I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 9348 
To amend title 46, United States Code, to increase the general limit of 
maritime liability with respect to an owner of a foreign vessel, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 13, 2024 
Mr. GARAMENDI (for himself and Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 
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 increase the 
general limit of maritime liability with respect to an 
owner of a foreign vessel, 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 ‘‘Justice for Victims 
of Foreign Vessel Accidents Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. AMENDMENT OF SHIPOWNERS’ LIMITATION OF LI-
ABILITY ACT OF 1851. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 30523 of title 46, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(a) LIMIT OF OWNER LIABILITY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in sec-
tion 30524 of this title, the liability of— 
‘‘(A) the owner of a vessel of the United 
States for any claim, debt, or liability described 
in subsection (b) shall not exceed the value of 
the vessel and pending freight; and 
‘‘(B) the owner of a foreign vessel for any 
claim, debt, or liability described in subsection 
(b) shall not exceed the amount that is 10 times 
the value of the vessel and pending freight. 
‘‘(2) MULTIPLE OWNERS.—If a vessel has more 
than one owner, the proportionate share of the liabil-
ity under paragraph (1) of any one such owner shall 
not exceed that owner’s proportionate interest in the 
vessel and pending freight.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in the header by striking ‘‘WAGES’’ 
and inserting ‘‘CLAIMS NOT SUBJECT TO LIMI-
TATION’’; 
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(B) by striking ‘‘to a claim for wages.’’ 
and inserting ‘‘to—’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraphs: 
‘‘(1) a claim for wages; or 
‘‘(2) with respect to the liability of an owner of 
a foreign vessel, a claim, debt, or liability arising 
from personal injury or wrongful death of a person 
who was not a crewmember or passenger of the for-
eign vessel at the time the injury (including fatal in-
jury, if applicable) occurred.’’. 
(b) AMENDMENT TO CESSATION OF CERTAIN AC-
TIONS.—Section 30529(c) of title 46, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘the matter in question’’ and in-
serting ‘‘a matter subject to limitation under section 
30523 of this chapter’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
subsections (a) and (b) shall apply with respect to any li-
ability subject to section 30523(a) of title 46, United 
States Code, that arises on or after March 25, 2024. 
Æ 
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