Opinion ID: 543006
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Congressional Authority to Give Extraterritorial Effect to the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act

Text: 11 The Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act, 46 U.S.C. app. Sec. 1903(a) and (j) state: 12 (a) It is unlawful for any person on board a vessel of the United States, or on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, to knowingly or intentionally manufacture or distribute, or to possess with intent to manufacture or distribute, a controlled substance. 13 (j) Any person who attempts or conspires to commit any offense defined in this Act [46 U.S.C. app. Secs. 1904] is punishable by imprisonment or fine, or both, which may not exceed the maximum punishment prescribed for the offense, the commission of which was the object of the attempt of the conspiracy. 14 The United States Congress sits as a legislature of enumerated and specific powers. See Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. (1 Cranch) 137, 176, 2 L.Ed. 60 (1803). The Constitution gives Congress the power to define and punish piracies and felonies on the high seas.... U.S. Const. Art. I, sec. 8, cl. 10. The high seas lie seaward of the territorial sea, defined as the three mile belt of sea measured from the low water mark. United States v. Rubies, 612 F.2d 397, 402 n. 2 (9th Cir.1979). We therefore find that the Constitution authorized Congress to give extraterritorial effect to the Act. 15