40 U.S.C. § 548 — Surplus vessels
submitted 24 years ago by Pub. L. 107-217 to r/title-40-PUBLIC-BUILDINGS-PROPERTY-AND-WORKS · 249 words · no verdicts yet
This section requires the Maritime Administration to dispose of certain surplus vessels. For a limited period, it also lets the NOAA Administrator sell or transfer covered vessels and equipment and use the proceeds for specified NOAA purposes.
(a) In general. Unless subsection (b) applies, the Maritime Administration must dispose of surplus vessels of at least 1,500 gross tons that it determines are merchant vessels or can be converted to merchant use. It must dispose of them under part F of subtitle V of title 46 and other laws authorizing their sale.
(b) NOAA vessels and equipment.
(1) Authority. The NOAA Administrator may dispose of covered vessels and equipment that otherwise would be handled under subsection (a) by selling or transferring them under this title.
(2) Use of proceeds. During the two years beginning on the date the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 was enacted, despite section 571 of this title and section 3302 of title 31, the Administrator may retain sale or transfer proceeds until using them under subparagraph (B), and may use them without a fiscal-year limit to acquire new covered vessels and equipment or repair and maintain existing covered vessels and equipment.
(3) Definition. “Covered vessels and equipment” means survey and research vessels and related equipment owned by the Federal Government and controlled by NOAA.
Except as provided in subsection (b), the Maritime Administration shall dispose of surplus vessels of 1,500 gross tons or more which the Administration determines to be merchant vessels or capable of conversion to merchant use. The vessels shall be disposed of in accordance with part F of subtitle V of title 46 and other laws authorizing the sale of such vessels.
The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may dispose of covered vessels and equipment, which would otherwise be disposed of under subsection (a), through sales or transfers under this title.
During the 2-year period beginning of the date of enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, notwithstanding section 571 of this title or section 3302 of title 31, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may—
retain the proceeds from the sale or transfer of a covered vessel or equipment under paragraph (1) until expended under subparagraph (B); and
use such proceeds, without fiscal year limitation, for the acquisition of new covered vessels and equipment or the repair and maintenance of existing covered vessels and equipment.
In this subsection, the term “covered vessels and equipment” means survey and research vessels and related equipment owned by the Federal Government and under the control of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Source credit: (Pub. L. 107–217, Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1090; Pub. L. 109–304, § 17(g)(1), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1708; Pub. L. 119–60, div. H, title LXXXIV, § 8409, Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1913.)
- 2002Enacted · Pub. L. 107-217 · 116 Stat. 1090
- 2006Amended · Pub. L. 109-304 · 120 Stat. 1708
- 2025Amended · Pub. L. 119-60 · 139 Stat. 1913
A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by Pub. L. 107-217 on 2002-08-21.
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