| Historical and Revision Notes |
|
|---|---|
| Revised section |
Source section (U.S. Code) |
| 7302 |
46:239a(c) 46:643(a) 46:643(c) 46:672(i) |
Section 7302(a) requires the Secretary to issue a merchant mariner’s document to qualified individuals required to have that document as a prerequisite to employment on certain vessels of the United States. The purpose of the document is to serve as positive identification and to specify each rating in which the individual is qualified to serve on vessels.
Subsection (b) allows the Secretary to issue a continuous discharge book to an individual who requests a book.
Amendments
2010—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 111–281 amended subsec. (f) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (f) read as follows: “Except as provided in subsection (g), a merchant mariner’s document issued under this chapter is valid for 5 years and may be renewed for additional 5-year periods.”
2006—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–241, § 901(h)(1), amended directory language of Pub. L. 108–293, § 609(1). See 2004 Amendment note below.
Pub. L. 109–241, § 901(h)(2), inserted “section” before “30305(b)(5)” and before “30304(a)(3)(A)”.
2004—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 108–293, § 609(1), as amended by Pub. L. 109–241, § 901(h)(1), substituted “30305(b)(5) of title 49” for “section 206(b)(7) of the National Driver Register Act of 1982 (23 U.S.C. 401 note)” and “30304(a)(3)(A) or (B) of title 49” for “section 205(a)(3)(A) or (B) of that Act”.
2002—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 107–295, § 324(a)(1), substituted “Except as provided in subsection (g), a” for “A”.
Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 107–295, § 324(a)(2), added subsec. (g).
1990—Subsecs. (c) to (e). Pub. L. 101–380, § 4101(b), added subsecs. (c) to (e).
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 101–380, § 4102(c), added subsec. (f).
Effective Date of 2006 Amendment
Pub. L. 109–241, title IX, § 901(h)(1), July 11, 2006, 120 Stat. 564, provided that the amendment made by section 901(h)(1) is effective Aug. 9, 2004.
Effective Date of 1990 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 101–380 applicable to incidents occurring after Aug. 18, 1990, see section 1020 of Pub. L. 101–380, set out as an Effective Date note under section 2701 of Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters.
Merchant Mariner Credential Expiration Harmonization
Pub. L. 114–120, title III, § 304, Feb. 8, 2016, 130 Stat. 53, provided that:
“(a) In General.— Except as provided in subsection (c) and not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act [Feb. 8, 2016], the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall establish a process to harmonize the expiration dates of merchant mariner credentials, mariner medical certificates, and radar observer endorsements for individuals applying to the Secretary for a new merchant mariner credential or for renewal of an existing merchant mariner credential.
“(b) Requirements.—The Secretary shall ensure that the process established under subsection (a)— “(1) does not require an individual to renew a merchant mariner credential earlier than the date on which the individual’s current credential expires; and
“(2) results in harmonization of expiration dates for merchant mariner credentials, mariner medical certificates, and radar observer endorsements for all individuals by not later than 6 years after the date of the enactment of this Act [Feb. 8, 2016].
“(c) Exception.—The process established under subsection (a) does not apply to individuals— “(1)
holding a merchant mariner credential with— “(A) an active Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping endorsement; or “(B) Federal first-class pilot endorsement; or “(2) who have been issued a time-restricted medical certificate.”
Crediting of United States Armed Forces Service, Training, and Qualifications
Pub. L. 113–281, title III, § 305(c), Dec. 18, 2014, 128 Stat. 3044, provided that:
“(1) Maximizing creditability.— The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, in implementing United States merchant mariner license, certification, and document laws and the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, shall maximize the extent to which United States Armed Forces service, training, and qualifications are creditable toward meeting the requirements of such laws and such Convention.
“(2) Notification.— Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 18, 2014], the Secretary shall notify the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on the steps taken to implement this subsection.”
Merchant Mariners’ Documents Pilot Program
Pub. L. 108–293, title VI, § 611, Aug. 9, 2004, 118 Stat. 1058, provided that:
“The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating may conduct a pilot program to demonstrate methods to improve processes and procedures for issuing merchant mariners’ documents.”
Termination of Existing Licenses, Certificates, and Documents; Applicability of 1990 Amendment
For provisions that a merchant mariner’s document issued before Aug. 18, 1990, terminates on the day it would have expired if the amendment to this section by section 4102(c) of Pub. L. 101–380 were in effect on date it was issued and was renewed at the end of each 5-year period under this section, see section 4102(d) of Pub. L. 101–380, set out as a note under section 7106 of this title.