Section 563 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996, referred to in subsec. (c)(2), is section 563 of Pub. L. 104–303, Oct. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 3784, which is not classified to the Code.

Prior to the general amendment by Pub. L. 95–269, this section was a composite of several Acts as follows:

The first sentence was from a part of section 3 of Act of Aug. 11, 1888, the Rivers and Harbors Appropriation Act of 1888. The remainder of section 3 was classified to section 623 of this title.

The second sentence, which provided that all improvement works authorized by contract may, in the discretion of the Secretary of War [now Army], be carried on by contract or otherwise, as may be most economical or advantageous to the United States, was from section 1 of the Act of July 25, 1912, the Rivers and Harbors Appropriation Act of 1912. Previous similar provisions were contained in Acts Mar. 2, 1907, ch. 2509, § 1, 34 Stat. 1110; Feb. 27, 1911, ch. 166, § 1, 36 Stat. 952.

The third sentence, which provided that in all cases where the project for a work of river or harbor improvement provides for the construction or use of Government dredging plant, the Secretary of War [now Army] may, in his discretion, have the work done by contract if reasonable prices can be obtained, was from section 3 of the Act of Mar. 2, 1919, the Rivers and Harbors Appropriation Act of 1919, which superseded a somewhat similar provision in section 3 of the Act of Aug. 8, 1917, ch. 49, 40 Stat. 261. Section 1 of the 1917 Act, 40 Stat. 255, provided in part that “the work proposed under the project adopted by the river and harbor Act approved July twenty-fifth, nineteen hundred and twelve, may be done by contract if reasonable prices can be obtained”.

2007—Subsec. (c)(7)(B). Pub. L. 110–114 inserted “This subparagraph shall not apply to the Federal hopper dredges Essayons and Yaquina of the Corps of Engineers.” at end.

1996—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–303 added subsec. (c).

1978—Pub. L. 95–269 designated existing provision as subsec. (a), substituted provisions relating to authority of Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, to implement improvement projects by contract or otherwise and dredging and related work by contract with private industry, for provisions relating to authority of the Secretary of the Army to apply moneys appropriated for improvements by contract or otherwise and for construction or use of a Government dredging plant by contract, and added subsec. (b).