Maritime Activities

Maritime Activities Ship construction: For payment of construction-differential subsidy and cost of national-defense features incident to construction of ships for operation in foreign commerce (46 U. S. C. 1152, 1154), and the cost of national-defense features incident to construction of vessels for domestic operation (46 U. S. C. 1159); for payment of construction-differential subsidy and cost of national-defense features incident to the reconstruction and reconditioning of ships under title V of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended (46 U. S. C. 1154); for reconditioning and betterment of one ship in the national-defense reserve fleet; for acquisition of used ships pursuant to section 510 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended (46 U. S. C. 1160), and the payment of cost of national-defense features incorporated in new tankers constructed to replace used tankers; and for research development, and design expenses incident to new and advanced ship design, machinery, and equipment; $82,700,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That transfers may be made to the appropriation for the current fiscal year for “Salaries and expenses” for administrative and warehouse expenses (not to exceed $1,115,000) and for reserve fleet expenses (not to exceed $500,000), and any such transfers shall be without regard to the limitations under that appropriation on the amounts available for such expenses: Provided further, That appropriations granted herein shall be available to pay construction-differential subsidy granted by the Federal Maritime Board, pursuant to section 501 (c) of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended, to aid in the reconstruction of any Mariner-class ships sold under the provisions of title VII of the 1936 Act: Provided further, That all ship construction reconditioning, and betterment of vessels appropriated for herein, shall be performed in shipyards in the continental United States: Provided further, That no funds contained in this Act may be used to commence construction, reconstruction, conversion reconditioning, or betterment of any vessel until the total Federal funds required to complete such work have been appropriated. Operating-differential subsidies: For the payment of obligations incurred for operating-differential subsidies granted on or after January 1, 1947 as authorized by the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended, and in appropriations heretofore made to the United States Maritime Commission, $124,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That to the extent that the operating-differential subsidy accrual (computed on the basis of parity) is represented on the operator’s books by a contingent accounts receivable item against the United States as a partial or complete offset to the recapture accrual, the operator (1) shall be excused from making deposits in the special reserve fund, and (2) as to the amount of such earnings the deposit of which is so excused shall be entitled to the same tax treatment as though it had been deposited in said special reserve fund. To the extent that any amount paid to the operator by the United States reduces the balance in the operator’s contingent receivable account against the United States, such amount shall forthwith be deposited in the special reserve fund of the operator: Provided further, That no contracts shall be executed during the current fiscal year by the Federal Maritime Board which will obligate the Government to pay operating differential subsidy on more than two thousand and forty voyages in any one calendar year, including voyages covered by contracts in effect at the beginning of the current fiscal year. Salaries and expenses: For expenses necessary for carrying into effect the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, and other laws administered 70 Stat. 318 by the Federal Maritime Board and the Maritime Administration, $15,350,000, within limitations as follows: Administrative expenses, including not to exceed $1,125 for entertainment of officials of other countries when specifically authorized by the Maritime Administrator and purchase of not to exceed four passenger motor vehicles for replacement only, $6,500,000; Maintenance of shipyard and reserve training facilities and operation of warehouses, $1,600,000; Reserve fleet expenses, $7,250,000. Maritime training: For training cadets as officers of the merchant marine at the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York, including pay and allowances for personnel of the United States Maritime Service as authorized by law (46 U. S. C. 1126, 63 Stat. 802, 64 Stat. 794, and 66 Stat. 79) not to exceed $2,500 for contingencies for the Superintendent, United States Merchant Marine Academy, to be expended in his discretion; and not to exceed $35,000 for transfer to applicable appropriations of the Public Health Service for services rendered the Maritime Administration; $2,200,000, including uniform and textbook allowances for cadet midshipmen, at an average yearly cost of not to exceed $200 per cadet: Provided, That except as herein provided for uniform and textbook allowances this appropriation shall not be used for compensation or allowances for cadets. State marine schools: To reimburse the State of California, $47,500; the State of Maine, $47,500; the State of Massachusetts, $47,500; and the State of New York, $47,500; for expenses incurred in the maintenance and support of marine schools in such States as provided in the Act