I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2839 
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 
A BILL 
To suppress the threat of piracy on the high seas, 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 ‘‘Piracy Suppression 
Act of 2011’’. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:36 Sep 06, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2839.IH
H2839
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
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 
‘‘(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.—’’. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:36 Sep 06, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2839.IH
H2839
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
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 
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— 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:36 Sep 06, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2839.IH
H2839
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(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.’’. 
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: 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:36 Sep 06, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2839.IH
H2839
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘§ 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 
‘‘(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 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:36 Sep 06, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2839.IH
H2839
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
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. 
‘‘(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. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:36 Sep 06, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2839.IH
H2839
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(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; 
(2) efforts undertaken by the United States 
Government to implement and enforce Executive 
Order 13536, including recommendations on how to 
better implement that order to suppress piracy; 
(3) efforts undertaken by the United States 
Government to track ransom payments made to pi-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:36 Sep 06, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2839.IH
H2839
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
rates operating off the coast of Somalia, the effec-
tiveness of those efforts, any operational actions 
taken based off those efforts, and recommendations 
on how to improve such tracking; 
(4) actions taken by the United States Govern-
ment to improve the international prosecution of pi-
rates captured off the coast of Somalia; and 
(5) an update on the United States Govern-
ment’s efforts to implement the recommendation 
contained in General Accountability Office report 
GAO–10–856, entitled ‘‘Maritime Security: Actions 
Needed to Assess and Update Plan and Enhance 
Collaboration among Partners Involved in Coun-
tering Piracy off the Horn of Africa’’, that metrics 
should be established for measuring the effectiveness 
of counter piracy efforts. 
SEC. 7. TECHNICAL CORRECTION. 
Section 8107(c) of title 46, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) DEFINITION.—For the purpose of this section, 
the term ‘act of piracy’ has the meaning that term has 
in section 4297(a) of the Revised Statutes of the United 
States.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
21:36 Sep 06, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H2839.IH
H2839
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS