Title 46, ShippingRelease 119-110

§51303 Non-competitive Appointments

Title 46 › Subtitle V — Merchant Marine › Part B — Merchant Marine Service › CHAPTER 513 — UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY › § 51303

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Each year the Secretary of Transportation can appoint up to 50 people as cadets at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy without a regular competition if they have qualities the Secretary finds specially valuable. The Secretary must try to keep a national demographic balance at the Academy. Each year the Secretary can also appoint up to 40 people who were sponsored by the Academy to attend preparatory school and who met the Academy’s sponsorship conditions.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §51303

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(a)In General.—
The Secretary of Transportation may appoint each year without competition as cadets at the United States Merchant Marine Academy not more than 50 qualified individuals with qualities the Secretary considers to be of special value to the Academy. In making these appointments, the Secretary shall try to achieve a national demographic balance at the Academy.
(b)Appointment of Candidates Selected for Preparatory School Sponsorship.—
The Secretary of Transportation may appoint each year as cadets at the United States Merchant Marine Academy not more than 40 qualified individuals sponsored by the Academy to attend preparatory school during the academic year prior to entrance in the Academy, and who have successfully met the terms and conditions of sponsorship set by the Academy.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 5130346 App.:1295b(b) (3)(D).June 29, 1936, ch. 858, title XIII, § 1303(b)(3)(D), as added Pub. L. 96–453, § 2, Oct. 15, 1980, 94 Stat. 1999.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2019—Pub. L. 116–92 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, and added subsec. (b). 2016—Pub. L. 114–328 substituted “50” for “40”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 51303

Title 46, Shipping

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110