TITLE 46 - US CODE - CHAPTER 515 - STATE MARITIME ACADEMY SUPPORT PROGRAM

46 USC 51501 - General support program

(a) Assistance to State Maritime Academies.—
The Secretary of Transportation shall cooperate with and assist State maritime academies in providing instruction to individuals to prepare them for service in the merchant marine of the United States.

(b) Course Development.—
The Secretary shall provide to each State maritime academy guidance and assistance in developing courses on the operation and maintenance of new vessels, on equipment, and on innovations being introduced to the merchant marine of the United States.

46 USC 51502 - Detailing of personnel

At the request of the Governor of a State, the President may detail, without reimbursement, personnel of the Navy, the Coast Guard, and the Maritime Service to a State maritime academy to serve as a superintendent, professor, lecturer, or instructor at the academy.

46 USC 51503 - Regional maritime academies

The Governors of the States cooperating to sponsor a regional maritime academy shall designate in writing one of those States to conduct the affairs of that academy. A regional maritime academy is eligible for assistance from the United States Government on the same basis as a State maritime academy sponsored by a single State.

46 USC 51504 - Use of training vessels

(a) Applications To Use Vessels.—
The Governor of a State sponsoring a State maritime academy (or the Governor of the State designated to conduct the affairs of a regional maritime academy) may apply in writing to the Secretary of Transportation to obtain the use of a training vessel for the academy. A vessel provided under this section remains the property of the United States Government.

(b) General Authority.—
Subject to subsection (c), the Secretary may provide to a State maritime academy, for use as a training vessel, a suitable vessel under the control of the Secretary or made available to the Secretary under subsection (e). If a suitable vessel is not available, the Secretary may build and provide a suitable vessel.

(1) an application has been made under subsection (a);

(2) the State maritime academy satisfies section 51506 (a) of this title; and

(3) a suitable port will be available for the safe mooring of the vessel while the academy is using the vessel.

(d) Preparation and Maintenance.—
A vessel provided under this section shall be

(1) repaired, reconditioned, and equipped (with all apparel, charts, books, and instruments of navigation) as necessary for use as a training vessel; and

(2) maintained in good repair by the Secretary.

(e) Agency Vessels.—
An agency may provide to the Secretary, for use by a State maritime academy, a vessel (including equipment) that

(1) is suitable for training purposes; and

(2) can be provided without detriment to the service to which the vessel is assigned.

(f) Fuel Costs.—
The Secretary may pay to a State maritime academy the costs of fuel used by a vessel provided under this section while used for training.

(g) Removing Vessels From Service and Vessel Sharing.—
The Secretary may not

(1) take a vessel, currently in use as a training vessel under this section, out of service to implement an alternative program (including vessel sharing) unless the vessel is incapable of being maintained in good repair as required by subsection (d); or

(2) implement a program requiring a State maritime academy to share its training vessel with another State maritime academy, except with the express consent of Congress.

46 USC 51505 - Annual payments for maintenance and support

(a) Payment Agreements.—
The Secretary of Transportation may make an agreement (effective for not more than 4 years) with the following academies to provide annual payments to those academies for their maintenance and support:

(1) One State maritime academy in each State that satisfies section 51506 (a) of this title.

(2) Each regional maritime academy that satisfies section 51506 (a) of this title.

(b) Payments.—

(1) In general.—
Subject to paragraph (2), an annual payment to an academy under subsection (a) shall be at least equal to the amount given to the academy for its maintenance and support by the State in which it is located, or, for a regional maritime academy, by all States cooperating to sponsor the academy.

(2) Maximum.—
The amount under paragraph (1) may not be more than $25,000. However, if the academy satisfies section 51506 (b) of this title, the amount shall be

(A) $100,000 for a State maritime academy; and

(B) $200,000 for a regional maritime academy.

46 USC 51506 - Conditions to receiving payments and use of vessels

(a) General Conditions.—
As conditions of receiving an annual payment or the use of a vessel under this chapter, a State maritime academy must

(1) provide courses of instruction on navigation, marine engineering (including steam and diesel propulsion), the operation and maintenance of new vessels and equipment, and innovations being introduced to the merchant marine of the United States;

(2) agree in writing to conform to the standards for courses, training facilities, admissions, and instruction that the Secretary of Transportation may establish after consultation with the superintendents of State maritime academies; and

(3) agree in writing to require, as a condition for graduation, that each individual who is a citizen of the United States and who is attending the academy in a merchant marine officer preparation program pass the examination required for the issuance of a license under section 7101 of this title.

(b) Additional Condition to Payments of More Than $25,000.As a condition of receiving an annual payment of more than $25,000 under section 51505 of this title, a State maritime academy also must agree to admit each year a number of citizens of the United States who meet its admission requirements and reside in a State not supporting that academy. The Secretary shall determine the number of individuals to be admitted by each academy under this subsection. The number may not be more than one-third of the total number of individuals attending the academy at any time.

