S. 1385: Maritime Hazardous Cargo Security Act
Before you vote › Federal bills
S. 1385: Maritime Hazardous Cargo Security Act
111th Congress · introduced 2009-06-25 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
federal
Follow this bill, step by step
- Where it came from: introduced 2009-06-25 · official record
- Who proposed it: Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ] · what a sponsor is
- What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
- Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
- If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.
Official title
Maritime Hazardous Cargo Security Act
Plain summary
Maritime Hazardous Cargo Security Act - Authorizes the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to promote the establishment within the International Maritime Organization of an international committee for the safe and secure handling and transportation of especially hazardous cargo to the United States. Directs the Secretary to: (1) develop and implement a voluntary program under which foreign ports and facilities can certify their compliance with International Ship and Port Facility Code (ISPFC) standards (including a program under which independent, third-party entities are certified to validate such ports' and facilities' compliance with such standards); and (2) establish a strategic plan (under current law, program) to utilize assistance programs to assist foreign ports and facilities that lack effective antiterrorism measures in implementing port security antiterrorism measures. Authorizes the Coast Guard (CG) to lend, lease, donate, or otherwise provide equipment and technical training and support to foreign ports and facilities to assist them in complying, and validating such compliance, with ISPFC standards. Directs the Secretary, acting through the CG Commandant, to: (1) initiate a national study to identify measures to improve the security of maritime transportation of liquefied natural gas and other especially hazardous cargoes; and (2) coordinate with other federal agencies, the National Maritime Security Advisory Committee, and appropriate state and local government officials through the Area Maritime Security Committees and other coordinating committees to evaluate, and provide a national strategy for, the waterside security of vessels carrying, and waterfront facilities handling, especially hazardous cargo. Includes the establishing of regional response and recovery protocols to prepare for, respond to, mitigate against, and recover from a transportation security incident in area maritime transportation security plans. Directs the Secretary to ensure that federal, state, and local personnel responsible for the safety and security of vessels in port carrying especially hazardous cargo complete Department of Homeland Security incident command system training. Directs the Secretary to ensure that interoperable communications technology is deployed at all interagency operational centers for port security located at high-priority ports.
Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.
What a vote does
A “Yea” vote
If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.
A “Nay” vote
If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.
PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).
What does this mean? (plain words)
Official text
Maritime Hazardous Cargo Security Act
Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text
No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.
Limited to a few requests an hour per person.
The strongest published arguments
Arguments for (supporters)
Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.
Arguments against (opponents)
Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.
Alternatives
Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.
How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes
Officials and money
Sponsor: Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ] · 3 cosponsors
Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.
Cosponsors on this site
John Thune (R-SD)
No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.
Words on this page, explained (2)
- Appropriation
- Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
- Securities
- Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.
Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.
Sources
- Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
- Congress.gov
- Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-111s1385.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/111/s>
Record fed-us-cong111-s1385 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong111 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong111