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Abandoned Vessel Prevention Act
To amend title 46, United States Code, to assign specified liability to a person who transfers title of a commercial vessel, or former commercial vessel, to a transferee for use as a recreational vessel if the transferee does not have applicable insurance at the time of the transfer and the vessel sinks, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill creates liability for persons who transfer title of a commercial vessel or former commercial vessel to someone for use as a recreational vessel if the vessel later sinks on navigable US waters. The transferor would be liable for expenses resulting from the sinking, including damages, removal and cleanup costs, and expenses related to water intake pump disruptions caused by pollution. The liability requirement does not apply to vessels less than 35 feet long or fewer than 40 years old, or if the person receiving the vessel has applicable insurance covering it for at least 12 months that includes coverage for sinking-related expenses at the time of transfer.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9] (D-CA)
1 cosponsor
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Josh Harder’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- GOOGLE $34,620
- BESSEMER VENTURE PARTNERS $28,100
- STANFORD UNIVERSITY $25,550
- BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP $19,800
- COOLEY LLP $16,200
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Josh Harder → · Outside spending →
Actions (3)
- Mar 31, 2025 Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. · house
- Mar 31, 2025 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. · house
- Mar 31, 2025 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 31, 2025
Mr. Harder of California (for himself and Mr. Garamendi) 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 assign specified liability to a person who transfers title of a commercial vessel, or former commercial vessel, to a transferee for use as a recreational vessel if the transferee does not have applicable insurance at the time of the transfer and the vessel sinks, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Abandoned Vessel Prevention Act”.
SEC. 2. LIABILITY FOR SPECIFIED EXPENSES RESULTING FROM SINKING OF CERTAIN DECOMMISSIONED COMMERCIAL VESSELS.
(a) In General.—Chapter 301 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: “Sec. 30107. Liability for specified expenses resulting from sinking of certain decommissioned commercial vessels
“(a) Liability for Transferor.—Except as provided in subsection
(b), any person who transfers title of a covered vessel to another for use as a recreational vessel shall be liable for any specified expenses resulting from the vessel sinking on navigable waters of the United States.
“(b) Exceptions.—
“(1) Vessel length; vessel age.—Subsection (a) shall not apply to a vessel less than 35 feet in length or fewer than 40 years old.
“(2) Insurance.—Subsection (a) shall not apply to a person who transfers title of a covered vessel to a person who, at the time of the transfer, has insurance—
“(A) applicable to the vessel for the 12-month period beginning on the date of the transfer; and
“(B) that, in the case the vessel sinks, covers specified expenses.
“(c) Definitions.—In this section:
“(1) Commercial vessel.—The term ‘commercial vessel’ has the meaning given such term in section 4462(a)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 4462(a)(4)).
“(2) Covered vessel.—The term ‘covered vessel’ means—
“(A) commercial vessel; or
“(B) a recreational vessel that was previously a commercial vessel.
“(3) Specified expenses.—The term ‘specified expenses’ mean, with respect to a sunken vessel—
“(A) damages attributable to the sinking of the vessel; and
“(B) expenses relating to—
“(i) removal of the vessel and any debris;
“(ii) clean-up of any pollution attributable to the sinking of the vessel; and
“(iii) any shut down of, or repairs or maintenance to, a water intake pump as a result of pollution attributable to the sinking of the vessel.
“(4) Recreational vessel.—The term ‘recreational vessel’ has the meaning given such term in section 2101 of title 46, United States Code.”.
(b) Clerical Amendment.—The table of sections for chapter 301 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new item:
“30107. Liability for specified expenses resulting from sinking of certain decommissioned commercial vessels.”. <all>
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