PUBLIC LAW 108–136—NOV. 24, 2003
117 STAT. 1793
‘‘(C) to maintain a valid license as an officer in the merchant marine of the United States for at least 6 years following the date of graduation from the Academy of such individual, accompanied by the appropriate national and international endorsements and certification as required by the United States Coast Guard for service aboard vessels on domestic and international voyages;’’; (3) by striking paragraph (1)(E)(iii) and inserting the following: ‘‘(iii) as a commissioned officer on active duty in an armed force of the United States, as a commissioned officer in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or other maritime-related employment with the Federal Government which serves the national security interests of the United States, as determined by the Secretary; or’’; (4) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following: ‘‘(2)(A) If the Secretary determines that any individual who has attended the Academy for not less than 2 years has failed to fulfill the part of the agreement required by paragraph (1)(A), such individual may be ordered by the Secretary of Defense to active duty in one of the armed forces of the United States to serve for a period of time not to exceed 2 years. In cases of hardship as determined by the Secretary, the Secretary may waive this provision in whole or in part. ‘‘(B) If the Secretary of Defense is unable or unwilling to order an individual to active duty under subparagraph (A), or if the Secretary of Transportation determines that reimbursement of the cost of education provided would better serve the interests of the United States, the Secretary may recover from the individual the cost of education provided by the Federal Government.’’; (5) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following: ‘‘(3)(A) If the Secretary determines that an individual has failed to fulfill any part of the agreement required by paragraph (1), as described in paragraph (1)(B), (C), (D), (E), or (F), such individual may be ordered to active duty to serve a period of time not less than 3 years and not more than the unexpired portion, as determined by the Secretary, of the service required by paragraph (1)(E). The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall determine in which service the individual shall be ordered to active duty to serve such period of time. In cases of hardship, as determined by the Secretary, the Secretary may waive this provision in whole or in part. ‘‘(B) If the Secretary of Defense is unable or unwilling to order an individual to active duty under subparagraph (A), or if the Secretary of Transportation determines that reimbursement of the cost of education provided would better serve the interests of the United States, the Secretary may recover from the individual the cost of education provided and may reduce the amount to be recovered from such individual to reflect partial performance of service obligations and such other factors as the Secretary determines merit such a reduction.’’; and (6) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (5) and inserting after paragraph (3) the following: ‘‘(4) To aid in the recovery of the cost of education provided by the Federal Government pursuant to a commitment agreement under this section, the Secretary may request the Attorney General to begin court proceedings, and the Secretary may make use of
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