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H.R. 6295 · 110th Congress

Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008

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IntroducedPassed one chamberPassed both chambersBecame law (gold)Resolution agreed to (full, dark)Failed or vetoed (gray)

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Passed the House without a recorded vote, then expired. It passed by voice vote or unanimous consent, which don't record how each member voted, but didn't become law before the 110th Congress ended.

7 cosponsors · 4 D, 3 R

1 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.

  1. House Introduced Jun 18, 2008
  2. House Passed Jul 29, 2008

Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008 - Amends the federal criminal code to impose a fine and/or prison term of up to 15 years for knowingly operating or embarking in any submersible or semisubmersible vessel that is without nationality and that is navigating in, or has navigated into, through, or from, waters beyond the outer limit of the…

What it does: CRS summary · Passed House amended · Jul 29, 2008

Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008 - Amends the federal criminal code to impose a fine and/or prison term of up to 15 years for knowingly operating or embarking in any submersible or semisubmersible vessel that is without nationality and that is navigating in, or has navigated into, through, or from, waters beyond the outer limit of the territorial sea of a single country or a lateral limit of that country's territorial sea with an adjacent country, with the intent to evade detection. Grants extraterritorial federal jurisdiction over violations of this Act.

Makes it an affirmative defense to a prosecution under this Act that a vessel operated at the time of a violation was: (1) a vessel of the Untied States or lawfully registered in a foreign nation; (2) classed by and designated in accordance with the rules of a classification society; (3) lawfully operated in a government-regulated or licensed activity; or (4) equipped with and using an operable automatic identification system, vessel monitoring system, or a long range identification and tracking system. Specifies the documents required to conclusively prove an affirmative defense.

Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to promulgate or amend existing guidelines to provide adequate penalties for violations of this Act.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov

About this bill and sources

Official title: Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008

Latest action (Aug 1, 2008): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement · Origin: House · Introduced: Jun 18, 2008

Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)

  1. House Introduced Jun 18, 2008
  2. House Passed Jul 29, 2008

No recorded floor vote found.