I 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5503 
To revise laws regarding liability in certain civil actions arising from maritime 
incidents, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 10, 2010 
Mr. CONYERS (for himself, Mr. MELANCON, Mr. NADLER of New York, Ms. 
JACKSON LEE of Texas, Ms. WATERS, Mr. COHEN, Mr. JOHNSON of 
Georgia, Ms. CHU, Mr. DEUTCH, Mr. WEINER, Ms. LINDA T. SA´NCHEZ 
of California, and Mr. BRALEY of Iowa) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition 
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to 
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To revise laws regarding liability in certain civil actions 
arising from maritime incidents, 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 ‘‘Securing Protections 
for the Injured from Limitations on Liability Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO DEATH ON THE HIGH SEAS ACT. 
The Death on the High Seas Act (chapter 303 of title 
46, United States Code), is amended— 
(1) in section 30302— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘or law’’ after ‘‘admi-
ralty’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘3 nautical miles’’ and in-
serting ‘‘12 nautical miles’’; 
(C) by striking ‘‘personal representative of 
the decedent’’ and inserting ‘‘decedent’s spouse, 
parent, child, or dependent relative’’; and 
(D) by striking the last sentence; 
(2) in section 30303— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘and nonpecuniary loss’’ 
after ‘‘pecuniary loss’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘by’’ and all that follows 
through the end, and inserting ‘‘, plus a fair 
compensation for the decedent’s pain and suf-
fering.’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘In 
this section, the term ‘nonpecuniary loss’ means 
loss of care, comfort, and companionship.’’; 
(3) in section 30305— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘or law’’ after ‘‘admi-
ralty’’; and 
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(B) by striking ‘‘personal representative of 
the decedent may be substituted as the plain-
tiff’’ and inserting ‘‘the decedent’s spouse, par-
ent, child, or dependent relative may be sub-
stituted as a plaintiff’’; 
(4) in section 30306, by inserting ‘‘or law’’ 
after ‘‘admiralty’’; 
(5) by striking section 30307, and redesig-
nating section 30308 as section 30307; 
(6) in section 30307, as so redesignated, by 
amending subsection (b) to read as follows: 
‘‘(b) INTERNAL AND TERRITORIAL WATERS.—This 
chapter does not apply to the Great Lakes or waters with-
in the territorial limits of a State that do not exceed 12 
nautical miles from the shore of the United States.’’; and 
(7) in the table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter, by striking the items relating to sec-
tions 30307 and 30308 and inserting the following: 
‘‘30307. Nonapplication.’’. 
SEC. 3. AMENDMENT TO JONES ACT. 
Section 30104 of title 46, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: ‘‘In addition 
to other amounts authorized under such laws, the recovery 
for a seaman who so dies shall include recovery for loss 
of care, comfort, and companionship.’’. 
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