LONG-TERM LEASE OR CHARTER AUTHORITY FOR CERTAIN ROLL-ON/ROLL-OFF VESSELS.

SEC. 127. LONG-TERM LEASE OR CHARTER AUTHORITY FOR CERTAIN ROLL-ON/ROLL-OFF VESSELS. (a) Authority.—The Secretary of the Navy may enter into a long-term lease or charter for vessels described in subsection (b) without regard to the provisions of section 2401 of title 10, United States Code, or section 9081 of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 1990 (10 U.S.C. 2401 note). The authority provided in the preceding sentence may not be exercised after June 15, 1995, to enter into a long-term lease or charter for a vessel described in subsection (b)(1). (b) Vessels Covered.—Subsection (a) applies to the following vessels which are required by the Department of the Navy for prepositioning aboard ship or related point-to-point service as follows: (1) Not more than five roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) vessels which were constructed before the date of the enactment of this Act and on which, in the case of a vessel for which work is required to make the vessel eligible for such service and for documentation under the laws of the United States, such work is performed in a United States shipyard. (2) Any roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) vessel built after the date of the enactment of this Act in a shipyard located in the United States. (c) Limitation on Source of Funds.—The Secretary may not use funds appropriated for the National Defense Sealift program that are available for construction of vessels to enter into a contract for a lease or charter pursuant to subsection (a). (d) Conditions on Obligation of Funds.—Unless budget authority is specifically provided in an appropriations Act for the lease or charter of vessels pursuant to subsection (a), the Secretary may not enter into a contract for a lease or charter pursuant to that subsection unless the contract includes the following provisions: (1) A statement that the obligation of the United States to make payments under the contract in any fiscal year is subject to appropriations being provided specifically for that fiscal year and specifically for that lease or charter or that kind of vessel lease or charter. (2) A commitment to obligate the necessary amount for each fiscal year covered by the contract when and to the extent that funds are appropriated for that lease or charter, or that kind of lease or charter, for that fiscal year. (3) A statement that such a commitment given under paragraph (2) does not constitute an obligation of the United States. (e) Renewal of Charters.—A long-term lease or charter under subsection (a) for a vessel described in subsection (b)(1) may not be entered into for a term of more than five years. Such a lease or charter may only be renewed or extended subject to the restrictions and authority provided in section 9081 of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 1990 (10 U.S.C. 2401 note). (f) Definition.—For purposes of this section, the term “long-term lease or charter” has the meaning given that term in subparagraph (A) of section 2401(d)(1) of title 10, United States Code.