[Congressional Bills 103th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 5136 Introduced in House (IH)] 103d CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5136 Entitled the ``Offshore Supply Vessel Construction and Development Act of 1994''. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 29, 1994 Mr. Tauzin introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL Entitled the ``Offshore Supply Vessel Construction and Development Act of 1994''. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Offshore Supply Vessel Construction and Development Act of 1994''. SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF OFFSHORE SUPPLY VESSEL. Section 2101(19) of title 46, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: ``(19) `offshore supply vessel' means a motor vessel that regularly transports goods, supplies, individuals in addition to the crew, or equipment in support of exploration, exploitation, or production of offshore mineral or energy resources that-- ``(A) is more than 15 regulatory gross tons but less than 500 regulatory gross tons; or ``(B) is more than 15 international gross tons, and not more than a maximum number of international gross tons prescribed by regulation of the Secretary.''. SEC. 3. APPLICATION TO VESSELS. (a) Section 3702(b) of title 46, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: ``(b)(1) The following vessels are deemed not to be a tank vessel for purposes of this chapter or any other law: ``(A) An offshore supply vessel. ``(B) A fishing or fish tender vessel of not more than 750 regulatory gross tons, when engaged in the fishing industry. ``(2) This subsection does not affect the authority of the Secretary under chapter 33 of this title to regulate the operation of vessels listed in paragraph (1) of this subsection to ensure the safe carriage of oil and hazardous substances.''. (b) Section 3306(a) of title 46, United States Code, is amended after ``safety'' by inserting ``of the marine environment and''. (c) Section 5209 of Public Law 102-587 is repealed. (d) Section 321 of Public Law 103-206 is repealed. SEC. 4. AUTHORITY TO PRESCRIBE REGULATIONS FOR MANNING AND LICENSING. (a) Section 7310 of title 46, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: ``For service on an offshore supply vessel, an individual may be rated as able seaman--offshore supply vessels if the individual has the following service on deck on board vessels operating on the oceans or the navigable waters of the United States (including the Great Lakes): ``(1) At least 6 months service on an offshore supply vessel of less than 500 regulatory gross tons, or 1600 international gross tons. ``(2) An amount of service prescribed by the Secretary on an offshore supply vessel of at least 1600 international gross tons.''. (b) Section 7312(d) of title 46, United States Code, is amended by striking ``a vessel of less than 500 gross tons'' through ``energy resources'' and inserting ``an offshore supply vessel''. (c) Section 8104(g) of title 46, United States Code, is amended-- (1) after ``offshore supply vessel'' by inserting ``of not more than 500 regulatory gross tons or 1600 international gross tons,'' and (2) by adding at the end of the subsection: ``The Secretary may prescribe requirements for the minimum number of watches on an offshore supply vessel of more than 1600 international gross tons.''. (d) Section 8301(b) of title 46, United States Code, is amended-- (1) after ``offshore supply vessel'' by inserting ``of not more than 500 regulatory gross tons or 1600 international gross tons,''; (2) after ``200'' by inserting ``regulatory''; and (3) by adding at the end of the subsection, ``The Secretary may prescribe requirements for the minimum number of licensed individuals on an offshore supply vessel of more than 1600 international gross tons.''. SEC. 5. CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENT. Section 8103(b)(3)(A) of title 46, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: ``(A) an offshore supply vessel, or a similarly engaged vessel of less than 1600 regulatory gross tons or to a maximum international tonnage prescribed by regulation of the Secretary;''. SEC. 6. RESPONSE PLANNING REQUIREMENT. (a) Chapter 31 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding the following section: ``Sec. 3103. Vessel response plans for offshore supply vessels ``(a) The Secretary shall prescribe regulations for vessel pollution response plans for domestic operations of an offshore supply vessel if-- ``(1) the vessel is over 400 international gross tons; and ``(2) the keel of the vessel is laid after July 18, 1994 or the vessel undergoes a change substantially affecting its tonnage after that date. ``(b) In prescribing regulations under this section, the Secretary shall consider the unique characteristics, methods of operation, and nature of the service of the vessels.''. (b) The table of sections for chapter 31 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: ``3103. Vessel response plans for offshore supply vessels.''. SEC. 7. TONNAGE MEASUREMENT DEFINITIONS. Section 14101 of title 46, United States Code, is amended-- (1) by inserting ``(a)'' before ``In this part''; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(b) When used in a law, regulation, document, ruling, or other official act referring to the tonnage measurement of a vessel-- ``(1) `international gross tons' means gross tons as measured under chapter 143 of this title; and ``(2) `regulatory gross tons' means gross tons as measured under chapter 145 of this title.''. <all>