---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 15104"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "15104"
heading: "National Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/15104"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen"
  - "Part K — National Maritime Transportation Advisory Committees"
  - "Chapter 151 — National Maritime Transportation Advisory Committees"
---

# §15104. National Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee

- (a) **Establishment.—** There is established a National Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee (in this section referred to as the “Committee”).
- (b) **Function.—** The Committee shall advise the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) on matters relating to—
  - (1) medical certification determinations for the issuance of [licenses](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2), certification of [registry](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-1), and merchant mariners’ documents with respect to merchant mariners;
  - (2) medical standards and guidelines for the physical qualifications of operators of commercial vessels;
  - (3) medical examiner education; and
  - (4) medical research.
- (c) **Membership.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** The Committee shall consist of 14 members appointed by the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) in accordance with this section and [section 15109](/usc/46/15109.md) of this chapter.
  - (2) **Expertise.—** Each member of the Committee shall have particular expertise, knowledge, and experience in matters relating to the function of the Committee.
  - (3) **Representation.—** Members of the Committee shall be appointed as follows:
    - (A) 9 shall represent health-care professionals and have particular expertise, knowledge, and experience regarding the medical examinations of merchant mariners or occupational medicine.
    - (B) 5 shall represent professional mariners and have particular expertise, knowledge, and experience in occupational requirements for mariners.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 115–282, title VI, § 601(a), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4283.)