(b) Reinsurance shall not be provided by the Secretary at rates less than nor obtained by the Secretary at rates more than the rates established by the Secretary on the same or similar risks or the rates charged by the insurance carrier for the insurance so reinsured whichever is most advantageous to the Secretary, except that the Secretary may make to the insurance carrier such allowances for expenses on account of the cost of services rendered or facilities furnished as he deems reasonably to accord with good business practice, but such allowance to the carrier shall not provide for any payment by the carrier on account of solicitation for or stimulation of insurance business.

SEC. 1208. [46 App. U.S.C. 1288] (a) The Secretary shall create an insurance fund in the Treasury to enable him to carry out the provisions of this title. Moneys appropriated by Congress to carry out the provisions of this title and all moneys received from premiums, salvage, or other recoveries and all receipts in connection with this title shall be deposited in the Treasury to the credit of such fund. Payments of return premiums, losses, settlements, judgments, and all liabilities incurred by the United States under this title shall be made from such fund through the Division of Disbursement, Treasury Department. Upon the request of the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of the Treasury may invest or reinvest all or any part of the fund in securities of the United States or in securities guaranteed as to principal and interest by the United States. The interest and benefits accruing from such securities shall be deposited to the credit of the fund.

(b) Such sums as shall be necessary to carry out the provisions of this title are authorized to be appropriated to such fund.

SEC. 1209. [46 App. U.S.C. 1289] (a)(1) The Secretary, in the administration of this title, may issue such policies, rules, and regulations as he deems proper and may adjust and pay losses, compromise and settle claims, whether in favor of or against the United States and pay the amount of any judgment rendered against the United States in any suit, or the amount of any settlement agreed upon, in respect of any claim under insurance authorized by this title.

(2) In respect of hull insurance, the valuation in the policy for actual or constructive total loss of the vessel insured shall be a stated valuation (exclusive of National Defense features paid for by the Government) determined by the Secretary which shall not exceed the amount that would be payable if the vessel had been requisitioned for title under section 902(a) at the time of the attachment of the insurance under said policy: Provided, That the insured shall have the right within sixty days after the attachment of the insurance under said policy, or within sixty days after determination of such valuation by the Secretary, whichever is later, to reject such valuation, and shall pay, at the rate provided for in said policy, premiums upon such asserted valuation as the insured shall specify at the time of rejection, but such asserted valuation shall not operate to the prejudice of the Government in any subsequent action on the policy. In the event of the actual or constructive total loss of the vessel, if the insured has not rejected such valuation the amount of any claim therefor which is adjusted, compromised, settled, adjudged, or paid shall not exceed such stated amount, but if

the insured has so rejected such valuation, the insured shall be paid as a tentative advance only, 75 per centum of such valuation so determined by the Secretary and shall be entitled to sue the United States in a court having jurisdiction of such claims to recover such valuation as would be equal to the just compensation which such court determines would have been payable if the vessel had been requisitioned for title under section 902(a) at the time of the attachment of the insurance under said policy: Provided, That in the event of an election by the insured to reject the stated valuation fixed by the Secretary and to sue in the courts, the amount of the judgment will be payable without regard to the limitations contained in the twelfth paragraph under the heading Maritime Activities in title I of the Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, 1956, in the tenth paragraph under the heading Maritime Activities in title III of the Department of State, Justice, and Commerce, and the United States Information Agency Appropriation Act, 1955, in the eleventh paragraph under the heading "MARITIME ACTIVITIES" in title III of the Department of Justice, State, and Commerce Appropriation Act, 1954, the tenth paragraph under the heading "OPERATING DIFFERENTIAL SUBSIDIES" in title II of the Independent Offices Appropriation Act, 1953, the corresponding paragraphs of the Independent Offices Appropriation Act, 1952, and the Third Supplemental Appropriation Act, 1951, although the excess of any amounts advanced on account of just compensation over the amount of the court judgment will be required to be refunded. In the event of such court determination, premiums under the policy shall be adjusted on the basis of the valuation as finally determined and of the rate provided for in said policy.

