AUTHORITY TO USE NATIONAL DEFENSE SEALIFT FUND TO PURCHASE CERTAIN MARITIME PREPOSITIONING SHIPS CURRENTLY UNDER CHARTER TO THE NAVY.

SEC. 1018. AUTHORITY TO USE NATIONAL DEFENSE SEALIFT FUND TO PURCHASE CERTAIN MARITIME PREPOSITIONING SHIPS CURRENTLY UNDER CHARTER TO THE NAVY.(a) Fiscal Year 2006 Limitation.—The authority provided by subsection (c)(1) of section 2218 of title 10, United States Code, may not be used for the purchase of more than six vessels described in subsection (c) using funds appropriated to the National Defense Sealift Fund for fiscal year 2006.(b) Authority.—The Secretary of Defense may purchase any vessel described in subsection (c) through the use of the authority in subsection (c)(1) of section 2218 of title 10, United States Code, without regard to the limitation in subsection (f)(1) of that section.(c) Covered Vessels.—Subsections (a) and (b) apply with respect to any vessel that as of the date of the enactment of this Act—(1) is chartered by the Department of Defense under a 25-year lease; and(2) is used by the Navy as a maritime prepositioning ship.(d) Technical Amendments to Update Statute.—Section 2218(f)(1) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—(1) by striking “Not more than a total of five vessels built in foreign ship yards may be” and inserting “A vessel built in a foreign ship yard may not be”; and(2) by inserting before the period at the end the following: “, unless specifically authorized by law”.