Congress · Laws

Oil Pollution Act Amendments of 1973

Public Law 93-119 · H.R. 5451 · 93rd Congress · began in the House

Signed by Richard Nixon (R) on Oct 4, 1973 · Government Operations and Politics

Sponsor: Rep. Leonor Sullivan (D-MO-3)

Cosponsors (12): Rep. James Grover, Rep. Frank Clark,

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 370 yea, 1 nay370–1
SenateMethod not stated

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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Oil Pollution Act Amendments - Adds to the list of definitions of actions covered by the Oil Pollution Act of 1961. Defines the term "instantaneous rate of discharge of oil content" as meaning the rate of discharge of oil in liters per hour at any instant divided by the speed of the ship in knots at the same instant.

Transfers the duties of the Secretary of Transportation under the Act to the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating.

Defines the meaning of distance from the nearest land for purposes of actions in the vicinity of Australia.

Prohibits the discharge of oil or oily mixture from a ship unless; (1) the ship is proceeding en route; (2) the rate of discharge of oil content does not exceed sixty liters per mile; and (3) the oil content, for a ship other than a tanker, is less than 100 parts per one million parts and the discharge is made as for as practicable from the nearest land.

Sets forth construction standards and deadlines for compliance with the Act for tankers. Requires certification of tankers complying with standards by the Secretary. Prescribes civil and criminal penalties for the willful discharging of oil in violation of the Act.

Requires that the oil recordbook be completed on each occasion, on a tank-to-tank basis, whenever specified operations on a tanker or other ship take place.

Prescribes the effective dates of the various provisions of this Act. Amends 33 U.S.C. 1001-15

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 93rd Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 371 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

371 yea1 nay67 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(193)

Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-7
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-8
Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-9
Rep. John MossD-CA-3
Rep. Elizabeth HoltzmanD-NY-16
Rep. Bella AbzugD-NY-20
Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-30
Rep. Phillip BurtonD-CA-5
Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. Ralph MetcalfeD-IL-1
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
Rep. William FordD-MI-15
Rep. Michael HarringtonD-MA-6
Rep. Leo RyanD-CA-11
Rep. Yvonne BurkeD-CA-37
Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-35
Rep. Patsy MinkD-HI-2
Rep. Barbara JordanD-TX-18
Rep. George BrownD-CA-38
Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
Rep. Robert NixD-PA-2
Rep. Floyd HicksD-WA-6
Rep. Charles WilsonD-CA-31
Rep. James O’HaraD-MI-12
Rep. Charles CarneyD-OH-19
Rep. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
Rep. Bertram PodellD-NY-13
Rep. William BarrettD-PA-1
Rep. John DentD-PA-21
Rep. Henry HelstoskiD-NJ-9
Rep. Lloyd MeedsD-WA-2
Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
Rep. James CormanD-CA-22
Rep. Teno RoncalioD-WY
Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-29
Rep. Robert LeggettD-CA-4
Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
Rep. Robert TiernanD-RI-2
Rep. Wayne HaysD-OH-18
Rep. Brock AdamsD-WA-7
Rep. James BurkeD-MA-11
Rep. Joshua EilbergD-PA-4
Rep. Julia HansenD-WA-3
Rep. Paul SarbanesD-MD-3
Rep. Edward KochD-NY-18
Rep. Spark MatsunagaD-HI-1
Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
Rep. Thomas ReesD-CA-26
Rep. Chester HolifieldD-CA-19
Rep. William BurlisonD-MO-10
