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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 3842 (102nd)

Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone Extension and Enforcement Act of 1992

reportedUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

21 November 1991

Last action

Status

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. H. Rept. 102-843, Part I.

Sponsors

Subjects

Discovery layer

Source updated

7 February 2024

Summary

Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone Extension and Enforcement Act of 1991 - Declares that territorial sea of the United States is subject to U.S. sovereignty and exclusive jurisdiction. Establishes the contiguous zone of the United States, consisting of a belt of sea contiguous to the outer limits of the U.S. territorial sea and extending a certain distance seaward from the U.S. baselines determined in accordance with international law. Declares that contiguous zone subject to exclusive U.S. jurisdiction. Amends specified Acts to define, for purposes of those Acts: (1) "import" to include bringing into any place subject to U.S. jurisdiction, including the U.S. territorial sea, whether or not the bringing constitutes importation within the meaning of customs laws; and (2) "territorial sea of the United States" to mean the U.S. territorial sea as described in a specified Presidential Proclamation. Amends other Acts to add references to the same Proclamation. Amends the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 to: (1) refer to that proclamation in the definition of "territorial sea of the United States;" (2) extend the distance constituting the contiguous zone to conform to the definition of that zone under this Act; and (3) include the U.S. territorial sea in the definition of "marine environment." Amends the Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Act of 1980 to: (1) refer to that proclamation in the definition of "territorial sea of the United States;" and (2) specify which law shall control between three and 12 nautical miles from the baselines. Amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to extend to twelve miles from the line of ordinary low water the distance constituting the territorial seas. Amends specified Federal laws to substitute for references to operating on the high seas: (1) reference to operating beyond three nautical miles from the baselines; or (2) references to operating beyond the U.S. territorial sea. Authorizes a competitive grant for a study of the adequacy of existing Federal and State laws for the management of living and nonliving resources within the U.S. territorial sea between three and 12 nautical miles.

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Documents

3 official files

Introduced in House (text)

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