REPEAL OF REQUIREMENT TO PROMOTE ENSIGNS AFTER 3 YEARS OF SERVICE.

SEC. 11703. REPEAL OF REQUIREMENT TO PROMOTE ENSIGNS AFTER 3 YEARS OF SERVICE. (a) In General.—Section 223 of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps Act of 2002 (33 U.S.C. 3023) is amended to read as follows: “SEC. 223. SEPARATION OF ENSIGNS FOUND NOT FULLY QUALIFIED “If an officer in the permanent grade of ensign is at any time found not fully qualified, the officer’s commission shall be revoked and the officer shall be separated from the commissioned service.” . (b) Clerical Amendment.—The table of contents in section 1 of the Act entitled “An Act to reauthorize the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998, and for other purposes” (Public Law 107-372) is amended by striking the item relating to section 223 and inserting the following: “Sec. 223. Separation of ensigns found not fully qualified.” .