(b) The Secretary may prescribe and change forms and policies, and fix, adjust, and change the amounts insured and rates of premium provided for in this title. The Secretary may charge and collect an annual fee in an amount calculated to cover the expenses of processing applications for insurance, the employment of underwriting agents, and the appointment of experts.

(c) The Secretary, in administering this title, may exercise his powers, perform his duties and functions, and make his expenditures, in accordance with commercial practice in the marine insurance business. Except as authorized in subsection (d) of this section, no insurance broker or other person acting in a similar intermediary capacity shall be paid any fee or other consideration by the Secretary by virtue of his participation in arranging any insurance wherein the Secretary directly insures any of the risk thereof.

(d) The Secretary may, and whenever he finds it practical to do so shall, employ domestic companies or groups of domestic companies authorized to do a marine insurance business in any State of the United States, to act as his underwriting agent. The Secretary may allow such companies or groups of companies fair and reasonable compensation for servicing insurance written by such companies or groups of companies as underwriting agent for the Secretary. The services of such underwriting agents may be utilized in the adjustment of claims under insurance provided by this title, but no claim shall be paid unless and until it has been approved by the Secretary. Such compensation may include an allow

ance for expenses reasonably incurred by such agent, but such allowance shall not include any payment by such agent on account of solicitation for or stimulation of insurance business.

(e) The Secretary without regard to the laws, rules, or regulations relating to the employment of employees of the United States, may appoint and prescribe the duties of such number of experts in marine insurance as he deems necessary under this title.

(f) The Secretary with the consent of any executive department, independent establishment, or other agency of the Government, including any field service thereof, may avail himself of the use of information, services, facilities, officers, and employees thereof in carrying out the provisions of this title.

SEC. 1210. [46 App. Ú.S.C. 1290] This title shall not affect rights of seamen under existing law.

SEC. 1211. [46 App. U.S.Č. 1291] The Secretary shall include in his annual report to Congress a detailed statement of all activities and of all expenditures and receipts under this title for the period covered by such report.

SEC. 1212. [46 App. U.S.C. 1292] Upon disagreement as to a loss insured under this title, suit may be maintained against the United States in admiralty in the district in which the claimant or his agent resides, and this remedy shall be exclusive of any other action by reason of the same subject matter against any agent or employee of the United States employed or retained under this title. If the claimant has no residence in the United States, suit may be brought in the District Court of the District of Columbia or in such other district court in which the Attorney General of the United States agrees to accept service. Such suits shall be heard and determined under the provisions of an Act entitled "An Act authorizing suits against the United States in admiralty, suits for salvage services, and providing for the release of merchant vessels belonging to the United States from arrest and attachment in foreign jurisdiction, and for other purposes", approved March 9, 1920, as amended (known as the Suits in Admiralty Act). All persons having or claiming or who might have an interest in such insurance, may be made parties either initially or upon the motion of either party. In any case where the Secretary acknowledges the indebtedness of the United States on account of such insurance, and there is a dispute as to the persons entitled to receive payment, the United States may bring an action in the nature of a bill or interpleader against such parties, in the District Court for the District of Columbia, or in the district court of the district in which any such person resides. In such actions any party, if not a resident of or found within the district, may be brought in by order of court served in such reasonable manner as the court directs. If the court is satisfied that persons unknown might assert a claim on account of such insurance, it may direct service upon such persons unknown by publication in the Federal Register. Judgment in any such suit shall discharge the United States from further liability to any parties to such action, and to all persons when service by publication upon persons unknown is directed by the court. The period within which suits may be commenced contained in said Suits in Admiralty Act shall, if claim be filed therefor within such period, be suspended from such time of filing until the claim shall have

been administratively denied by the Secretary and for sixty days thereafter: Provided, however, That such claim shall be deemed to have been administratively denied if not acted upon within six months after the time of filing, unless the Secretary for good cause shown shall have otherwise agreed with the claimant.

