHORITY TO EXTEND.—Notwithstanding sec-
tion 3307 and 3711(b) of title 46, United States Code, 
the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard 
is operating may temporarily extend the duration or the 
validity of a certificate of inspection or a certificate of 
compliance issued under chapter 33 or 37, respectively, 
of title 46, United States Code, for up to 3 months for 
a vessel inspected by a Coast Guard Marine Safety Office 
located in Alabama, Mississippi, or Louisiana. 
(b) EXPIRATION
OF AUTHORITY.—The authority 
provided under this section expires February 28, 2006. 
SEC. 5. PRESERVATION OF LEAVE LOST DUE TO HURRI-
CANE KATRINA OPERATIONS. 
(a) PRESERVATION
OF
LEAVE.—Notwithstanding 
section 701(b) of title 10, United States Code, any mem-
ber of the Coast Guard who serves on active duty for a 
continuous period of 30 days, who is assigned to duty or 
otherwise detailed in support of units or operations in the 
Eighth Coast Guard District area of responsibility for ac-
tivities to mitigate the consequences of, or assist in the 
recovery from, Hurricane Katrina, during the period be-
ginning on August 28, 2005, and ending on January 1, 
2006, and who would otherwise lose any accumulated leave 
in excess of 60 days as a consequence of such assignment, 
is authorized to retain an accumulated total of up to 90 
days of leave. 
(b) EXCESS LEAVE.—Leave in excess of 60 days ac-
cumulated under subsection (a) shall be lost unless used 
by the member before the commencement of the second 
fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the assign-
ment commences, or in the case of a Reserve members, 
the year in which the period of active service is completed.
Passed the House of Representatives December 14, 
2005. 
Attest:
Clerk.
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 4508
AN ACT 
To commend the outstanding efforts in response to 
Hurricane Katrina by members and employees of 
the Coast Guard, to provide temporary relief to 
certain persons affected by such hurricane with 
respect to certain laws administered by the Coast 
Guard, and for other purposes.