Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008

To enhance drug trafficking interdiction by creating a Federal felony relating to operating or embarking in a submersible or semi-submersible vessel without nationality and on an international voyage.

7/29/2008--Passed House amended. 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.


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Sponsor

• Rep. Daniel Lungren [R, CA-3]
• and 7 Co-Sponsors
  • Rep. Howard Coble [R, NC-6]
  • Rep. Henry Cuellar [D, TX-28]
  • Rep. Ron Klein [D, FL-22]
  • Rep. Ted Poe [R, TX-2]
  • Rep. Loretta Sanchez [D, CA-47]
  • Rep. Mark Souder [R, IN-3]
  • Rep. Bennie Thompson [D, MS-2]
  close

Committees

• Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation
• 2 more
  • House Judiciary
  • House Judiciary
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Amendments

This bill has no amendments.

Amendments to H.R.6295

Number	Status	Purpose

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by House		Voted on by Senate		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
June 18, 2008		July 29, 2008

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All Bill Actions

• Aug 01, 2008: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
• Jul 30, 2008: Received in the Senate.
• Jul 29, 2008: The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
• Passed by voice vote in the House on Jul 29, 2008. On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
• Jul 29, 2008: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6295.
• Jul 29, 2008: Considered under suspension of the rules.
• Jul 29, 2008: Mr. Cohen moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
• Jul 28, 2008: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
• Jun 18, 2008: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
• Introduced on Jun 18, 2008.

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Related Bills:

• S.3198
• S.3351
• S.3598

Related Issue Areas:

• Transportation
• Submarines
• Sentencing guidelines
• Sentences (Criminal procedure)
• 13 more
• Marine transportation
• Law
• Jurisdiction
• Identification devices
• Fines (Penalties)
• Evidence (Law)
• Drug traffic
• Drug law enforcement
• Drug abuse
• District courts
• Conspiracy
• Actions and defenses
• Criminal justice

Data from the Congressional Research Service

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Blog Coverage

September 14, 2008 US Coast Guard and Navy seize 7 tons of cocaine valued at $8.4 Million

It is in the light of this growing threat that the US House of Representatives passed HR 6295 July 29, 2008. This bill, currently awaiting action by the Senate, would outlaw the operation of statelss SPSS craft on international voyages ...

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Source: Coast Guard News

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June 17, 2008 HR 6295, To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit ...

HR 6295, To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit operation by any means or embarking in any submersible or semi-submersible vessel that is without nationality and that is navigating or has navigated into, through or from ...

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Source: WashingtonWatch.com - Welcome to WashingtonWatc...

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June 17, 2008 Introduced Bill: HR6295

To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit operation by any means or embarking in any submersible or semi-submersible vessel that is without nationality and that is navigating or has navigated into, through or from waters beyond ...

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Source: Open Congress : Rep. Daniel Lungren [R, CA-3]

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