Coast Guard Hurricane Relief Act of 2005
PL 109-141 (H.R.4508), enacted 12/22/2005

119 STAT. 2654
PUBLIC LAW 109–141—DEC. 22, 2005
Public Law 109–141
109th Congress
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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Coast Guard Hurricane 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 Louisiana, 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 Hurricane Katrina made
landfall and launched search and rescue teams within hours
after Hurricane Katrina struck.
(3) The Coast Guard moved its operations in areas threat-
ened by Hurricane Katrina to higher ground and mobilized
cutters, small boats, and aircraft 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 commerce 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 chemical spills in the area
affected by Hurricane Katrina.
(7) Members and employees of the Coast Guard—
(A) have shown great leadership in helping to coordi-
nate relief efforts with respect to Hurricane Katrina;
(B) have used their expertise and specialized skills
to provide immediate assistance to victims and survivors
of the hurricane; and
Coast Guard
Hurricane Relief
Act of 2005.
Dec. 22, 2005
[H.R. 4508]
VerDate 14-DEC-2004
07:21 Oct 30, 2006
Jkt 039194
PO 00003
Frm 00122
Fmt 6580
Sfmt 6581
E:\PUBLAW\PUBL003.119
APPS06
PsN: PUBL003
119 STAT. 2655
PUBLIC LAW 109–141—DEC. 22, 2005
(C) have set up remote assistance operations in the
affected areas in order to best provide service to the Gulf
of Mexico coastal region.
(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 response to Hurri-
cane Katrina by members and employees of the Coast Guard;
(2) recognizes that the actions of these individuals 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 Congress 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 DURATION OF
LICENSES, CERTIFICATES OF REGISTRY, AND MERCHANT
MARINERS’ DOCUMENTS.
(a) LICENSES
AND
CERTIFICATES
OF
REGISTRY.—Notwith-
standing sections 7106 and 7107 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 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 Hurricane Katrina; or
(B) were damaged or lost as a result of Hurricane
Katrina.
(b) MERCHANT MARINERS’ DOCUMENTS.—Notwithstanding sec-
tion 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
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 Hurricane Katrina; or
(B) were damaged or lost as a result of Hurricane
Katrina.
(c) MANNER OF EXTENSION.—Any extensions granted under this
section may be granted to individual seamen or a specifically identi-
fied group of seamen.
SEC. 4. TEMPORARY AUTHORIZATION TO EXTEND THE DURATION OF
VESSEL CERTIFICATES OF INSPECTION.
(a) AUTHORITY TO EXTEND.—Notwithstanding section 3307 and
3711(b) of title 46, United States Code, the Secretary of the depart-
ment in which the Coast Guard is operating may temporarily extend
VerDate 14-DEC-2004
07:21 Oct 30, 2006
Jkt 039194
PO 00003
Frm 00123
Fmt 6580
Sfmt 6581
E:\PUBLAW\PUBL003.119
APPS06
PsN: PUBL003
119 STAT. 2656
PUBLIC LAW 109–141—DEC. 22, 2005
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 4508:
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 151 (2005):
Dec. 14, considered and passed House.
Dec. 16, considered and passed Senate.
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 Ala-
bama, 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 HURRICANE KATRINA
OPERATIONS.
(a) PRESERVATION OF LEAVE.—Notwithstanding section 701(b)
of title 10, United States Code, any member 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 responsi-
bility for activities to mitigate the consequences of, or assist in
the recovery from, Hurricane Katrina, during the period beginning
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 accumulated
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 assignment commences, or in the case
of a Reserve members, the year in which the period of active
service is completed.
Approved December 22, 2005.
VerDate 14-DEC-2004
07:21 Oct 30, 2006
Jkt 039194
PO 00003
Frm 00124
Fmt 6580
Sfmt 6580
E:\PUBLAW\PUBL003.119
APPS06
PsN: PUBL003