Under what authority are Battleships donated?
Title 10 U.S.C. 7306 provides authority to the Navy to donate ships, including Battleships. Further, Public Law 109-163 (the FY06 National Defense Authorization Act) repealed FY96 and FY99 laws requiring the retention of two battleships, and authorized the Secretary of the Navy to strike ex-Iowa (BB 61) and ex-Wisconsin (BB 64) from the Naval Vessel Register and offer the ships for donation in California and Virginia, respectively. The cost to the Navy (and therefore to the taxpayers) of maintaining both battleships is approximately $1,500,000 per year. Now that Congress has authorized the donation of ex-Iowa and ex-Wisconsin, it is therefore in the best interests of the Navy to donate both ships as soon as possible. Congress has recognized this fact by waiving in this case the normal 30 day notification period.
