A bill to clarify the authority to establish lines of demarcation dividing the high seas and inland waters.
Public Law 96-324 · H.R. 1198 · 96th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Aug 8, 1980 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Rep. Mario Biaggi (D-NY-10)
Cosponsors: None
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.
Directs the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating (previously the Commandant of the Coast Guard) to establish lines of demarcation dividing the high seas and inland waters of the United States for purposes of determining the applicability of special navigation rules in lieu of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea as well as determining the applicability of statutes referring to such areas.
Defines "seagoing barge" as a barge which in the usual course of its employment proceeds outside the line dividing the inland waters from the high seas for the purpose of determining inspection standards.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee · House · 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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 13 actions.
- Aug 8, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-324.
- Jul 29, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Jul 28, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Jul 24, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- Jul 16, 1980CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Sep 18, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Sep 17, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Sep 13, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Jan 22, 1979CommitteeCommittee · 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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.