(a) Only vessels of the United States or belonging to the United States may be used in the transportation by sea of supplies bought for the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps or for a Defense Agency. However, if the President finds that the freight charged by those vessels is excessive or otherwise unreasonable, contracts for transportation may be made as otherwise provided by law. Charges made for the transportation of those supplies by those vessels may not be higher than the charges made for transporting like goods for private persons.
(b)
(1) In each request for proposals to enter into a time-charter contract for the use of a vessel for the transportation of supplies under this section, the Secretary of Defense shall require that any reflagging or repair work on a vessel for which a proposal is submitted in response to the request for proposals be performed in the United States (including any territory of the United States).
(2) Before entering into a contract for the transportation by sea of fuel products under this section, the Secretary shall provide a minimum variance of three days on the shipment date.
(3) In paragraph (1), the term "reflagging or repair work" means work performed on a vessel—
(A) to enable the vessel to meet applicable standards to become a vessel of the United States; or
(B) to convert the vessel to a more useful military configuration.
(4) The Secretary of Defense may waive a requirement under paragraph (1) or (2) if the Secretary determines that such waiver is critical to the national security of the United States. The Secretary shall immediately notify the Congress of any such waiver and the reasons for such waiver.
Open TableRevised section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
---|---|---|
2631 | 10:1365. 34:528. |
Apr. 28, 1904, ch. 1766, 33 Stat. 518. |
The word "supplies" is substituted for the words "coal, provisions, fodder, or supplies of any description", in 10:1365 and 34:528. The words "pursuant to law" and "the use of", in 10:1365 and 34:528, are omitted as surplusage. The words "as otherwise provided by law", in 10:1365 and 34:528, are used rather than the words "under the law as it now exists", in section 1 of the Act of April 28, 1904, ch. 1766, 33 Stat. 518. The word "may" is substituted for the word "shall". The words "However, if" are substituted for the words "unless * * * in which case". The words "private persons" are substituted for the words "private parties or companies", in 10:1365 and 34:528. The last sentence is substituted for the proviso of 10:1365 and 34:528.
Amendments
2019—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–92, §1033(1), inserted "or for a Defense Agency" after "Marine Corps" in first sentence.
Subsec. (b)(2) to (4). Pub. L. 116–92, §1033(2), added par. (2), redesignated former pars. (2) and (3) as (3) and (4), respectively, and in par. (4), substituted "a requirement under paragraph (1) or (2)" for "the requirement described in paragraph (1)".
1993—Pub. L. 103–160 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).
Effective Date of 1993 Amendment
Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title III, §315(b), Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1619, provided that: "The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall apply to a vessel for which reflagging or repair work is necessary to be performed after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 30, 1993]."
Obtaining Carriage by Vessel: Criterion Regarding Overhaul, Repair, and Maintenance of Vessels in the United States
Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title X, §1017, Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2379, as amended by Pub. L. 110–181, div. A, title X, §1063(c)(9), div. C, title XXXV, §3526(a), Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 323, 601, provided that:
"(a)
"(b)
"(1) owned, operated, or controlled by the offeror; and
"(2) qualified to engage in the carriage of cargo in the coastwise or non-contiguous trade under sections 12112 and 50501 and chapter 551 of title 46, United States Code.
"(c)
"(d)
"(1)
"(2)
"(A)
"(B)
"(C)
"(e)
"(f)
"(1)
"(2)
"(A) any State of the United States; and
"(B) Guam."
[Pub. L. 110–181, div. C, title XXXV, §3526(a), Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 601, which directed amendment of section 1017(b)(2) of Pub. L. 109–364, set out above, by substituting "sections 12112, 50501, and 55102 of title 46, United States Code" for "section 27 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1920 (46 U.S.C. 883), section 12106 of title 46, United States Code, and section 2 of the Shipping Act, 1916 (46 U.S.C. App. 802)", could not be executed because those words did not appear subsequent to amendment by section 1063(c)(9) of Pub. L. 110–181, which was effective as of Oct. 17, 2006, and as if included in Pub. L. 109–364 as enacted. See Effective Date of 2008 Amendment note under section 624 of this title.]
[For termination, effective Dec. 31, 2021, of annual reporting provisions in section 1017(e) of Pub. L. 109–364, set out above, see section 1061 of Pub. L. 114–328, set out as a note under section 111 of this title.]
Delegation of Authority Under the Cargo Preference Act
Memorandum of the President of the United States, Aug. 7, 1985, 50 F.R. 36565, provided:
Memorandum for the Honorable Caspar W. Weinberger, the Secretary of Defense
By virtue of the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and statutes of the United States of America, including Section 301 of Title 3 of the United States Code, I hereby delegate to the Secretary of Defense all the functions vested in me by the Cargo preference Act of 1904, 10 U.S.C. 2631. This authority may be redelegated.
This memorandum shall be published in the Federal Register.
Ronald Reagan.