USS Constitution Designated America's Ship of State: "USS Constitution became America's Ship of State Oct. 28.
USS Constitution's primary mission will remain education and public outreach, and any Ship of State functions will be an adjunct to the ship's primary mission, according the National Defense Authorization Act For Fiscal Year 2010 in section 1022. It is the sense of Congress that the president, vice president, executive branch officials, and members of Congress should use the USS Constitution for the conducting of pertinent matters of state, such as hosting visiting heads of state, signing legislation relating to the armed forces, and signing maritime related treaties."
