An Act to further the effectiveness of shipment of goods and supplies in foreign commerce by promoting the welfare of U.S. merchant seamen through cooperation with the United Seamen's Service, and for other purposes
PL 91-603 (H.R.15549), enacted 12/31/1970

1674 
PUBLIC LAW 91-602-DEC. 31, 1970 
[84 STAT. 
Effective date. 
Publication in 
Federal Register. 
SEO. 9. This Act shall take effect on the date of its enactment. Each 
regulation establishing a special packaging standard shall specify the 
date such standard is to take effect which date shall not be sooner than 
one hundred and eighty days or later than one year from the date such 
regulation is final, unless the Secretary, for good cause found, deter-
mines that an earlier effective date is in the public interest and pub-
lishes in the Federal Register his reason for such finding, in which 
case such earlier date shall apply. No such standard shall be effective 
as to household substances subject to this Act packaged prior to the 
effective date of such final regulation. 
Approved December 30, 1970. 
December 31, 1970 
[H. J. Res.1417] 
Public Law 91-602 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
Extending the dates for transmission to the Congress of the President's Eeouomic 
Rejwrt and of the report of the Joint Economic Committee. 
President's 
Economic Report. 
60 Stat. 24; 
70 Stat. 289. 
62 Stat. 16. 
Renolved hy the S'enate and House of Representatives 
of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled^ That (a) notwithstanding 
the provisions of section 3 of the Act of February 20, 1946, as 
amended (15 LT.S.C. 1022), the President shall transmit to the Con-
gress not later than February 1, 1971, the Economic Report; and 
(b) notwithstanding the provisions of clause (3) of section 5(b) of 
the Act of February 20,1946 (15 U.S.C. 1024(b)), the Joint Economic 
Committee shall file its report on the President's Economic Report 
with the House of Representatives and the Senate not later than 
March 10, 1971. 
Approved December 31, 1970. 
December 31, 1970 
[H. R. 15549] 
Public Law 91-603 
AN ACT 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to further the effectiveness of shipment 
of goods and supplies in foreign commerce by promoting the welfare of United 
States merchant seamen through cooperation with the United Seamen's 
Service, and for other purposes. 
Act. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
Seamen's Service United States of Ameriea in Congress assembled, That this Act may 
be cited as the ''Seamen's Service Act*'. 
SEC. 2. It is the purpose of this Act, by authorizing appropriate 
departments and agencies of the Liiiited States Government to cooper-
ate with the United Seamen's Service (a nonprofit, charitable organi-
zation incorporated under the laws of the State of New York) in 
the establishment and operation of facilities for United States mer-
chant seamen in foreign areas, to promote the welfare of such seamen, 
essential to the overall interests of shipment of United States goods 
and supplies to such areas. 
SEC. 3. Chapter 155 of title 10, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by adding the following new section at the end thereof: 
**§2604. United Seamen's Service: cooperation and assistance 
*'(a) Whenever the President finds it necessary in the interest of 
United States commitments abroad to provide facilities and services 
for L^nited States merchant seamen in foreign areas, he may authorize 
the Secretary of Defense, under such regulations as the Secretary may 
70A Stat. 144; 
76 Stat. 244. 
10 u s e 2601-
2603, 
84 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 91-603-DEC. 31, 1970 
1675 
prescribe, to cooperate with and assist the United Seamen's Service in 
establishing and providing those facilities and services. 
" (b) Personnel of the United Seamen's Service who are performing 
duties in connection with the cooperation and assistance under subsec-
tion (a) may be furnished— 
"(1) transportation, at the expense of the United States, while 
traveling to and from, and while performing, those duties, in the 
same manner as civilian employees of the armed, forces; 
*'(2) meals and quarters, at their expense or at the expense of 
the L^nited Seamen's Service, except that where civilian employees 
of the armed forces are quartered without charge, employees of 
the L^nited Seamen's Service may also be quartered without 
charge; and 
"(3) available office space (including space for recreational 
activities for seamen), warehousing, wharfage, and means of 
communication, without charge. 
'' (c) No fee may be charged for a passport issued to an employee of ^^1^^^^°"^* ^^^' 
the United Seamen's Service for travel outside the United States to 
assume or perform duties under this section. 
"(d) Supplies of the United Seamen's Service, including gifts for 
the use of merchant seamen, may be transported at the expense of the 
United States, if it is determined under regulations prescribed under 
subsection (a) that they are necessary to the cooperation and assistance 
provided under this section. 
"(e) Where practicable, the President shall also make arrangements 
to provide for convertibility of local currencies for the United Sea-
men's Service, in connection with its activities under subsection (a). 
"(f) For the purposes of this section, employees of the United 
Seamen's Service may not be considered as employees of the L^nited 
States."; and 
(2) by adding the following new item at the end of the analysis: 
"2604. United Seamen's Service: cooperation and assistance." 
SEC. 4. The Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.), 
as amended, is amended as follows: 
^9 stat. igss. 
(a) By striking out of section 501(a) (2) thereof (46 U.S.C. 1151 
(a) (2)) the words "to enable it to operate and maintain" and insert- 
^^ ^*^*- ^^°-
ing in lieu thereof "for the operation and maintenance of". 
(b) By striking out of section 502(a) thereof (46 U.S.C. 1152(a)) 
^"'^' "' '^^^^ 
the words "to enable it to operate and maintain" and inserting in lieu 
thereof "for the operation and maintenance of". 
(c) By inserting in section 601(a)(2) thereof (46 U.S.C. 1171 
(a) (2)) following the word "owns" the words "or leases". 
^^ stat. 2001. 
(d) By inserting in section 601(a)(2) thereof (46 U.S.C. 1171 
(a) (2)) following the word "purchase" the words "or lease". 
(e) By striking the last sentence of section 805(d) thereof (46 
U.S.C. 1223(d)). 
49 Stat. 2012. 
Approved December 31, 1970. 
Currencies, 
convertibility.