46 USC 51507 - Places of training

The Secretary of Transportation may provide for the training of students attending a State maritime academy

(1) on vessels owned or subsidized by the United States Government;

(2) on other documented vessels, with the permission of the owner; and

(3) in shipyards or plants and with industrial or educational organizations.

46 USC 51508 - Allowances for students

Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Transportation, a student at a State maritime academy shall receive from the Secretary allowances for transportation (including reimbursement of traveling expenses) when traveling under orders to receive training under section 51507 of this title.

46 USC 51509 - Student incentive payment agreements

(a) General Authority.—
If a State maritime academy has an agreement with the Secretary of Transportation under section 51505 of this title, the Secretary may make an agreement with a student at the academy who is a citizen of the United States to make student incentive payments to the individual. An agreement with a student may not be effective for more than 4 academic years. The Secretary shall allocate payments under this section among the various State maritime academies in an equitable manner.

(b) Payments.—
Payments under an agreement under this section shall be equal to $4,000 each academic year and be paid, as prescribed by the Secretary, while the individual is attending the academy. The payments shall be used for uniforms, books, and subsistence.

(c) Midshipman and Enlisted Reserve Status.—
An agreement under this section shall require the student to accept midshipman and enlisted reserve status in the Naval Reserve (including the Merchant Marine Reserve, Naval Reserve) before receiving any payments under the agreement.

(d) Agreement Requirements.—
An agreement under this section shall require the student to

(1) complete the course of instruction at the academy the individual is attending;

(2) take the examination for a license as an officer in the merchant marine of the United States before graduation from the academy and fulfill the requirements for such a license within 3 months after graduation from the academy;

(3) maintain a valid license as an officer in the merchant marine of the United States for at least 6 years after graduation from the academy, accompanied by the appropriate national and international endorsements and certification required by the Coast Guard for service aboard vessels on domestic and international voyages;

(4) accept, if tendered, an appointment as a commissioned officer in the Naval Reserve (including the Merchant Marine Reserve, Naval Reserve), the Coast Guard Reserve, or any other reserve unit of an armed force of the United States, and, if tendered the appointment, to serve for at least 6 years after graduation from the academy;

(5) serve the foreign and domestic commerce and the national defense of the United States for at least 3 years after graduation from the academy

(A) as a merchant marine officer on a documented vessel or a vessel owned and operated by the United States Government or by a State;

(B) as an employee in a United States maritime-related industry, profession, or marine science (as determined by the Secretary), if the Secretary determines that service under subparagraph (A) is not available to the individual;

(C) as a commissioned officer on active duty in an armed force of the United States, as a commissioned officer in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or in other maritime-related Federal employment which serves the national security interests of the United States, as determined by the Secretary; or

(D) by a combination of the service alternatives referred to in subparagraphs (A)(C); and

(6) report to the Secretary on compliance with this subsection.

(e) Failure To Complete Course of Instruction.—

(1) Active duty.—
If the Secretary of Transportation determines that an individual who has accepted the payments described in subsection (b) for a minimum of 2 academic years has failed to fulfill the part of the agreement described in subsection (d)(1), the individual may be ordered by the Secretary of Defense to serve on active duty in the armed forces of the United States for a period of not more than 2 years. In cases of hardship as determined by the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Transportation may waive this paragraph in whole or in part.

(2) Recovery of cost.—
If the Secretary of Defense is unable or unwilling to order an individual to serve on active duty under paragraph (1), or if the Secretary of Transportation determines that reimbursement of the cost of education provided would better serve the interests of the United States, the Secretary of Transportation may recover from the individual the amount of student incentive payments, plus interest and attorney fees. The Secretary may reduce the amount to be recovered to reflect partial performance of service obligations and other factors the Secretary determines merit a reduction.

(f) Failure To Carry Out Other Requirements.—

(1) Active duty.—
If the Secretary of Transportation determines that an individual has failed to fulfill any part of the agreement described in subsection (d)(2)(6), the individual may be ordered to serve on active duty for a period of at least 2 years but not more than the unexpired period (as determined by the Secretary) of the service required by subsection (d)(5). The Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall determine in which service the individual shall serve. In cases of hardship as determined by the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Transportation may waive this paragraph in whole or in part.

(g) Actions To Recover Cost.—
To aid in the recovery of the cost of education provided by the Government under a commitment agreement under this section, the Secretary of Transportation may

(1) request the Attorney General to bring a civil action against the individual; and

(2) make use of the Federal debt collection procedures in chapter 176 of title 28 or other applicable administrative remedies.

46 USC 51510 - Deferment of service obligation under student incentive payment agreements

The Secretary of Transportation may defer the service commitment of an individual under section 51509 (d)(5) of this title (as specified in the agreement under section 51509) for not more than 2 years if the individual is engaged in a graduate course of study approved by the Secretary. However, deferment of service as a commissioned officer on active duty must be approved by the Secretary of the affected military department (or the Secretary of Commerce, for service with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).

46 USC 51511 - Midshipman status in the Naval Reserve

A citizen of the United States attending a State maritime academy may be appointed by the Secretary of the Navy as a midshipman in the Naval Reserve (including the Merchant Marine Reserve, Naval Reserve).