IB 
Union Calendar No. 183 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2839 
[Report No. 112–273, Part I] 
To suppress the threat of piracy on the high seas, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 2, 2011 
Mr. LOBIONDO (for himself and Mr. MICA) introduced the following bill 
SEPTEMBER 6, 2011 
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addi-
tion to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
NOVEMBER 10, 2011 
Reported from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
NOVEMBER 10, 2011 
The Committee on Armed Services discharged; committed to the Committee 
of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed 
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A BILL 
To suppress the threat of piracy on the high seas, and 
for other purposes. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Piracy Suppression 
Act of 2011’’. 
SEC. 2. ACT OF PIRACY. 
Section 4297 of the Revised Statutes of the United 
States (33 U.S.C. 385) is amended by striking so much 
as precedes the text and inserting the following: 
‘‘SEC. 4297. PENALTY FOR PIRACY; SEIZURE AND CON-
DEMNATION OF VESSELS. 
‘‘(a) PENALTY FOR PIRACY.— 
‘‘(1) CRIME.—Whoever commits an act of pi-
racy shall be punished by death or imprisoned for 
life. 
‘‘(2) ACT OF PIRACY DEFINED.—In this sub-
section the term ‘act of piracy’ means— 
‘‘(A) any illegal act of violence, detention, 
or depredation that is committed for private 
ends by the crew or passengers of a private ves-
sel and directed against a vessel, person, or 
property on the high seas or in any other place 
outside the jurisdiction of any State; or 
‘‘(B) inciting or facilitating an act of pi-
racy, as defined in subparagraph (A); and 
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‘‘(C) any act of voluntary participation in 
the operation of a vessel with knowledge of 
facts making it a pirate ship. 
‘‘(b) SEIZURE
AND CONDEMNATION
OF VESSELS 
FITTED OUT FOR PIRACY.—’’. 
SEC. 3. REIMBURSEMENT FOR ACTIONS TAKEN TO PRO-
TECT FOREIGN-FLAGGED VESSELS FROM PI-
RACY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 20 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 410. Reimbursement for actions taken to protect 
foreign-flagged vessels from piracy 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall, 
in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary 
of Transportation, and the Secretary of the department 
in which the Coast Guard is operating— 
‘‘(1) determine the full cost to the United 
States of each action taken by the United States to 
protect or defend a vessel that is not documented 
under the laws of the United States from a pirate 
attack, including the cost of each action by the 
United States to deter such attack; and 
‘‘(2) seek reimbursement for such cost from the 
country under the laws of which the vessel for which 
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protection or defense was provided is documented, 
which shall be credited back to the appropriations 
charged for such cost. 
‘‘(b) REIMBURSEMENTS.—Reimbursement under this 
section may be waived if— 
‘‘(1) such country contributes military forces to 
the Combined Maritime Forces’ Combined Task 
Force–151 within 180 days of the action taken; 
‘‘(2) such country deploys military forces to the 
Indian Ocean or Gulf of Aden to deter, prevent, or 
defend vessels from pirate attack within 180 days of 
the action taken; 
‘‘(3) such country assists in the prosecution or 
detention of pirates; or 
‘‘(4) the President determines it is in the na-
tional security interest of the United States to do 
so.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis at the be-
ginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end 
the following new item: 
‘‘410. Reimbursement for actions taken to protect foreign-flagged vessels from 
piracy.’’. 
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SEC. 4. TRAINING PROGRAM FOR USE OF FORCE AGAINST 
PIRACY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 517 of title 46, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 51705. Training program for use of force against 
piracy 
‘‘The Secretary of Transportation shall establish a 
training program for United States mariners on the use 
of force against pirates. The program shall include— 
‘‘(1) information on waters designated as high- 
risk waters by the Commandant of the Coast Guard; 
‘‘(2) information on current threats and pat-
terns of attack by pirates; 
‘‘(3) tactics for defense of a vessel, including in-
struction on the types, use, and limitations of secu-
rity equipment; 
‘‘(4) standard rules for the use of force for self 
defense as developed by the Secretary of the depart-
ment in which the Coast Guard is operating under 
section 912(c) of the Coast Guard Authorization Act 
of 2010 (Public Law 111–281; 46 U.S.C. 8107 
note), including instruction on firearm safety for 
crewmembers of vessels carrying cargo under section 
55305 of this title; and 
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‘‘(5) procedures to follow to improve crew-
member survivability if captured and taken hostage 
by pirates.’’. 
(b) DEADLINE.—The Secretary of Transportation 
shall establish the program required under the amendment 
made by subsection (a) by no later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis at the be-
ginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end 
the following new item: 
‘‘51705. Training program for use of force against piracy.’’. 
SEC. 5. SECURITY OF GOVERNMENT IMPELLED CARGO. 
Section 55305 of title 46, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(e) 
SECURITY
OF
GOVERNMENT
IMPELLED 
CARGO.— 
‘‘(1) In order to assure the safety of vessels and 
crewmembers transporting equipment, materials, or 
commodities under this section, the Secretary of 
Transportation shall direct each department or 
agency responsible for the carriage of such equip-
ment, materials, or commodities to provide armed 
personnel aboard vessels of the United States car-
rying such equipment, materials, or commodities 
while transiting high-risk waters. 
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‘‘(2) The Secretary of Transportation shall di-
rect each such department or agency to reimburse, 
subject to the availability or appropriations, the 
owners or operators of such vessels for the cost of 
providing armed personnel. 
‘‘(3) For the purposes of this subsection, the 
term ‘high-risk waters’ means waters so designated 
by the Commandant of the Coast Guard in the Port 
Security Advisory in effect on the date on which the 
voyage begins.’’. 
SEC. 6. GAO STUDY. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall report to the Committee on Transportation and In-
frastructure of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate on efforts to track ransom payments paid to pi-
rates operating in the waters off Somalia and improve the 
prosecution of such pirates. The report shall include— 
(1) the status of Working Group 5 of the Con-
tact Group on Piracy Off the Somali Coast, any ef-
forts undertaken by the Working Group, and rec-
ommendations for improving the Working Group’s 
effectiveness; 
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