Maritime Administration Authorities Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1778
Sponsor: Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2007-07-12 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Armed forces reserves
Authorization
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Department of Transportation
Economics and Public Finance
Federal aid to transportation
Federally-guaranteed loans
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government lending
Leases
Marine transportation
Merchant ships
Shipbuilding
Surplus government property

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-12
text: 
Maritime Administration Authorities Act of 2007 - Authorizes appropriations for the Maritime Administration, including for operations and training, assistance to small shipyards and maritime communities, and disposal of obsolete vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to enter into agreements to purchase, charter, operate, or otherwise acquire the use of any vessels and any other related real or personal property.
 
Subjects the following to the prior consent of the Secretary of Defense regarding vessels in the Ready Reserve Force or the National Defense Reserve Fleet: (1) the authority of the Secretary of Transportation to operate or lease vessels under the Secretary's control; (2) the charter of vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet (including Ready Reserve Force vessels) by any state, locality, or territory of the United States; and (3) the authority of the Secretary of Transportation to charter or otherwise make available a vessel under the jurisdiction of the Secretary to any other department.
 
Amends the National Maritime Heritage Act of 1994 to modify requirements regarding disposal of certain National Defense Reserve Fleet vessels that are not in the Ready Reserve Fleet.
 
Requires the Secretary of Transportation, in order to ensure Ready Reserve Fleet vessel readiness, to activate and conduct sea trials on each vessel at least once every 30 (under current law, 24) months.
 
Sets forth a variety of provisions. Declares that such provisions make no substantive change in existing law and prohibits construing them as making a substantive change. 

action_date: 2007-10-19
text: 
Maritime Administration Authorities Act of 2007 - 
Title I: Maritime Administration - 
(Sec. 101) Authorizes appropriations for the Maritime Administration, including for operations and training, assistance to small shipyards and maritime communities, disposal of obsolete vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, and loans under provisions relating to financing for the construction, reconstruction, or reconditioning of a vessel or fishery facility.
 
(Sec. 102) Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to enter into agreements to purchase, charter, operate, or otherwise acquire the use of any documented vessels and any other related real or personal property.
 
(Sec. 103) Subjects the following to the prior consent of the Secretary of Defense regarding vessels in the Ready Reserve Force or the National Defense Reserve Fleet: (1) the authority of the Secretary of Transportation to operate or lease vessels under the Secretary's control; (2) the charter of vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet (including Ready Reserve Force vessels) by any state, locality, or territory of the United States; and (3) the authority of the Secretary of Transportation to charter or otherwise make available a vessel under the jurisdiction of the Secretary to any other department.
 
(Sec. 105) Amends the National Maritime Heritage Act of 1994 to modify requirements regarding disposal of certain National Defense Reserve Fleet vessels that are not in the Ready Reserve Fleet.
 
(Sec. 107) Requires the Secretary of Transportation, in order to ensure Ready Reserve Fleet vessel readiness, to activate and conduct sea trials on each vessel at least once every 30 (under current law, 24) months.
 
(Sec. 108) Requires the Administrator of the Maritime Administration to develop a comprehensive plan for the review of traditional applications (defined as being of a type that has been approved multiple times without default or unreasonable risk to the United States) and nontraditional applications for a loan, guarantee, or a commitment to guarantee submitted under provisions relating to financing for the construction, reconstruction, or reconditioning of a vessel or fishery facility. Requires the Administrator to report to specified congressional committees regarding the plan.
 
 
Title II: Technical Corrections - 
(Sec. 201) Sets forth a variety of provisions. Declares that such provisions make no substantive change in existing law and prohibits construing them as making a substantive change. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-10-19
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 432.
action_date: 2007-10-19
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Inouye with amendments. With written report No. 110-200.
action_date: 2007-10-19
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Inouye with amendments. With written report No. 110-200.
action_date: 2007-07-19
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
action_date: 2007-07-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2007-07-12
text: Introduced in Senate