I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 9348 

To amend title 46, United States Code, to increase the general limit of 

maritime liability with respect to an owner of a foreign vessel, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AUGUST 13, 2024 

Mr. GARAMENDI (for himself and Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 

and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 

for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 

for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 

committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend title 46, United States Code, to increase the 

general limit of maritime liability with respect to an 

owner of a foreign vessel, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Justice for Victims 

5 of Foreign Vessel Accidents Act’’. 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
2 

•HR 9348 IH

1 SEC. 2. AMENDMENT OF SHIPOWNERS’ LIMITATION OF LI2 ABILITY ACT OF 1851. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 30523 of title 46, United 

4 States Code, is amended— 

5 (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the 

6 following: 

7 ‘‘(a) LIMIT OF OWNER LIABILITY.— 

8 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in sec9 tion 30524 of this title, the liability of— 

10 ‘‘(A) the owner of a vessel of the United 

11 States for any claim, debt, or liability described 

12 in subsection (b) shall not exceed the value of 

13 the vessel and pending freight; and 

14 ‘‘(B) the owner of a foreign vessel for any 

15 claim, debt, or liability described in subsection 

16 (b) shall not exceed the amount that is 10 times 

17 the value of the vessel and pending freight. 

18 ‘‘(2) MULTIPLE OWNERS.—If a vessel has more 

19 than one owner, the proportionate share of the liabil20 ity under paragraph (1) of any one such owner shall 

21 not exceed that owner’s proportionate interest in the 

22 vessel and pending freight.’’; and 

23 (2) in subsection (c)— 

24 (A) in the header by striking ‘‘WAGES’’ 

25 and inserting ‘‘CLAIMS NOT SUBJECT TO LIMI26 TATION’’; 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
3 

•HR 9348 IH

1 (B) by striking ‘‘to a claim for wages.’’ 

2 and inserting ‘‘to—’’; and 

3 (C) by adding at the end the following new 

4 paragraphs: 

5 ‘‘(1) a claim for wages; or 

6 ‘‘(2) with respect to the liability of an owner of 

7 a foreign vessel, a claim, debt, or liability arising 

8 from personal injury or wrongful death of a person 

9 who was not a crewmember or passenger of the for10 eign vessel at the time the injury (including fatal in11 jury, if applicable) occurred.’’. 

12 (b) AMENDMENT TO CESSATION OF CERTAIN AC13 TIONS.—Section 30529(c) of title 46, United States Code, 

14 is amended by striking ‘‘the matter in question’’ and in15 serting ‘‘a matter subject to limitation under section 

16 30523 of this chapter’’. 

17 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

18 subsections (a) and (b) shall apply with respect to any li19 ability subject to section 30523(a) of title 46, United 

20 States Code, that arises on or after March 25, 2024. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB