S. 3600: Fairness in Admiralty and Maritime Law Act

111th Congress · introduced 2010-07-15 · 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 2010-07-15 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Rockefeller, John D., IV [D-WV] · 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.

What does this mean?

Official title

Fairness in Admiralty and Maritime Law Act

Plain summary

Fairness in Admiralty and Maritime Law Act - Repeals specified general limitations on a shipowner's liability (the Limitation of Liability Act of 1851) for personal injury or death on seagoing vessels. Allows punitive damages to be assessed without regard to the amount of compensatory damages assessed in a civil maritime action for damages arising out of a maritime tort. Amends the Death on the High Seas Act to permit the personal representative of a decedent to bring a civil action in admiralty or law (limited to admiralty under current law) against the person or vessel responsible for the decedent's death when the death was caused by wrongful act, neglect, or default occurring on the high seas beyond three nautical miles from the shore of the United States. Limits the right to bring such action to the decedent's survivors, including spouse, parent, child, or dependent relative. Allows recovery in such an action for fair compensation for nonpecuniary loss (limited to pecuniary loss under current law), plus a fair compensation for the decedent's pain and suffering. Defines "nonpecuniary loss" as loss of care, comfort, and companionship. Amends the Jones Act to allow recovery for the loss of the care, comfort, and companionship of a seaman who died in the course of employment. Removes restrictions on the bringing of actions under U.S. maritime law by workers who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents against a mineral or energy company for personal injury or death occurring in the territorial waters or continental shelf of a foreign country.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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A “Yea” vote

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A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Fairness in Admiralty and Maritime Law Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Rockefeller, John D., IV [D-WV] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)

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.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-111s3600.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/111/s>

Record fed-us-cong111-s3600 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong111 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong111