Maritime Lien Reform Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 629 To provide limitations on maritime liens on fishing permits, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 16, 2019 Mr. YOUNG introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure A BILL To provide limitations on maritime liens on fishing permits, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Maritime Lien Reform 4 Act of 2019’’. 5 SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON MARITIME LIENS ON FISHING PER- 6 MIT AND PERMIT DESCRIPTION. 7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 313 of 8 title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 9 end the following: 10 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:10 Jan 30, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H629.IH H629 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 629 IH ‘‘§ 31310. Limitation on maritime liens on fishing per- 1 mit and permit description 2 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—This chapter— 3 ‘‘(1) does not establish a maritime lien on a 4 permit that— 5 ‘‘(A) authorizes a person or use of a vessel 6 to engage in fishing; and 7 ‘‘(B) is issued under State or Federal law; 8 and 9 ‘‘(2) does not authorize any civil action to en- 10 force a maritime lien on such a permit. 11 ‘‘(b) TREATMENT OF FISHING PERMITS.—A fishing 12 permit— 13 ‘‘(1) is governed solely by the State or Federal 14 law under which it was issued; and 15 ‘‘(2) is not included in the whole of a vessel or 16 as an appurtenance or intangible of a vessel for any 17 purpose. 18 ‘‘(c) LIMITATION ON STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.— 19 Nothing in subsections (a) and (b) shall be construed as 20 imposing any limitation upon the authority of the Sec- 21 retary of Commerce to modify, suspend, revoke, or sanc- 22 tion any Federal fishery permit issued by the Secretary 23 of Commerce or to bring a civil action to enforce such 24 modification, suspension, revocation, or sanction.’’. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:10 Jan 30, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H629.IH H629 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 629 IH (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 1 at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 2 after the item relating to section 31309 the following: 3 ‘‘31310. Limitation on maritime liens on fishing permit and permit descrip- tion.’’. Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:10 Jan 30, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H629.IH H629 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS