PUBLIC LAW 104-239—OCT. 8, 1996 110 STAT. 3133 that vessel is more than 15 years of age on the date the contract expires; or "(4) an operating agreement covering the vessel under subtitle B of title VI of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 has expired.". SEC. 7. CONSTRUCTION DIFFERENTIAL SUBSIDY RESTRICTIONS. Title V of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C. App. 1151 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section: "SEC. 512. LIMITATION ON RESTRICTIONS. 46 USC app. 1162 "Notwithstanding any other provision of law or contract, all restrictions and requirements under sections 503, 506, and 802 applicable to a liner vessel constructed, reconstructed, or reconditioned with the aid of construction-differential subsidy shall terminate upon the expiration of the 25-year period beginning on the date of the original delivery of the vessel from the shipyard.". SEC. 8. REGULATIONS. 46 USC app. 1 1 QfJ ——Art (a) IN GENERAL. —The Secretary of Transportation may prescribe rules as necessary to carry out this Act and the amendments made by this Act. (b) INTERIM RULES. — The Secretary of Transportation may prescribe interim rules necessary to carry out this Act and the amendments made by this Act. For this purpose, the Secretary of Transportation is excepted from compliance with the notice and comment requirements of section 553 of title 5, United States Code. All rules prescribed under the authority of this subsection that are not earlier superseded by final rules shall expire no later than 270 days after the date of enactment of this Act. SEC. 9. MERCHANT SfflP SALES ACT OF 1946 AMENDMENT. Section 11 of the Merchant Ship Sales Act of 1946 (50 U.S.C. App. 1744) is amended as follows: (1) In subsection (b)(2) by striking "Secretary of the Navy," and inserting "Secretary of Defense,". (2) By striking subsection (c) and redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (c). SEC. 10. REEMPLOYMENT RIGHTS FOR CERTAIN MERCHANT SEAMEN. (a) IN GENERAL. —Title III of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 (46 U.S.C. App. 1131) is amended by inserting after section 301 the following new section: "SEC. 302. (a) An individual who is certified by the Secretary 46 USC app. of Transportation under subsection (c) shall be entitled to reemploy- 1132. ment rights and other benefits substantially equivalent to the rights and benefits provided for by chapter 43 of title 38, United States Code, for any member of a Reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States who is ordered to active duty. "(b) An individual may submit an application for certification under subsection (c) to the Secretary of Transportation not later than 45 days after the date the individual completes a period of employment described in subsection (c)(1)(A) with respect to which the application is submitted. "(c) Not later than 20 days sifter the date the Secretary of Transportation receives from an individual an application for certification under this subsection, the Secretary shall—
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