---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 7704a"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "7704a"
heading: "Sexual harassment or sexual assault as grounds for suspension or revocation"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/7704a"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen"
  - "Part E — Merchant Seamen Licenses, Certificates, and Documents"
  - "Chapter 77 — Suspension and Revocation"
---

# §7704a. Sexual harassment or sexual assault as grounds for suspension or revocation

- (a) **Sexual Harassment.—** If it is shown at a hearing under this chapter that a holder of a [license](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2), [certificate of registry](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-1), or merchant mariner’s document issued under this part, within 5 years before the beginning of the suspension and revocation proceedings, is the subject of an official finding of [sexual harassment](/usc/46/2101.md?p=48), then the [license](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2), [certificate of registry](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-1), or merchant mariner’s document may be suspended or revoked.
- (b) **Sexual Assault.—** If it is shown at a hearing under this chapter that a holder of a [license](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2), [certificate of registry](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-1), or merchant mariner’s document issued under this part, within 10 years before the beginning of the suspension and revocation proceedings, is the subject of an official finding of [sexual assault](/usc/46/2101.md?p=47), then the [license](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2), [certificate of registry](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-1), or merchant mariner’s document shall be revoked.
- (c) **Official Finding.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** In this section, the term “official finding” means—
    - (A) a legal proceeding or agency finding or decision that determines the individual committed [sexual harassment](/usc/46/2101.md?p=48) or [sexual assault](/usc/46/2101.md?p=47) in violation of any Federal, State, local, or Tribal law or regulation; or
    - (B) a determination after an investigation by the [Coast Guard](/usc/46/2101.md?p=2) that, by a preponderance of the evidence, the individual committed [sexual harassment](/usc/46/2101.md?p=48) or [sexual assault](/usc/46/2101.md?p=47) if the investigation affords appropriate due process rights to the subject of the investigation.
  - (2) **Administrative law judge review.—**
    - (A) **Coast guard investigation.—** A determination under [paragraph (1)(B)](#c-1-B) shall be reviewed and affirmed by an administrative law judge within the same proceeding as any suspension or revocation of a [license](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-2), [certificate of registry](/usc/46/12101.md?p=b-1), or merchant mariner’s document under subsection [(a)](#a) or [(b)](#b).
    - (B) **Legal proceeding.—** A determination under [paragraph (1)(A)](#c-1-A) that an individual committed [sexual harassment](/usc/46/2101.md?p=48) or [sexual assault](/usc/46/2101.md?p=47) is conclusive in suspension and revocation proceedings.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 117–263, div. K, title CXVI, § 11603(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 4147.)