I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 880

To amend title 46, United States Code, to accelerate to 2007 the application 

of the requirement that a tanker that carries oil in bulk as cargo 

must be equipped with a double hull, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 25, 2003

Mrs. CAPPS (for herself, Mr. FARR, Mr. ALLEN, Ms. SOLIS, Mr. 

BLUMENAUER, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Ms. 

WOOLSEY, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. THOMPSON of 

California, Ms. NORTON, Ms. MCCARTHY of Missouri, Mr. SANDERS, Ms. 

LEE, Mr. STARK, and Mr. GRIJALVA) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and 

in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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 accelerate to 

2007 the application of the requirement that a tanker 

that carries oil in bulk as cargo must be equipped with 

a double hull, 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 ‘‘Stop Oil Spills Act 

5 of 2003’’ or the ‘‘SOS Act of 2003’’. 
2

•HR 880 IH 

1 SEC. 2. ACCELERATION OF DOUBLE HULL REQUIREMENT 

2 FOR TANKERS THAT CARRY OIL IN BULK AS 

3 CARGO. 

4 Section 3703a of title 46, United States Code, is 

5 amended—

6 (1) by striking ‘‘2015’’ each place it appears 

7 and inserting ‘‘2007’’; and 

8 (2) in subsection (c) by amending paragraph 

9 (4) to read as follows: 

10 ‘‘(4) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this sec11 tion, a vessel that has a single hull, double bottom, or dou12 ble sides may not operate after January 1, 2007.’’. 

13 SEC. 3. RESTORATION OF OIL SPILL LIABILITY TRUST 

14 FUND FINANCING RATE WITH RESPECT TO 

15 OIL TRANSPORTED ON SINGLE HULL OIL 

16 TANKERS. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (f) of section 4611 of 

18 the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to application 

19 of Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund Financing Rate) is 

20 amended by adding at the end the following new para21 graph: 

22 ‘‘(3) RESTORATION OF TAX WITH RESPECT TO

23 OIL TRANSPORTED ON SINGLE HULL OIL TANK24 ERS.—Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), be25 ginning on the expiration of the 180-day period be26 ginning on the date of the enactment of the Stop Oil 
3

•HR 880 IH 

1 Spills Act of 2003, the Oil Spill Liability Trust 

2 Fund financing rate under subsection (c) shall apply 

3 to—

4 ‘‘(A) crude oil and petroleum products en5 tered into the United States for consumption, 

6 use, or warehousing if, at the time of entry, 

7 such oil or products are being transported on a 

8 single hull tanker; and 

9 ‘‘(B) domestic crude oil exported from the 

10 United States on a single hull tanker.’’. 

11 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

12 this section shall take effect on the expiration of the 180-

13 day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this 

14 Act. 

15 SEC. 4. RESTRICTIONS ON OPERATION OF SINGLE HULL 

16 TANKERS TO TRANSPORT OIL. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 37 of title 46, United 

18 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol19 lowing: 

20 ‘‘§ 3720. Restrictions on operation of single hull tank21 ers 

22 ‘‘A tanker that has a single hull shall not be used 

23 to transport oil on navigable waters of the United States 

24 located within 100 miles of a coastline of the United 

25 States, unless—
4

•HR 880 IH 

1 ‘‘(1) the vessel is traveling in the first or last 

2 100 miles of a voyage from or to a port; and 

3 ‘‘(2) while departing from or arriving at such 

4 port, respectively, the vessel is accompanied by oil 

5 spill response vessels.’’. 

6 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

7 at the beginning of chapter 37 of title 46, United States 

8 Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

‘‘3720. Restrictions on operation of single hull tankers.’’.

9 (c) APPLICATION.—The amendments made by this 

10 section shall take effect 180 days after the date of the 

11 enactment of this Act.

Æ