Post, p 1757.

72 Stat. 1755.

the Secretary. No other number shall be permitted to be carried on the bow of such vessel.

(4) The certificate of number shall be pocket size and shall be required to be at all times available for inspection on the vessel for which issued, whenever such vessel is in use.

(5) The owner shall be required to furnish to a designated State official, notice of the transfer of all or any part of his interest in any numbered vessel, and of the destruction or abandonment of such vessel, within a reasonable time thereof. The owner shall be required to notify a designated State official of any change in his address within a reasonable time of such change.

(6) The State shall require that reports be made to it of accidents involving vessels numbered by it under its numbering system, and shall compile and transmit to the Secretary such statistics on such accidents.

(7) The State shall recognize the validity of a number awarded to any vessel by another State under a numbering system approved by the Secretary under this Act, or awarded a number by the Secretary, for a period of at least ninety days.

(8) In the case of a State having its numbering system approved after April 1, 1960, such State shall accept and recognize any valid certificate of number awarded under subsection (d) of this section for so long as such certificate would otherwise be valid under such subsection (d), except that where such a certificate would remain ( valid for more than one year after the date when such State's numbering system was approved, the State may accept and recognize the validity of such certificate for lesser period, but such period shall not end sooner than one year from the date of approval of such system.

(9) The State may exempt any vessel or class of vessels from the numbering provisions of its system if such vessel or class of vessels has been made exempt from the numbering provisions of section (d) by the Secretary under section 7 (b) of this Act.

(10) The States may charge fees in connection with the award of certificates of number and renewals thereof.

(11) The States may require that the operator of a vessel required to be numbered hereunder shall hold a valid safety certificate to be issued under such terms and conditions as may be provided by State law.

(d) The owner of an undocumented vessel required to be numbered under subsection (a) of this section who uses his vessel principally in a State which does not have a numbering system approved by the Secretary under subsection (c) of this section, shall make application to the Secretary, and upon payment of the fee established under sec tion 5, such owner shall be granted a certificate of number containing the number awarded such vessel by the Secretary.

(e) The certificate of number initially awarded to an owner under subsection (d) of this section shall be valid for three years from the date of the owner's birthday next occurring after the date the cer tificate of number is issued, unless surrendered or canceled pursuant to regulations of the Secretary. If at the end of such period such ownership has remain unchanged, such owner shall, upon application and payment of the fee established under section 5 of this Act, be granted a renewal of such certificate of number for an additional threeyear period.

(f) The number awarded under subsection (c) or (d) of this section shall be painted on, or attached to, each side of the bow of the vessel for which it was issued, and shall be of such size, color, and type is may be prescribed by the Secretary. No other number shall be carried

72 Stat. 1756.

(g) The certificate of number granted under subsection (c) or (d) of this section shall be pocket size and shall be required to be at all times available for inspection on the vessel for which issued whenever such vessel is in use, and shall constitute a document in lieu of a marine document that sets forth an official number issued by the Bureau of Customs.

(h) Whenever the Secretary determines that a State is not administering its approved system for numbering vessels in accordance with the standards set forth under subsection (c) of this section, he may withdraw such approval. The Secretary shall not withdraw his approval of a State system of numbering until he has given notice in writing to the State setting forth specifically wherein the State has failed to maintain such standards.

SEC. 4. The owner of any vessel numbered under section 3 (d) of Notice of this Act shall furnish to the Secretary notice of the transfer of all or transfer.

any part of his interest in any numbered vessel, and of the destruc-Ante, p. 1755. tion, or abandonment of such vessel, within a reasonable time thereof. The owner shall notify the Secretary of any change in his address within a reasonable time of such change.

Fees or charges.

SEC. 5. The Secretary may prescribe reasonable fees or charges for the numbering of a vessel, or renewal thereof, under subsections (d) Ante, p. 1755. and (e) of section 3 of this Act.

SEC. 6. (a) Section 13 of the Act entitled "An Act to amend laws for preventing collisions of vessels, to regulate equipment of certain motorboats on the navigable waters of the United States, and for other

purposes", approved April 25, 1940 (46 U. S. C. 5261), is amended to 54 Stat. 166. s read as follows:

"SEC. 13. (a) No person shall operate any motorboat or any vessel "Operate." in a reckless or negligent manner so as to endanger the life, limb,

or property of any person. To 'operate' means to navigate or other

wise use a motorboat or a vessel.

"(b) In the case of collision, accident, or other casualty involving Accident a motorboat or other vessel subject to this Act, it shall be the dutyassistance. of the operator, if and so far as he can do so without serious danger to his own vessel, or persons aboard, to render such assistance as may be practicable and necessary to other persons affected by the collision, accident, or casualty in order to save them from danger caused by the collision, accident, or casualty. He shall also give his name, address, and identification of his vessel to any person injured and to the owner of any property damaged. The duties imposed by this subsection shall be in addition to any duties otherwise provided by law.

66

"(c) In the case of collision, accident, or other casualty involvingAccident a motorboat or other vessel subject to this Act, the operator thereof,reports. if the collision, accident, or other casualty results in death or injury to any person, or damage to property in excess of $100, shall file with the Secretary of the Department within which the Coast Guard is operating, unless such operator is required to file an accident report

with the State under section 3 (c) (6) of the Federal Boating Act ofAnte, p. 1755. 1958, a full description of the collision, accident, or other casualty, including such information as the Secretary may by regulation require.'

(b) Section 16 of such Act of April 25, 1940 (46 U. S. C. 5260),54 Stat. 166. is amended by striking out "than that contained in section 14 of this Act".

(c) Such Act of April 25, 1940 (46 U. S. C. 526-526t), is further Applicability. amended by adding at the end thereof the following new section:

"SEC. 22. (a) This Act shall apply to every motorboat or vessel

72 Stat. 1757.

Rules and
regulations.

