HR 4813
Noncontiguous Disaster Shipping Act
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Bill overview
This bill, the Noncontiguous Disaster Shipping Act, aims to streamline shipping into and out of U.S. territories and states that are not considered contiguous, such as Puerto Rico, Guam, and Hawaii. It allows the President to declare a major disaster or emergency in these areas, and under certain circumstances, temporarily waives certain navigation and vessel inspection laws to facilitate disaster relief efforts. The bill includes provisions for extending these waivers and requires notification to Congress.
Key provisions
- Allows temporary waivers of navigation and vessel inspection laws.
- Waivers apply to cargo shipments to and from noncontiguous areas during declared disasters.
- Waivers can be granted for up to 10 days, with potential extensions of up to 10 days.
- The total duration of all waivers for a single disaster cannot exceed 45 days.
- Requires notification to Congress within 48 hours of a waiver's issuance.
- Defines ‘noncontiguous area’ to include specific territories and states.
Who is affected
- U.S. Territories (Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands)
- U.S. States (Hawaii, Alaska)
- Shipping companies
- Government agencies responsible for navigation and vessel inspection
- Disaster relief organizations
Notable changes
- Provides a mechanism for temporary waivers of standard shipping regulations during disaster events.
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
James C. [R-GU-At Large] Moylan
Cosponsors
Aumua Amata Coleman [R-AS-At Large] Radewagen
Kimberlyn [R-MP-At Large] King-Hinds
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 4813
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To amend title 46, United States Code, to provide for a waiver of navigation or vessel-inspection laws in noncontiguous areas upon a declaration of a major disaster or emergency, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the Noncontiguous Disaster Shipping Act
.
Section 501 of title 46, United States Code, is amended—
by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections (d) and (e), respectively; and
by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection:
Upon a declaration by the President pursuant to section 401 or 501 the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170; 5191) that a major disaster or emergency exists in a noncontiguous area of the United States, the head of an agency responsible for the administration of the navigation or vessel-inspection laws shall waive compliance with such laws for a vessel transporting cargo to or from the noncontiguous area affected by such major disaster or emergency for the purpose of disaster relief.
Subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C), a waiver issued under this subsection shall be for a period of not more than 10 days.
Upon the termination of a waiver issued under this subsection, the head of the agency referred to in paragraph (1), in consultation with the Governor of the noncontiguous area affected by such major disaster or emergency, may extend the waiver for an additional period of not more than 10 days.
The aggregate duration of the period of all waivers and extensions of waivers under this subsection with respect to any one major disaster or emergency shall not exceed 45 days.
The head of the agency referred to in paragraph (1) shall notify the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate of the issuance of any waiver of the navigation or vessel-inspection laws under this subsection not later than 48 hours after such issuance.
For the purposes of this paragraph, an extension issued under paragraph (2)(B) shall be treated in the same manner as a waiver issued under this subsection.
For the purposes of this subsection, the term noncontiguous area of the United States means Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Hawaii, and Alaska.