Us Code § 53205 - Obligations and rights under operating agreements

Full text of Us Code United States Code § 53205 — Obligations and rights under operating agreements, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.

§ 53205. Obligations and rights under operating agreements

(a) Operation of Vessel.—An Operating Agreement under this chapter shall require that, during the period the vessel is operating under the Agreement, the vessel—

(1) shall be operated in the trade for Cable Services, or under a charter to the United States; and

(2) shall be documented under chapter 121 of this title.


(b) Annual Payments by the Secretary.—

(1) In general.—An Operating Agreement under this chapter shall require, subject to the availability of appropriations, that the Secretary make payment to the Contractor in accordance with section 53206.

(2) Operating agreement is an obligation of the united states government.—An Operating Agreement under this chapter constitutes a contractual obligation of the United States Government to pay the amounts provided for in the Operating Agreement to the extent of actual appropriations.


(c) Documentation Requirement.—Each vessel covered by an Operating Agreement (including an Agreement terminated under section 53204(c)(2)) shall remain documented under chapter 121 of this title, until the date the Operating Agreement would terminate according to its own terms.

(d) National Security Requirements.—

(1) In general.—A Contractor with respect to an Operating Agreement (including an Agreement terminated under section 53204(c)(2)) shall continue to be bound by the provisions of section 53207 until the date the Operating Agreement would terminate according to its terms.

(2) Contingency agreement with operating agency.—All terms and conditions of a Contingency Agreement entered into under section 53207 shall remain in effect until a date the Operating Agreement would terminate according to its terms, except that the terms of such Contingency Agreement may be modified by the mutual consent of the Contractor, and the Operating Agency.


(e) Transfer of Operating Agreements.—Operating Agreements shall not be transferrable by the Contractor.

(f) Replacement Vessel.—A Contractor may replace a vessel under an Operating Agreement with another vessel that is eligible to be included in the Fleet under section 53202(b), if the Secretary and the Operating Agency jointly determine that the replacement vessel meets national security requirements and approve the replacement.

(Added Pub. L. 116–92, div. C, title XXXV, §3521(a), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1994.)

About This Section

46 U.S.C. § 53205 is part of Title 46 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.

This section may be cited in legal writing as 46 U.S.C. § 53205. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Us Code § 53205

What does United States Code § 53205 cover?

Section 53205 ("Obligations and rights under operating agreements") is part of the United States Code, the codified statutory law of Us Code. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.

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Is this the official text of Us Code law?

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