An Act to amend the shipping laws, to prohibit the operation in the coastwise trade of vessels rebuilt outside the United States, and for other purposes
PL 84-714 (H.R.6025), enacted 07/14/1956

544 
PUBLIC LAW 714-JULY 14, 1956 
[70 ST A T . 
July 14, 1956 
[H. R. 6025] 
Public Law 714 
CHAPTER 600 
AN ACT 
To amend the shipping laws, to prohibit the operation in the coastwise trade 
of vessels rebuilt outside the United States, and for other purposes. 
Coastwise trade 
v e s s e l s 
rebuilt 
outside U. S. 
49 Stat. 442. 
Report. 
Penalty. 
Regulations. 
Effective date. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress asseinhled, That section 27 of 
the Merchant Marine Act, 1920, as amended (U. S. C , 1952 edition, 
title 46, sec. 883), is further amended by inserting the following new 
proviso at the end of the first proviso thereof: '•^Provided further, That 
no vessel of more than five hundred gross tons which has acquired the 
lawful right to engage in the coastwise trade, either by virtue of hav-
ing been built in or documented under the laws of the United States, 
and which has later been rebuilt outside the United States, its Terri-
tories (not including trust territories), or its possessions shall have 
the right thereafter to engage in the coastwise trade." 
SEC. 2. If any vessel of more than five hundred gross tons docu-
mented under the laws of the United States, or last documented under 
such laws, is rebuilt outside the United States, its Territories (not 
including trust territories), or its possessions, a report of the circum-
stances of such rebuilding shall be made to the Secretary of the Treas-
ury upon the first arrival of the vessel thereafter at a port within the 
customs territory of the United States in accordance with such regu-
lations as the Secretary may prescribe. 
If the required report is not 
made, the vessel, together with its tackle, apparel, equipment, and 
furniture, shall be forfeited, and the master and owner shall each be 
liable to a penalty of $200. Any penalty or forfeiture incurred under 
this Act may be remitted or mitigated by the Secretary under the pro-
visions of section 5294 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, as 
amended (U. S. C , 1952 edition, title 46, sec. 7). 
SEC. 3. The Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe such regula-
tions as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. 
SEC. 4. This Act shall be effective from the date of enactment hereof: 
Provided, however, That no vessel shall be deemed to have lost its 
coastwise privileges hereunder if it is rebuilt under a contract entered 
into before such date of enactment and if the work of rebuilding is 
commenced not later than six months after such date of enactment. 
Approved July 14, 1956. 
July 14, 1956 
[H. R. 6218] 
Public Law 715 
CHAPTER 601 
AN ACT 
To authorize payment by the Federal Government of the cost of making certain 
studies necessary to assist the Menominee Tribe of Indians to prepare for 
the termination of Federal supervision. 
M e n o m i n e e In-
dians. 
Reimbursement 
appropriation. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States 
of America 
in Congress assembled, That the last 
sentence of section 6 of the Act entitled "An Act to provide for a 
per capita distribution of Menominee tribal funds and authorize the 
witljdrawal of the Menominee Tribe from Federal jurisdiction", 
approved June 17, 1954 (68 Stat. 250), is amended by changing the 
period at the end thereof to a comma and by adding "and there is 
hereby authorized to be appropriated, out of any money in the Treas-
ury not otherwise appropriated, such sums as the Secretary shall deem 
necessary to reimburse the tribe for the expenditure of tribal funds 
pursuant to this section, or for any other expenditure of tribal funds 
70 
S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 716-JULY 14, 1956 
545 
approved by the Secretary for the purpose of carrying out the 
purposes of this Act." 
Approved July 14, 1956. 
Public Law 716 
CHAPTER 602 
AN ACT 
July 14, 1956 
[H. R. 7426] 
To ratify and confirm Act 249 of the Session Laws of Hawaii, 1955, as amended, 
and to authorize the issuance of certain highway revenue bonds by the Terri-
tory of Hawaii. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assemUed^ That the Territory 
jlfg'h^ayrevenue 
of Hawaii, any provision of the Hawaiian Organic Act or any other •'°^f|^^^ j^j^ 
Act of Congress to the contrary notwithstanding, is authorized and 
48 use 491 note, 
empowered to issue highw^ay revenue bonds in a sum not to exceed 
$50,000,000 payable from funds derived from high\yay vehicle fuel 
taxes, for the purpose of providing for the construction of highways 
in the Territory. 
The issuance of such revenue bonds shall not consti-
tute the incurrence of an indebtedness within the meaning of the 
Hawaiian Organic Act, and shall not require the approval of the 
President of the United States. 
SEC. 2. All bonds issued under authority of section 1 shall be issued 
pursuant to legislation enacted by the Legislature of the Territory 
which shall provide (1) that, so long as any of the bonds are out-
standing, highway vehicle fuel taxes shall be levied and collected in 
amounts at least sufficient to provide for the payment of the principal 
of the bonds and the interest thereon, as such principal and interest 
become due (except that interest due upon any such bonds during 
the first year after their date of issuance may be paid from the pro-
ceeds of sale of the bonds); (2) that the superintendent of public 
works of the Territory, or any officer or agency succeeding to his pow-
ers and duties in respect to highways, shall have the power to issue 
and sell the bonds and to expend the proceeds and provide for the 
repayment thereof, in accordance with standards and pursuant to pro-
visions which shall be set forth in such legislation; and (3) that the 
office of the superintendent of public works, or an office or agency 
succeeding to the powers and duties of that office in respect of high-
ways, shall be continued in existence and shall retain the powers and 
duties set forth in such legislation, so long as any of the bonds are 
outstanding. 
SEC. 3. Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to prevent the appli-
cation of Federal-aid highway funds to aid in the retirement of said 
bonds, to the extent now or hereafter permitted by the Acts of Con-
gress relating to the use of such funds. 
SEC. 4. As used in this Act, the term "highway vehicle fuel taxes" 
means taxes in respect to the fuel for operating a motor vehicle or 
motor vehicles upon the highways, as defined and imposed by the laws 
of the Territory of Hawaii, but in the event the legislation providing 
for such tax levies the same in respect to other fuel and does not 
provide for the segregation of the taxes in respect to the fuel for oper-
ating a motor vehicle or motor vehicles upon the highways, then the 
term "highw^ay vehicle fuel taxes" includes as well all such taxes in 
respect to fuel as are commingled with the taxes in respect to the fuel 
for operating a motor vehicle or motor vehicles upon the highw^ays. 
SEC. 5. Act 249 of the Session Laws of Hawaii, 1955, is hereby 
amended to the extent of inserting in section 5961 therein set forth 
the public law number as may be assigned to this bill upon its 
enactment. 
Federal-aid high-
way funds. 
" H i g h w a y ve-
hicle fuel taxes." 
69225 0 - 5 7 - 3 9 {Vol. 70)