H.R. 9348

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9348 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9348

To amend title 46, United States Code, to increase the general limit of 
maritime liability with respect to an owner of a foreign vessel, and 
for other purposes.

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

August 13, 2024

Mr. Garamendi (for himself and Mr. Johnson of Georgia) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of 
the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend title 46, United States Code, to increase the general limit of 
maritime liability with respect to an owner of a foreign vessel, and 
for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Justice for Victims of Foreign 
Vessel Accidents Act''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENT OF SHIPOWNERS' LIMITATION OF LIABILITY ACT OF 1851.

(a) In General.--Section 30523 of title 46, United States Code, is 
amended--
(1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
``(a) Limit of Owner Liability.--
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in section 30524 of 
this title, the liability of--
``(A) the owner of a vessel of the United States 
for any claim, debt, or liability described in 
subsection (b) shall not exceed the value of the vessel 
and pending freight; and
``(B) the owner of a foreign vessel for any claim, 
debt, or liability described in subsection (b) shall 
not exceed the amount that is 10 times the value of the 
vessel and pending freight.
``(2) Multiple owners.--If a vessel has more than one 
owner, the proportionate share of the liability under paragraph 
(1) of any one such owner shall not exceed that owner's 
proportionate interest in the vessel and pending freight.''; 
and
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) in the header by striking ``Wages'' and 
inserting ``Claims Not Subject to Limitation'';
(B) by striking ``to a claim for wages.'' and 
inserting ``to--''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraphs:
``(1) a claim for wages; or
``(2) with respect to the liability of an owner of a 
foreign vessel, a claim, debt, or liability arising from 
personal injury or wrongful death of a person who was not a 
crewmember or passenger of the foreign vessel at the time the 
injury (including fatal injury, if applicable) occurred.''.
(b) Amendment to Cessation of Certain Actions.--Section 30529(c) of 
title 46, United States Code, is amended by striking ``the matter in 
question'' and inserting ``a matter subject to limitation under section 
30523 of this chapter''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) 
shall apply with respect to any liability subject to section 30523(a) 
of title 46, United States Code, that arises on or after March 25, 
2024.
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