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
Rep. Frank DenholmD-SD-1
Rep. John BlatnikD-MN-8
Rep. William GreenD-PA-3
Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. Douglas OwensD-UT-2
Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-2
Rep. William HungateD-MO-9
Rep. Ray MaddenD-IN-1
Rep. John McFallD-CA-15
Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-14
Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
Rep. Edward MezvinskyD-IA-1
Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
Rep. Joseph EvinsD-TN-4
Rep. Peter KyrosD-ME-1
Rep. Charles VanikD-OH-22
Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. John MurphyD-NY-17
Rep. Leonor SullivanD-MO-3
Rep. Robert BerglandD-MN-7
Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
Rep. Joseph KarthD-MN-4
Rep. John KluczynskiD-IL-5
Rep. Richard FultonD-TN-5
Rep. Thomas MorganD-PA-22
Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
Rep. William MoorheadD-PA-14
Rep. Kenneth HechlerD-WV-4
Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
Rep. Morgan MurphyD-IL-2
Rep. Harold DonohueD-MA-3
Rep. Dominick DanielsD-NJ-14
Rep. Lionel Van DeerlinD-CA-41
Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
Rep. Joseph VigoritoD-PA-24
Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
Rep. Martha GriffithsD-MI-17
Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Frederick RooneyD-PA-15
Rep. Torbert MacdonaldD-MA-7
Rep. Daniel FloodD-PA-11
Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. Edward PattenD-NJ-15
Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. Frank EvansD-CO-3
Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
Rep. John YoungD-TX-14
Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
Rep. Frank ClarkD-PA-25
Rep. William CotterD-CT-1
Rep. John SlackD-WV-3
Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
Rep. Robert GiaimoD-CT-3
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. Ella GrassoD-CT-6
Rep. Wilbur MillsD-AR-2
Rep. John CulverD-IA-2
Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
Rep. James DelaneyD-NY-9
Rep. Jerry LittonD-MO-6
Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-4
Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
Rep. Clem McSpaddenD-OK-2
Rep. John BreauxD-LA-7
Rep. John RoushD-IN-4
Rep. Albert UllmanD-OR-2
Rep. John DavisD-GA-7
Rep. Richard WhiteD-TX-16
Rep. Bo GinnD-GA-1
Rep. John BreckinridgeD-KY-6
Rep. William RandallD-MO-4
Rep. Williamson StuckeyD-GA-8
Rep. William RoyD-KS-2
Rep. Otis PikeD-NY-1
Rep. Frank StubblefieldD-KY-1
Rep. Thaddeus DulskiD-NY-37
Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. James StantonD-OH-20
Rep. Robert CaseyD-TX-22
Rep. David HendersonD-NC-3
Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
Rep. Walter FlowersD-AL-7
Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
Rep. James JonesD-OK-1
Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
Rep. Bill GunterD-FL-5
Rep. David BowenD-MS-2
Rep. Thomas GettysD-SC-5
Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
Rep. Richard IchordD-MO-8
Rep. George MahonD-TX-19
Rep. Herbert RobertsD-TX-4
Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
Rep. Otto PassmanD-LA-5
Rep. Roy TaylorD-NC-11
Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
Rep. William PoageD-TX-11
Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
Rep. Robert SikesD-FL-1
Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
Rep. William DornD-SC-3
Rep. Paul RogersD-FL-11
Rep. Felix HébertD-LA-1
Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. Thomas DowningD-VA-1
Rep. James MannD-SC-4
Rep. Joseph WaggonnerD-LA-4
Rep. James HaleyD-FL-8
Rep. Goodloe ByronD-MD-6
Rep. John FlyntD-GA-6
Rep. Ovie FisherD-TX-21
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Omar BurlesonD-TX-17
Rep. Dan DanielD-VA-5
Rep. John JarmanD-OK-5
Rep. John RarickD-LA-6

