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 sub-
sequently 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.
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 ‘‘Stop Oil Spills Act 
of 2003’’ or the ‘‘SOS Act of 2003’’.
SEC. 2. ACCELERATION OF DOUBLE HULL REQUIREMENT 
FOR TANKERS THAT CARRY OIL IN BULK AS 
CARGO. 
Section 3703a of title 46, United States Code, is 
amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘2015’’ each place it appears 
and inserting ‘‘2007’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c) by amending paragraph 
(4) to read as follows: 
‘‘(4) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this sec-
tion, a vessel that has a single hull, double bottom, or dou-
ble sides may not operate after January 1, 2007.’’. 
SEC. 3. RESTORATION OF OIL SPILL LIABILITY TRUST 
FUND FINANCING RATE WITH RESPECT TO 
OIL TRANSPORTED ON SINGLE HULL OIL 
TANKERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (f) of section 4611 of 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to application 
of Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund Financing Rate) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(3) RESTORATION OF TAX WITH RESPECT TO 
OIL
TRANSPORTED
ON
SINGLE
HULL
OIL
TANK-
ERS.—Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), be-
ginning on the expiration of the 180-day period be-
ginning on the date of the enactment of the Stop Oil
Spills Act of 2003, the Oil Spill Liability Trust 
Fund financing rate under subsection (c) shall apply 
to—
‘‘(A) crude oil and petroleum products en-
tered into the United States for consumption, 
use, or warehousing if, at the time of entry, 
such oil or products are being transported on a 
single hull tanker; and 
‘‘(B) domestic crude oil exported from the 
United States on a single hull tanker.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
this section shall take effect on the expiration of the 180-
day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
SEC. 4. RESTRICTIONS ON OPERATION OF SINGLE HULL 
TANKERS TO TRANSPORT OIL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 37 of title 46, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘§ 3720. Restrictions on operation of single hull tank-
ers 
‘‘A tanker that has a single hull shall not be used 
to transport oil on navigable waters of the United States 
located within 100 miles of a coastline of the United 
States, unless—
‘‘(1) the vessel is traveling in the first or last 
100 miles of a voyage from or to a port; and 
‘‘(2) while departing from or arriving at such 
port, respectively, the vessel is accompanied by oil 
spill response vessels.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 37 of title 46, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘3720. Restrictions on operation of single hull tankers.’’.
(c) APPLICATION.—The amendments made by this 
section shall take effect 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
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