To complete the codification of title 46, United States Code, "Shipping", as positive law.
Public Law 109-304 · H.R. 1442 · 109th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Oct 6, 2006 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI-5)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. John Conyers
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Declares that the purpose of this Act is to enact into positive law title 46 of the United States Code, entitled "Shipping." Sets forth organizational and administrative provisions regarding the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC).
Amends federal shipping law to require, upon the request of the Secretary of Defense, the head of an agency responsible for the administration of navigation or vessel-inspection laws to waive compliance with such laws in the interest of national defense.
Exempts cargo on a vessel from forfeiture if: (1) the cargo is owned in good faith by a person not the owner, master, or crewmember of the vessel; and (2) the customs duties on the cargo have been paid.
Sets forth a civil penalty (if no penalty exists) for persons convicted of violating a regulation or order of the FMC or the Secretary of Transportation.
Makes technical and conforming amendments and sets forth requirements with respect to: (1) documentation of vessels; (2) maritime liability; (3) regulation of ocean shipping, including shipping in foreign trade; (4) the Merchant Marine and the Merchant Marine Service; (5) clearance of, and tonnage taxes and duties levied against, vessels; (6) maritime security and drug enforcement; (7) vessel wrecks and salvage; (8) ice patrol and the destruction or removal of vessel derelicts; (9) safe containers for international cargo; and (10) the Maritime Administration in the Department of Transportation.
Amends various federal maritime laws to require the Secretary of Homeland Security (currently, the Secretary of the Treasury) to withhold or revoke clearance of a vessel that has committed certain maritime violations.
Repeals specified shipping laws.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
The record lists no related bills.
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 21 actions.
- Oct 6, 2006Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 109-304.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Sep 27, 2006FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Sep 14, 2006FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Sep 13, 2006FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Sep 7, 2006CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 594.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Specter without amendment. Without written report.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- Nov 17, 2005CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Nov 16, 2005FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1442.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Sensenbrenner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Jul 14, 2005CalendarCalendar · Placed on the House Calendar, Calendar No. 61.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 109-170.
- Jun 29, 2005CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- Mar 17, 2005CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- CommitteeCommittee · Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E484)
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.