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HR 4519
Passed House Re-checks Congress.gov for new actions and updates the bill's status, and fills in any sponsors, committees, or related bills that are missing. It does not re-pull sponsors/cosponsors/committees/related — those rarely change — and it skips all work if nothing has changed upstream, so it's cheap to click.

To authorize the President to consent to third party transfer of the ex-USS Bowman County to the USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc.

To authorize the President to consent to third party transfer of the ex-USS Bowman County to the USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc.

Introduced Aug 6, 1998

Latest action (Oct 15, 1998) Received in the Senate.

Referred to
Armed Services Committee Military Procurement Subcommittee
Policy area
Private Legislation
Legislative subjects (1)
Ships

Summary

This Act authorizes the President to consent to the Government of Greece's retransfer of HS Rodos (the former USS Bowman County, a landing ship tank) to the USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc. for use as a public nonprofit museum vessel. The Act establishes that while the United States generally does not permit retransfer of American military equipment to private entities, this transfer may proceed under exceptional circumstances if the organization uses the vessel exclusively for public, nonprofit, museum-related purposes and demonstrates financial capability to comply with applicable federal laws regarding environmental hazards and government monitoring of the aging vessel.

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.

Sponsor (1)

Actions (10)
  1. Oct 15, 1998 Received in the Senate. · senate
  2. Oct 14, 1998 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. · house
  3. Oct 14, 1998 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. · house
  4. Oct 14, 1998 Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
  5. Oct 14, 1998 DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate. · house
  6. Oct 14, 1998 Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H10848-10849) · house
  7. Oct 14, 1998 Mr. Hunter moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. · house
  8. Sep 15, 1998 Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Procurement. · house
  9. Aug 6, 1998 Referred to the House Committee on National Security. · house
  10. Aug 6, 1998 Introduced in House

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Full text

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

August 6, 1998

Mr. Hall of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on National Security

A BILL

To authorize the President to consent to third party transfer of the ex-USS Bowman County to the USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. AUTHORITY TO CONSENT TO THIRD PARTY TRANSFER OF EX-USS BOWMAN COUNTY TO USS LST SHIP MEMORIAL, INC.

(a) Findings.—Congress makes the following findings:

(1) It is the long-standing policy of the United States Government to deny requests for the retransfer of significant military equipment that originated in the United States to private entities.

(2) In very exceptional circumstances, when the United States public interest would be served by the proposed retransfer and end-use, such requests may be favorably considered.

(3) Such retransfers to private entities have been authorized in very exceptional circumstances following appropriate demilitarization and receipt of assurances from the private entity that the item to be transferred would be used solely in furtherance of Federal Government contracts or for static museum display.

(4) Nothing in this section should be construed as a revision of long-standing policy referred to in paragraph (1).

(5) The Government of Greece has requested the consent of the United States Government to the retransfer of HS Rodos (ex- USS Bowman County (LST 391)) to the USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc.

(b) Authority To Consent to Retransfer.—

(1) In general.—Subject to paragraph (2), the President may consent to the retransfer by the Government of Greece of HS Rodos (ex-USS Bowman County (LST 391)) to the USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc.

(2) Conditions for consent.—The President should not exercise the authority under paragraph (1) unless the USS LST Memorial, Inc.—

(A) utilizes the vessel for public, nonprofit, museum-related purposes; and

(B) complies with applicable law with respect to the vessel, including those requirements related to facilitating monitoring by the Federal Government of, and mitigating potential environmental hazards associated with, aging vessels, and has a demonstrated financial capability to so comply. <all>

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