[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1027 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1027

                To amend certain cargo preference laws.


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                May 26 (legislative day, April 19), 1993

    Mr. Brown (for himself, Mr. Kohl, Mr. Craig, Mr. Grassley, Mrs. 
 Kassebaum, Mr. Danforth, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Faircloth, Mr. Pressler, Mr. 
Nickles, and Mr. Durenberger) introduced the following bill; which was 
  read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                             Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
                To amend certain cargo preference laws.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. TRANSPORTATION IN AMERICAN VESSELS OF CERTAIN CARGOES.

    Section 901(b)(1) of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C. 
1241(b)(1)) is amended by striking ``at fair and reasonable rates for 
United States-flag commercial vessels, in such manner as will insure a 
fair and reasonable participation of United States-flag commercial 
vessels in such cargoes by geographic areas'' immediately before the 
colon and inserting in lieu thereof the following: ``at rates which are 
competitive with the rates charged by commercial vessels which are not 
United States-flag vessels, except that if the President determines 
that, for reasons of national security, it is necessary to use United 
States-flag vessels, and notifies the Congress to that effect, the 
President may require the use of United States-flag vessels, even if 
the rates charged by the United States-flag vessels are not competitive 
with the rates charged by vessels which are not United States-flag 
vessels''.

SEC. 2. SHIPMENT OF EXPORTS FINANCED BY GOVERNMENT IN UNITED STATES 
              VESSELS.

    The Joint Resolution entitled ``Joint Resolution requiring 
agricultural or other products to be shipped in vessels of the United 
States where the Reconstruction Finance Corporation or any other 
instrumentality of the Government finances the exporting of such 
products'', approved March 26, 1934 (46 U.S.C. 1241-1), is amended by 
striking ``or at reasonable rates'' immediately before the period at 
the end and inserting in lieu thereof the following: ``or at rates 
determined by the Secretary of Transportation to be competitive with 
the rates charged by vessels other than United States vessels''.

SEC. 3. SHIPMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN EXPORTS SPONSORED BY THE 
              DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

    (a) In General.--Section 2631 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ``is excessive or otherwise unreasonable'' in the 
second sentence and inserting in lieu thereof the following: ``is not 
competitive with the freight charged by vessels other than United 
States vessels''.
    (b) National Security Exception; Congressional Notification 
Required.--Section 2631 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by 
inserting at the end: ``Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
prohibit the President from requiring the use of United States vessels 
for the transportation by sea of supplies bought for the Army, Navy, 
Air Force, or Marine Corps, if the President determines that, for 
reasons of national security, such use is necessary and notifies the 
Congress to that effect, even if the rates charged by the United States 
vessels are not competitive with the rates charged by vessels other 
than United States vessels.''.

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