H.R. 6866: Safer Seas Act

117th Congress · introduced 2022-02-28 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2022-02-28 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime 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

Safer Seas Act

Plain summary

Safer Seas Act This bill addresses sexual assault and sexual harassment in the U.S. maritime industry. Among other provisions, the bill requires the U.S. Coast Guard to revoke or suspend a license, certificate of registry, or merchant mariner's document to an individual who has been convicted of sexual assault within the previous 10 years and to revoke or suspend such credentials to an individual who has been convicted of sexual harassment within the previous 5 years; provides protection of seaman against discrimination for those who report or intend to report sexual assault or sexual harassment incidents; directs the Coast Guard to promulgate regulations related to possession and consumption of alcohol by crewmembers aboard documented vessels; requires non-passenger carrying, ocean-going, commercial vessels to install and maintain a video surveillance system with audio capability in areas adjacent to bedrooms and limit access to the surveillance to law enforcement officials and victims of sexual assault or sexual harassment; and creates new reporting mandates and procedures for crew and vessel owners to report sexual assault or sexual harassment.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), 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

Safer Seas Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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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: Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4] · 19 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Rick Larsen (D-WA), André Carson (D-IN), Dina Titus (D-NV), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), John Garamendi (D-CA), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Alma S. Adams (D-NC), Steve Cohen (D-TN)

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)

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).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117hr6866.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/hr>

Record fed-us-cong117-hr6866 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117