(a) Authority to Make Transfer.—The Secretary of the Navy may convey, by donation, all right, title, and interest to any vessel stricken from the Naval Vessel Register or any captured vessel, for use as a museum or memorial for public display in the United States, to—

(1) any State, the District of Columbia, any Commonwealth or possession of the United States, or any municipal corporation or political subdivision thereof; or

(2) any nonprofit entity.


Terms Used In 10 USC 8676

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Donee: The recipient of a gift.
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • State: means a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any other territory or possession of the United States. See 1 USC 7
  • vessel: includes every description of watercraft or other artificial contrivance used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on water. See 1 USC 3

(b) Limitations on Liability and Responsibility.—(1) The United States and all departments and agencies thereof, and their officers and employees, shall not be liable at law or in equity for any injury or damage to any person or property occurring on a vessel donated under this section.

(2) Notwithstanding any other law, the Department of Defense, and the officers and employees of the Department of Defense, shall have no responsibility or obligation to make, engage in, or provide funding for, any improvement, upgrade, modification, maintenance, preservation, or repair to a vessel donated under this section.

(c) Transfers To Be at No Cost to Department of Defense.—Any transfer of a vessel under this section, the maintenance and preservation of that vessel as a museum or memorial, and the ultimate disposal of that vessel, including demilitarization of Munitions List items at the end of the useful life of the vessel as a museum or memorial, shall be made at no cost to the Department of Defense.

(d) Application of Environmental Laws.—Nothing in this section shall affect the applicability of Federal, State, interstate, and local environmental laws and regulations, including the Toxic Substances Control Act (15 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.), to the Department of Defense or to a donee.

(e) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) The term “nonprofit entity” means any entity qualifying as an exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

(2) The term “Munitions List” means the United States Munitions List created and controlled under section 38 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2778).

(3) The term “donee” means any entity receiving a vessel pursuant to subsection (a).

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