TEMPORARY AUTHORIZATION TO EXTEND THE DURATION OF LICENSES, CERTIFICATES OF REGISTRY, AND MERCHANT MARINERS’ DOCUMENTS.

SEC. 702. TEMPORARY AUTHORIZATION TO EXTEND THE DURATION OF LICENSES, CERTIFICATES OF REGISTRY, AND MERCHANT MARINERS’ DOCUMENTS.(a) Licenses and Certificates of Registry.—Notwithstanding section 7106 and 7107 of title 46, United States Code, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating may temporarily extend the duration of a license or certificate of registry issued for an individual under chapter 71 of that title for up to one year if—(1) the records of the individual are located at the Coast Guard facility in New Orleans that was damaged by Hurricane Katrina;(2) the individual is a resident of Alabama, Mississippi, or Louisiana; or(3) the records of an individual were damaged or lost as a result of Hurricane Katrina.(b) Merchant Mariners’ Documents.—Notwithstanding section 7302(g) of title 46, United States Code, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating may temporarily extend the duration of a merchant mariners’ document issued for an individual under chapter 73 of that title for up to one year, if—(1) the records of the individual are located at the Coast Guard facility in New Orleans that was damaged by Hurricane Katrina;(2) the individual is a resident of Alabama, Mississippi, or Louisiana; or(3) the records of an individual were damaged or lost as a result of Hurricane Katrina.(c) Manner of Extension.—Any extensions granted under this section may be granted to individual seamen or a specifically identified group of seamen.(d) Expiration of Authority.—The authorities provided under this section expire on April 1, 2007.