S. 3165: Big Oil Bailout Prevention Unlimited Liability Act of 2016

114th Congress · introduced 2016-07-12 · Environmental Protection · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2016-07-12 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Menendez, Robert [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 Environment and Public Works. 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

Big Oil Bailout Prevention Unlimited Liability Act of 2016

Plain summary

Big Oil Bailout Prevention Unlimited Liability Act of 2016 This bill amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to revise requirements governing the liability of parties that are responsible for oil discharges from offshore facilities into navigable waters or adjoining shorelines. Currently, responsible parties are liable for the total of all removal costs plus $75 million. The bill: (1) removes the cap of $75 million on liability, and (2) makes the responsible parties liable for all covered damages. Covered damages includes damages for: (1) loss of natural resources, property, revenue, or profits; or (2) costs of providing increased public services during or after removal activities, such as fire protection.

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

Big Oil Bailout Prevention Unlimited Liability Act of 2016

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ] · 10 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Gary C. Peters (D-MI), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ)

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 (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

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-114s3165.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/s>

Record fed-us-cong114-s3165 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114