A bill relating to the documentation of the vessel MARILYN to be employed in the coastwise trade.
Public Law 99-307 · H.R. 739 · 99th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on May 19, 1986 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Rep. Marjorie Holt (R-MD-4)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateVoice vote
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.
Makes certain technical revisions to various Federal laws relating to the operations and activities of the U.S. Coast Guard (including revising the definition of "passenger", providing for Coast Guard inspection of steam yachts, and allowing for certain actions during sea rescues).
Extends until November 1, 1993, the exemption from certain fire safety requirements for vessels which were in operation before January 1, 1968, and operate only on the inland rivers of the United States. Requires the owner or operator of any exempted vessel to notify prospective passengers of its noncompliance with such fire safety requirements, and prohibits the owner or operator from waiving liability for any loss due to fire caused by the owner's or operator's negligence.
Gives the master of a documented vessel the same lien for wages and the same priority as any other seaman serving on the vessel.
Authorizes the Coast Guard to acquire a site on the State pier in New Bedford, Massachusetts, for specified construction. Authorizes the Coast Guard, beginning in FY 1986, to use appropriated funds for construction on such State pier.
Declares Lawyer's Ditch in Newark, New Jersey, to be a nonnavigable waterway.
Authorizes the Coast Guard to contract with a municipal utility to provide electricity to a Coast Guard facility within a specified Coast Guard district in Alaska.
Declares a certain section of Bayou Lafourche, Thibodaux, Louisiana, to be a nonnavigable waterway.
Authorizes the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, notwithstanding certain registry requirements, to issue certificates of documentation to the vessels Marilyn, Royal Star, Alaskan Shores, Shearwater, Gypsy Rose, Eliminator, Puka Kai, Lobster House, Jane E., and Diane M. Limits the operation of the two last named vessels to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.
Revises a Federal drug law enforcement provision to redefine the term "arrangement" as such word relates to illegal drug transactions made aboard or in connection with a seagoing vessel.
Authorizes the Coast Guard to enter into a cost-sharing arrangement with the city of Cape May, New Jersey, for specified highway construction.
Amends Federal law relating to the towing of foreign vessels in U.S. ports.
Revises the definition of "common carrier" for purposes of Federal law relating to foreign ocean commerce, and defines the term "chemical parcel-tanker" for such purposes.
Directs the Secretary of Transportation to permit three specified vessels to be scrapped in the foreign market, under certain conditions. Authorizes two specified vessels to be sold to a foreign purchaser, under certain conditions.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Merchant Marine Subcommittee
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. 17 actions.
- May 19, 1986Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 99-307.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- May 7, 1986PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- May 1, 1986Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
- Apr 24, 1986FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.
- Apr 22, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Mar 25, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Dec 4, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Dec 3, 1985FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
- Nov 20, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Nov 6, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Sep 12, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Merchant Marine Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Merchant Marine Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Merchant Marine Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Jan 31, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Merchant Marine Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Jan 24, 1985CommitteeCommittee · 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.