authorizing the establishment of marine schools, and so forth, approved March 4, 1911, as amended (34 U. S. C. 1121–1123); $149,800 for the maintenance and repair of vessels loaned by the United States to the said States for use in connection with such State marine schools; and $320,200 for allowances for uniforms, textbooks, and subsistence of cadets at State marine schools, to be paid in accordance with regulations established pursuant to law (46 U. S. C. 1126 (b)); $660,000. Repair of reserve fleet vessels (liquidation of contract authorization): Advances may be made from the appropriation granted under this head in the Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, 1956, to the appropriation for the current fiscal year for “Salaries and expenses, maritime activities”, for administrative expenses (not to exceed $150,000) and for reserve fleet expenses (in such amounts as may be required), and such advances shall be in addition to amounts otherwise made available for such expenses. War Shipping Administration liquidation: The unexpended balance of the appropriation to the Secretary of the Treasury in the Second Supplemental Appropriation Act, 1948, for liquidation of obligations approved by the General Accounting Office as properly incurred against funds of the War Shipping Administration prior to January 1, 1947, is hereby continued available during the current fiscal year, and shall be available for the payment of obligations incurred against the working fund titled: “Working fund, Commerce, War Shipping Administration functions, December 31, 1946”. General provisions—Maritime activities: No additional vessels shall be allocated under charter, nor shall any vessel be continued under charter by reason of any extension of chartering authority beyond June 30, 1949, unless the charterer shall agree that the Maritime Administration shall have no obligation upon redelivery to accept or pay for consumable stores, bunkers and slop-chest items, except with respect to such minimum amounts of bunkers as the Maritime Admin-70 Stat. 319istration considers advisable to he retained on the vessel and that prior to such redelivery all consumable stores, slop-chest items, and bunkers over and above such minimums shall be removed from the vessel by the charterer at his own expense. No money made available to the Department of Commerce, for maritime activities, by this or any other Act shall be used in payment for a vessel the title to which is acquired by the Government either by requisition or purchase, or the use of which is taken either by requisition or agreement, or which is insured by the Government and lost while so insured, unless the price or hire to be paid therefor (except in cases where section 802 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended is applicable) is computed in accordance with subsection 902 (a) of said Act, as that subsection is interpreted by the General Accounting Office. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Maritime Administration is authorized to furnish utilities and services and make necessary repairs in connection with any lease, contract, or occupancy involving Government property under control of the Maritime Administration, and payments received by the Maritime Administration for utilities, services, and repairs so furnished or made shall be credited to the appropriation charged with the cost thereof: Provided, That rental payments under any such lease, contract, or occupancy on account of items other than such utilities, services, or repairs shall be covered into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts. No obligations shall be incurred during the current fiscal year from the construction fund established by the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, or otherwise, in excess of the appropriations and limitations contained in this Act, or in any prior appropriation Act, and all receipts which otherwise would be deposited to the credit of said fund shall be covered into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts. Vessel operations revolving fund: Hereafter the vessel operations revolving fund, created by the Third Supplemental Appropriation Act, 1951, shall be available for necessary expenses incurred, in connection with protection, preservation, maintenance, acquisition, or use of vessels involved in mortgage-foreclosure or forfeiture proceedings instituted by the United States, including payment of prior claims and liens, expenses of sale, or other charges incident thereto; for necessary expenses incident to the redelivery and lay-up, in the United States, of ships now chartered under agreements which do not call for their return to the United States; for activation, repair and deactivation of merchant ships chartered for limited emergency purposes during the fiscal year 1957 under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Commerce; and for payment of expenses of custody and husbanding of Government-owned ships other than those within reserve fleets: Provided, That not to exceed $5,000,000 of the funds of the vessel operations revolving fund may be used during the fiscal year 1957 for the purposes set forth in this paragraph. Inland Waterways Corporation (administered under the supervision and direction of the Secretary of Commerce): Not to exceed $14,000 shall be available for administrative expenses to be determined in the manner set forth under the title “General expenses” in the Uniform System of Accounts for Carriers by Water of the Interstate Commerce Commission (effective January 1, 1947).