Republicans who voted yea(177)

Rep. Donald RiegleR-MI-7
Rep. Charles WhalenR-OH-3
Rep. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
Rep. Gilbert GudeR-MD-8
Rep. Robert SteeleR-CT-2
Rep. Peter PeyserR-NY-23
Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
Rep. Edward BiesterR-PA-8
Rep. Paul CroninR-MA-5
Rep. Mark AndrewsR-ND
Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
Rep. Pete McCloskeyR-CA-17
Rep. John StantonR-OH-11
Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
Rep. Charles MosherR-OH-13
Rep. William CohenR-ME-2
Rep. William WalshR-NY-33
Rep. Wendell WyattR-OR-1
Rep. Bob MathiasR-CA-18
Rep. Tim CarterR-KY-5
Rep. Marvin EschR-MI-2
Rep. Charles SandmanR-NJ-2
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
Rep. Henry HeinzR-PA-18
Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-1
Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
Rep. Donald BrotzmanR-CO-2
Rep. Elwood HillisR-IN-5
Rep. William MailliardR-CA-6
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. Pierre du PontR-DE
Rep. Joseph MarazitiR-NJ-13
Rep. William HarshaR-OH-6
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. James AbdnorR-SD-2
Rep. William WamplerR-VA-9
Rep. John AndersonR-IL-16
Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
Rep. Lawrence WilliamsR-PA-7
Rep. Orval HansenR-ID-2
Rep. Angelo RoncalloR-NY-3
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
Rep. Jerry PettisR-CA-33
Rep. Vernon ThomsonR-WI-3
Rep. Jim JohnsonR-CO-4
Rep. John ZwachR-MN-6
Rep. Joe SkubitzR-KS-5
Rep. Lawrence HoganR-MD-5
Rep. Albert QuieR-MN-1
Rep. James ClevelandR-NH-2
Rep. Dick ShoupR-MT-1
Rep. Herbert BurkeR-FL-12
Rep. Thad CochranR-MS-4
Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
Rep. James HastingsR-NY-39
Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
Rep. James GroverR-NY-2
Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-40
Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
Rep. Alan SteelmanR-TX-5
Rep. William MillsR-MD-1
Rep. Edwin EshlemanR-PA-16
Rep. James HarveyR-MI-8
Rep. Philip RuppeR-MI-11
Rep. Louis FreyR-FL-9
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5
Rep. Dan KuykendallR-TN-8
Rep. Samuel YoungR-IL-10
Rep. Joel BroyhillR-VA-10
Rep. David TowellR-NV
Rep. Burt TalcottR-CA-12
Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. Charles GubserR-CA-10
Rep. Vinegar Bend MizellR-NC-5
Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-19
Rep. John SaylorR-PA-12
Rep. Paul FindleyR-IL-20
Rep. Victor VeyseyR-CA-43
Rep. Elford CederbergR-MI-10
Rep. Louis WymanR-NH-1
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. John HuntR-NJ-1
Rep. William BrayR-IN-6
Rep. George O’BrienR-IL-17
Rep. Charles ChamberlainR-MI-6
Rep. John DellenbackR-OR-4
Rep. John McCollisterR-NE-2
Rep. Stanford ParrisR-VA-8
Rep. Clarence BrownR-OH-7
Rep. Henry SmithR-NY-36
Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
Rep. William KeatingR-OH-1
Rep. Delbert LattaR-OH-5
Rep. Roger ZionR-IN-8
Rep. Marjorie HoltR-MD-4
Rep. Richard MallaryR-VT
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. Charles TeagueR-CA-13
Rep. Howard RobisonR-NY-27
Rep. William MinshallR-OH-23
Rep. Robert HanrahanR-IL-3
Rep. Edward DerwinskiR-IL-4
Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
Rep. Manley ButlerR-VA-6
Rep. William ScherleR-IA-5
Rep. Alphonzo BellR-CA-28
Rep. Andrew HinshawR-CA-39
Rep. Robert DanielR-VA-4
Rep. Keith SebeliusR-KS-1
Rep. Harold FroehlichR-WI-8
Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-42
Rep. Earl RuthR-NC-8
Rep. Garry BrownR-MI-3
Rep. Robert McEwenR-NY-30
Rep. Carleton KingR-NY-29
Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
Rep. William HudnutR-IN-11
Rep. Ancher NelsenR-MN-2
Rep. Edward YoungR-SC-6
Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
Rep. Gerald FordR-MI-5
Rep. John WareR-PA-5
Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
Rep. Leslie ArendsR-IL-15
Rep. LaMar BakerR-TN-3
Rep. Marion SnyderR-KY-4
Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-20
Rep. Barry GoldwaterR-CA-27
Rep. Gene TaylorR-MO-7
Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. Skip BafalisR-FL-10
Rep. Harold CollierR-IL-6
Rep. Robin BeardR-TN-6
Rep. John CampR-OK-6
Rep. David MartinR-NE-3
Rep. Donald ClancyR-OH-2
Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6
Rep. William KetchumR-CA-36
Rep. David TreenR-LA-3
Rep. William ArmstrongR-CO-5
Rep. Edward HutchinsonR-MI-4
Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-35
Rep. Herman SchneebeliR-PA-17
Rep. Charles WigginsR-CA-25
Rep. Craig HosmerR-CA-32
Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
Rep. Sam SteigerR-AZ-3
Rep. Robert HuberR-MI-18
Rep. Glenn DavisR-WI-9
Rep. Delwin ClawsonR-CA-23
Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. David DennisR-IN-10
Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
Rep. Samuel DevineR-OH-12
Rep. John ConlanR-AZ-4
Rep. George GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. John RousselotR-CA-24
Rep. John AshbrookR-OH-17
Rep. James CollinsR-TX-3
Rep. Steven SymmsR-ID-1
Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-12
Rep. Earl LandgrebeR-IN-2
Rep. Harold GrossR-IA-3

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 81 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. 1 yea vote was cast by members of neither major party and is highlighted on the compass but not listed. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee · House · referred to, reported by
Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee · Senate · referred to, reported by

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.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 10 actions.

Oct 4, 1973Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
PresidentPresident · Public law 93-119.
Sep 26, 1973PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
Sep 24, 1973FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
Sep 21, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
May 9, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
May 8, 1973FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #129 (370-1).House roll call 129
Apr 12, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
Mar 8, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House

Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.