Joint resolution to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to sell certain war-built vessels
PL 84-938 (S.J.Res.177), enacted 08/03/1956

70 S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC l
U
A
W 938-AUG. 3, 1956 
957 
Public Law 938 
CHAPTER 904 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
August 3. 1956 
To authorize the Secretary of Commerce to sell certain war-built vessels. 
[s. j . Res. 177] 
Resolved hy the Senate and House of Representati'ves of the United 
States of Ajnerica in Congress assembled^ That (a) notwithstanding 
sai^of'tankers. 
the provisions of section 11 of the Merchant Ship Sales Act of 1946, 
6o stat. 49. 
as amended, and section 510 (h) of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as 
H ^t|?. Iso. '^'*'** 
amended, the Secretary of Commerce is authorized to sell within one 
^^ use iieo. 
year after the enactment of this joint resolution to the highest respon-
sible bidder who is a citizen of the United States, within the meaning 
of section 2 of the Shipping Act, 1916, as amended, for employment 
\\ f^^^ l^li 
on essential trade routes 3 and 4 to Cuba and Mexico, any two war-
built vessels under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Commerce, on 
an as is, where is, basis, provided that the Secretary of Commerce 
shall determine before entering into such sales that the purchaser 
possesses the ability, experience, financial resources, and other qualifi-
cations necessary to enable it to operate and maintain the vessels in 
service on that portion of essential trade routes 3 and 4 between Atlan-
tic Coast ports of the United States and Cuba and Mexico and to 
maintain adequate service on such portion of such routes. The upset 
prices of the vessels shall be their sales prices computed under the 
Merchant Ship Sales Act of 1946, as of January 15, 1951, depreciated 
(after reduction for residual value) on a straight line basis for the 
period from January 15,1951, to the date of execution of the contract 
of sale, on the basis of the portion of a twenty-year useful life of the 
vessels remaining after January 15, 1951. 
(b) Each such sale shall be on the basis of the payment by the pur-
chaser of not less than 25 per centum of the vessel sales price at the 
time of execution of the vessel sales contract, with the balance payable 
in approximately equal annual installments over the remainder of 
the economic life of the vessel, which economic life is to be determined 
by the Maritime Administration, with interest on the portion of the 
vessel sales price remaining unpaid at the rate of 3i/^ per centum per 
annum. 
The obligation of the purchaser with respect to payment of 
such unpaid balance, with interest, shall be secured by a preferred 
mortgage on the vessels in form satisfactory to the Maritime 
Administrator. 
(c) (1) Such sales shall be made upon such conditions as the Sec-
retary of Commerce deems necessary to protect the interests of (he 
United States. 
(2) Vessels sold under this Act shall be employed exclusively as 
dry cargo common carriers on that portion of essential trade routes 
3 and 4 betw^een Atlantic Coast ports of the United States and Cuba 
and Mexico, until the end of their useful lives, as determined under 
subsection (b) of this Act, or until they are replaced by new tonnage, 
whichever happens first. These restrictions shall run at law and in 
equity with the titles to the vessels and are binding upon all subse-
quent owners. 
(d) Any contract of sale executed under authority of this Act shall 
provide that in the event the United States shall, through purchase or 
requisition, acquire ownership of any such vessel, the owner shall be 
paid therefor the value thereof, but in no event shall such payment 
exceed the actual depreciated sales price under such contract (together 
with the actual depreciated cost of capital improvements thereon) ; 
that in computing the depreciated acquisition cost of such vessel, the 
depreciation shall be computed on the vessel on the schedule adopted 
or accepted by the Secretary of the Treasury for income tax purposes 
as applicable to such vessel; that such vessel shall remain documented 
958 
PUBmCLAWgaO-AUG. 3, 1956 
[70 ST A T . 
under the laws of the United States during the remainder of the 
economic life of the vessel or as long as there remains due the United 
States any principal or interest on account of the sales price, which 
ever is the longer period; and that the foregoing provisions respecting 
the requisition or the acquisition of ownership by the United States, 
and documentation shall run with the title to such vessel and be bind-
ing on all owners thereof. 
Approved August 3, 1956. 
Augusts, 1956 
Public Law 939 
CHAPTER 905 
AN ACT 
leusts, lyso 
- " ' ^^ — 
[S. 3391] 
To provide for the regulation of the interstate transportation of migrant farm 
workers. 
M i g r a n t 
farm 
workers. 
Interstate trans-
portation. 
49 Stat. 544. 
52 Stat. 1060. 
68A Stat. 424. 
49 Stat. 546. 
49 u s e 303. 
49 u s e 304, 305, 
320-322, 324. 
52 Stat. 1068. 
Supra. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 203 (a) 
of part II of the Interstate Commerce Act, as amended (49 U. S. C. 
303 (a)), is further amended by adding at the end thereof the follow-
ing new subsections reading as follows: 
(22) The term 'carrier of migrant workers by motor vehicle' means 
any person, including any 'contract carrier by motor vehicle', but not 
including any 'common carrier by motor vehicle', who or which trans-
ports in interstate or foreign commerce at any one time three or more 
migrant workers to or from their employment by any motor vehicle 
other than a passenger automobile or station wagon, except migrant 
workers transporting themselves or their immediate families. 
"(23) The term 'migrant worker' means any individual proceeding 
to or returning from employment in agriculture as defined in section 
3 (f) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended (29 
U. S. C. 203 (f)), or section 3121 (g) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1954 (26 U.S.C. 3121 (g))." 
SEC. 2. Section 204 (a) of part I I of such Act, as amended (49 
U. S. C. 304 (a)) is amended by adding a new subsection as follows: 
"(3a) Notwithstanding any other provision of section 203 (b), to 
establish for carriers of migrant workers by motor vehicle reasonable 
requirements with respect to comfort of passengers, qualifications and 
maximum hours of service of operators, and safety of operation and 
equipment. 
Such requirements shall apply to any such carrier only 
in the case of transportation of any migrant worker for a total distance 
of more than seventy-five miles, and then only if such transportation 
is across the boundary line of any State, the District of Columbia, or 
Territory of the United States, or a foreign country. When such 
requirements are established, the term 'motor carrier' shall be con-
strued to include carriers of migrant workers by motor vehicle in the 
administration of sections 204 (c) ; 205; 220; 221; 222 (a), (b), (d), 
(f) and (g); and 224." 
SEC. 3. Section 13 (b) (1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, as 
amended (29 U. S. C. 213 (b) (1)) shall not apply in the case of 
any employee with respect to whom the Interstate Commerce Com-
mission has power to establish qualifications and maximum hours of 
service solely by virtue of section 204 (a) (3a) of the Interstate Com-
merce Act. 
Approved August 3, 1956.