Summary

GAO reviewed the Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration's (MARAD) new rule on the Maritime Security Program. GAO determined that (1) the rule adopts and finalizes an interim final rule published on July 20, 2004 (69 Fed. Reg. 43328) and implements provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004, the Maritime Security Act of 2003 (MSA 2003), which authorizes the creation of a new Maritime Security Program that establishes a fleet of active, commercially viable, privately owned vessels to meet national defense and other security requirements to maintain a United States presence in international commercial shipping; and (2) MARAD complied with the applicable requirements in promulgating the rule.