Intervention on the High Seas Act
Public Law 93-248 · S. 1070 · 93rd Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Richard Nixon (R) on Feb 5, 1974 · Environmental Protection
Sponsor: Sen. Warren Magnuson (D-WA)
Cosponsors (1): Sen. Norris Cotton
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- 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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Intervention on the High Seas Act - Implements the International Convention Relating to Intervention on the High Seas.
Permits the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to take whatever action he deems necessary to prevent, mitigate, or eliminate a threat of oil pollution resulting from a maritime accident beyond the coastal States territorial sea.
Requires that there be an express determination by the Secretary that there exists a grave and imminent danger to the coast line or related interests of the United States from pollution or threat of pollution of the sea by oil before such authority is exercised.
Provides the necessary regulatory and enforcement powers for carrying out the purpose of this Act.
Authorizes the Secretary to use the revolving fund established pursuant to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act as a means of funding extraordinary Federal activities under this Act.
Specifies those limits within which the Secretary must act and those criteria upon which action should be taken.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee · House · discharged from, referred to
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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 10 actions.
- Feb 5, 1974Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 93-248.
- Jan 24, 1974PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Jan 22, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed House, in lieu of H.R. 5975.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Nov 6, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Nov 5, 1973FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- Nov 2, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Mar 1, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.