§51506. Conditions to receiving payments and use of vessels

(a) General Conditions.-As conditions of receiving an annual payment or the use of a vessel under this chapter, a State maritime academy must-

(1) provide courses of instruction on navigation, marine engineering (including steam and diesel propulsion), the operation and maintenance of new vessels and equipment, and innovations being introduced to the merchant marine of the United States;

(2) agree in writing to conform to the standards for courses, training facilities, admissions, and instruction that the Secretary of Transportation may establish after consultation with the superintendents of State maritime academies; and

(3) agree in writing to require, as a condition for graduation, that each individual who is a citizen of the United States and who is attending the academy in a merchant marine officer preparation program pass the examination required for the issuance of a license under section 7101 of this title.

(b) Additional Condition to Payments of More Than $25,000.-As a condition of receiving an annual payment of more than $25,000 under section 51505 of this title, a State maritime academy also must agree to admit each year a number of citizens of the United States who meet its admission requirements and reside in a State not supporting that academy. The Secretary shall determine the number of individuals to be admitted by each academy under this subsection. The number may not be more than one-third of the total number of individuals attending the academy at any time.

( Pub. L. 109–304, §8(b), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1579 .)

In subsection (a)(3), the words "administered by the Coast Guard" are omitted as unnecessary.