((a)) ** .—** An individual may be nominated for a competitive appointment as a cadet at the United States Merchant Marine Academy only if the individual—

((1)) is a citizen or national of the United States; and

((2)) meets the minimum requirements that the Secretary of Transportation shall establish.

((b)) ** .—** Nominations for competitive appointments for the positions allocated under subsection (c) may be made as follows:

((1)) A Senator may nominate residents of the State represented by that Senator.

((2)) A Member of the House of Representatives may nominate residents of the State in which the congressional district represented by that Member is located.

((3)) A Delegate to the House of Representatives from the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or American Samoa may nominate residents of the jurisdiction represented by that Delegate.

((4)) The Resident Commissioner to the United States from Puerto Rico may nominate residents of Puerto Rico.

((5)) The Panama Canal Commission may nominate—

((A)) residents, or sons or daughters of residents, of an area or installation in Panama and made available to the United States under the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977, the agreements relating to and implementing that Treaty, signed , and the Agreement Between the United States of America and the Republic of Panama Concerning Air Traffic Control and Related Services, concluded ; and

((B)) sons or daughters of personnel of the United States Government and the Panama Canal Commission residing in Panama.

((c)) ** .—** Positions for competitive appointments shall be allocated each year as follows:

((1)) Positions shall be allocated for residents of each State nominated by the Members of Congress from that State in proportion to the representation in Congress from that State.

((2)) Four positions shall be allocated for residents of the District of Columbia nominated by the Delegate to the House of Representatives from the District of Columbia.

((3)) One position each shall be allocated for residents of the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa nominated by the Delegates to the House of Representatives from the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa, respectively.

((4)) One position shall be allocated for a resident of Puerto Rico nominated by the Resident Commissioner to the United States from Puerto Rico.

((5)) One position shall be allocated for a resident of the Northern Mariana Islands nominated by the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands.

((6)) Two positions shall be allocated for individuals nominated by the Panama Canal Commission.

((d)) ** .—**

((1)) ** .—** The Secretary shall establish a competitive system for selecting individuals nominated under subsection (b) to fill the positions allocated under subsection (c). The system must determine the relative merit of each individual based on competitive examinations, an assessment of the individual’s academic background, and other effective indicators of motivation and probability of successful completion of training at the Academy.

((2)) ** .—** The Secretary shall appoint individuals to fill the positions allocated under subsection (c) for each jurisdiction in the order of merit of the individuals nominated from that jurisdiction.

((3)) ** .—** If positions remain unfilled after the appointments are made under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall appoint individuals to fill the positions in the order of merit of the remaining individuals nominated from all jurisdictions.

((e)) ** .—** When a nominee of a Senator, Representative, or Delegate is selected for appointment as a cadet, the Senator, Representative, or Delegate shall be notified at least 48 hours before the official notification or announcement of the appointment is made.