SEC. 1213. [46 App. U.S.C. 1293] A person having an insurable interest in a vessel may, with the approval of the Secretary, insure with other underwriters in an amount in excess of the amount insured with the Secretary of Transportation, and in that event the Secretary of Transportation shall not be entitled to the benefit of such insurance.

SEC. 1214. [46 App. U.S.C. 1294] The authority of the Secretary to provide insurance and reinsurance under this title shall expire June 30, 2005.

TITLE XIII—MARITIME EDUCATION AND TRAINING

SEC. 1301. [46 App. U.S.C. 1295] It is the policy of the United States that merchant marine vessels of the United States should be operated by highly trained and efficient citizens of the United States and that the United States Navy and the merchant marine of the United States should work closely together to promote the maximum integration of the total seapower forces of the United States. In furtherance of this policy

(1) the Secretary of Transportation is authorized to take the steps necessary to provide for the education and training of citizens of the United States who are capable of providing for the safe and efficient operation of the merchant marine of the United States at all times and as a naval and military auxiliary in time of war or national emergency; and

(2) the Secretary of Navy, in cooperation with the Maritime Administrator and the head of each State maritime academy, shall assure that the training of future merchant marine officers at the United States Merchant Marine Academy and at the State maritime academies includes programs for naval science training in the operation of merchant marine vessels as a naval and military auxiliary and that naval officer training programs for the training of future officers, insofar as possible, be maintained at designated maritime academies consistent with United States Navy standards and needs.

SEC. 1302. [46 App. U.S.C. 1295a] For purposes of this title— (1) the term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Transportation;

(2) the term "Academy" means the United States Merchant Marine Academy located at Kings Point, New York which is maintained under section 1303;

(3) the term "State maritime academy" means any maritime academy or college which is assisted under section 1304 and which is sponsored by any State or territory of the United States or, in the case of a regional maritime academy or college, sponsored by any group of States or territories of the United States, or both; and

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(4) the term "merchant marine officer" means any person who holds a license issued by the United States Coast Guard which authorizes service

(A) as a master, mate, or pilot on board any vessel of 1,000 gross tons or more as measured under section 14502 of title 46, United States Code, or an alternate tonnage measured under section 14302 of that title as prescribed by the Secretary under section 14104 of that title which is documented under the laws of the United States and which operates on the oceans or on the Great Lakes; or

(B) as an engineer officer on board any vessel propelled by machinery of 4,000 horsepower or more which is documented under the laws of the United States.

SEC. 1303. [46 App. U.S.C. 1295b] (a) The Secretary shall maintain the Academy for providing instruction to individuals to prepare them for service in the merchant marine of the United States.

(b)(1) Each Senator and Member of the House of Representatives, the Panama Canal Commission, the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Delegate from American Samoa may nominate for appointment as a cadet at the Academy any individual who is—

(A) a citizen of the United States or a national of the United States; and

(B) a resident of the State represented by such Senator if the individual is nominated by a Senator, a resident of the State in which the congressional district represented by such Member of the House of Representatives is located if the individual is nominated by a Member of the House of Representatives (or a resident of Guam, the Virgin Islands, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or American Samoa if the individual is nominated by a Member of the House of Representatives representing such area), a resident of the area or installation described in paragraph (3)(A)(ii), or a son or daughter of the personnel described in such paragraph, if the individual is nominated by the Panama Canal Commission, or a resident of the Northern Mariana Islands if the individual is nominated by the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands.

(2)(A) The Secretary shall establish minimum requirements for the individual nominated pursuant to paragraph (1) and shall establish a system of competition for the selection of individuals qualified for appointment as cadets at the Academy.

(B) Such system of competition shall determine the relative merit of appointing each such individual to the Academy through the use of competitive examinations, an assessment of the academic background of the individual, and such other factors as are considered effective indicators of motivation and the probability of successful completion of training at the Academy.

(3)(A) Qualified individuals nominated pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be selected each year for appointment as cadets at the Academy to fill positions allocated as follows:

(i) Positions shall be allocated each year for individuals who are residents of each State and are nominated by the