Reports to
Congress.

Ante, p.1755.

Ante, p.1754,

1756.

Penalties.

Inspection by
Coast Guard.

54 Stat. 163. 46 USC 526 et seg. Uniformity of laws, etc.

63 Stat. 505.

Publication of findings.

District of Columbia, and every motorboat or vessel owned in a State and using the high seas.

"(b) As used in this Act—

"The term "State' means a State of the United States, a Territory of the United States, and the District of Columbia.”

SEC. 7. (a) The Secretary shall make such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act: Provided, That such rules and regulations shall be submitted to the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate when Congress is in session, and shall not become effective until sixty days thereafter.

(b) The Secretary may, from time to time, and for such periods as he may prescribe, exempt any vessel or class of vessels from the numbering provisions of subsection (d) of section 3 of this Act.

SEC. 8. (a) Whoever being the owner of a vessel required to be numbered under this Act, violates section 3 or 4 of this Act, or regulations established by the Secretary under section 7 of this Act, shall be liable to a penalty of $50 for each violation. Whoever operates a vessel in violation of section 3 of this Act, or regulations established by the Secretary under section 7 of this Act, shall be liable to a penalty of $50 for each violation.

(b) The Secretary may assess and collect any penalty incurred under this Act or any regulations prescribed pursuant to section 7 of this Act. The Secretary may, in his discretion, remit or mitigate any penalty imposed under this section, or discontinue prosecution there for on such terms as he may deem proper.

(c) Commissioned, warrant, and petty officers of the Coast Guard may board any vessel required to be numbered under this Act at any time such vessel is found upon the navigable waters of the United States, its Territories and the District of Columbia, or on the high seas, address inquiries to those on board, require appropriate proof of identification therefrom, examine the certificate of number issued under this Act, or in the absence of such certificate require appropriate proof of identification of the owner of the vessel, and, in addition, examine such vessel for compliance with this Act, the Act of April 25, 1940, as amended, and the applicable rules of the road.

SEC. 9. It is hereby declared to be the policy of Congress to encourage uniformity of boating laws, rules, and regulations as among the several States and the Federal Government to the fullest extent practicable, subject to reasonable exceptions arising out of local conditions. In the interest of fostering the development, use, and enjoyment of all the waters of the United States it is further declared to be the policy of the Congress hereby to encourage the highest degree of reciprocity and comity among the several jurisdictions. The Secretary, acting under the authority of section 141 of title 14 of the United States Code, shall to the greatest possible extent enter into agreements and other arrangements with the States to insure that there shall be the fullest possible cooperation in the enforcement of both State and Federal statutes, rules, and regulations relating to recreational boating.

SEC. 10. The Secretary is authorized and directed to compile, analyze, and publish, either in summary or detailed form, the infor mation obtained by him from the accident reports transmitted to Ante, p. 1755. him under section 3 (c) (6) of this Act, and under section 13 (e) of the Act entitled "An Act to amend laws for preventing collisions of vessels, to regulate equipment of certain motorboats on the navi gable waters of the United States, and for other purposes", approved April 25, 1940 (46 U. S. C. 5261), together with such findings con cerning the causes of such accidents and such recommendations for

72 Stat. 1758.

be made available for public inspection in such manner as the Secretary may deem practicable.

SEC. 11. (a) Except section 3 (d), this Act shall take effect on the Effective date. date of its enactment.

(b) Section 3 (d) of this Act shall take effect April 1, 1960. SEC. 12. The Act entitled "An Act to require numbering and recording of undocumented vessels", approved June 7, 1918, as amended (46

Ante, p. 1755.

U. S. C. 288), and section 21 of the Act entitled "An Act to amend 40 Stat. 602. laws for preventing collisions of vessels, to regulate equipment of certain motorboats on the navigable waters of the United States, and for

other purposes", approved April 25, 1940, as amended (46 U. S. C. 54 Stat. 167. 526t), shall not be applicable in any State having a numbering system

approved by the Secretary under section 3 (c) of this Act. Such Act Repeals,
of June 7, 1918, and such section 21 of the Act of April 25, 1940, are
repealed effective April 1, 1960.

SEC. 13. The applicability and the jurisdiction for enforcement, Law enforceupon the navigable waters of the United States, its Territories and the ment. District of Columbia, of the laws of the United States and of any State which require the numbering and otherwise regulate the use of undocumented vessels, shall be as follows:

(1) Such laws of the United States shall be applicable and enforced on such waters by law enforcement officers of the United States.

(2) Such laws of any State in a State having a numbering system approved by the Secretary under section 3 (c) of this Act shall be Ante, p. 1754. applicable and enforced on such waters by law enforcement officers of the State or by law enforcement officers of the appropriate subdivisions of the State.

(3) Nothing herein shall preclude enforcement of State or Federal laws pursuant to agreements or other arrangements entered into between the Secretary and any State within the contemplation of section 9 of this Act.

(4) Nothing herein shall interfere with, abrogate or limit the jurisdiction of any State: Provided, however, That the Secretary shall not approve any State system for numbering which does not fully comply with the standards set forth in section 3 (c).

Ante, p. 1757.

Ante, p. 1754.

86th Congress, H. R. 3293
May 13, 1959

AN ACT

To authorize the construction of modern naval vessels.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President Vessels. is authorized to undertake the construction of not to exceed twenty thousand tons of amphibious warfare vessels and landing craft and 73 Stat. 23. not to exceed four thousand tons of patrol vessels.

73 Stat. 24,

SEC. 2. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as Appropriations. may be necessary for the construction of the foregoing vessels. Approved May 13, 1959.

(828)