Public Law 104-239 · H.R. 1350 · Became law October 8, 1996

Maritime Security Act of 1996

Official title: “To amend the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 to revitalize the United States-flag merchant marine, and for other purposes.”

House: voice vote · Senate 88–10
Confirmed from the official record

All laws of the 104th Congress

What this law changes

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Plain-language account: Not started

Read the official text of the law

Transparency Score

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Press releases by members of Congress

No saved press release names this law.

Read from 539 of 539 members' sites, releases since January 3, 2025, through October 8, 2026.

Press releases by organizations

No saved press release from these organizations names this law.

Read from 510 of 510 organizations' sites, releases since January 3, 2025, through October 8, 2026.

How it passed

The House passed it by voice vote on December 6, 1995. A voice vote records no individual votes.

The Senate passed it 88 to 10 on September 24, 1996, with 2 senators who did not vote.

It became law on October 8, 1996.

The question on the official record: Senate, “On Passage of the Bill H.R. 1350”.

Chamber and partyYesNoPresentDid not vote
Senate Republicans421001
Senate Democrats46001

How each member voted

Only Senate members have a recorded vote on this law.

100 members. Select a name to see that member's votes on laws that passed.

AK · SenateFrank MurkowskiRRepublicanYes
AK · SenateTed StevensRRepublicanYes
AL · SenateHowell HeflinDDemocratDid not vote
AL · SenateRichard C. ShelbyRRepublicanYes
AR · SenateDale BumpersDDemocratYes
AR · SenateDavid PryorDDemocratYes
AZ · SenateJohn McCainRRepublicanYes
AZ · SenateJon KylRRepublicanNo
CA · SenateBarbara BoxerDDemocratYes
CA · SenateDianne FeinsteinDDemocratYes
CO · SenateBen CampbellRRepublicanDid not vote
CO · SenateGeorge BrownRRepublicanYes
CT · SenateChristopher DoddDDemocratYes
CT · SenateJoseph I. LiebermanDDemocratYes
DE · SenateJoseph BidenDDemocratYes
DE · SenateWilliam RothRRepublicanNo
FL · SenateBob GrahamDDemocratYes
FL · SenateConnie MackRRepublicanYes
GA · SenatePaul CoverdellRRepublicanYes
GA · SenateSamuel NunnDDemocratYes
HI · SenateDaniel K. AkakaDDemocratYes
HI · SenateDaniel K. InouyeDDemocratYes
IA · SenateChuck GrassleyRRepublicanNo
IA · SenateTom HarkinDDemocratYes
ID · SenateDirk KempthorneRRepublicanYes
ID · SenateLarry CraigRRepublicanYes
IL · SenateCarol Moseley BraunDDemocratYes
IL · SenatePaul SimonDDemocratYes
IN · SenateDaniel CoatsRRepublicanNo
IN · SenateRichard G. LugarRRepublicanNo
KS · SenateNancy KassebaumRRepublicanYes
KS · SenateSheila FrahmRRepublicanYes
KY · SenateMitch McConnellRRepublicanYes
KY · SenateWendell FordDDemocratYes
LA · SenateJohn BreauxDDemocratYes
LA · SenateJohn JohnstonDDemocratYes
MA · SenateEdward KennedyDDemocratYes
MA · SenateJohn F. KerryDDemocratYes
MD · SenateBarbara A. MikulskiDDemocratYes
MD · SenatePaul SarbanesDDemocratYes
ME · SenateOlympia J. SnoweRRepublicanYes
ME · SenateWilliam CohenRRepublicanYes
MI · SenateCarl LevinDDemocratYes
MI · SenateSpencer AbrahamRRepublicanYes
MN · SenatePaul WellstoneDDemocratYes
MN · SenateRod GramsRRepublicanNo
MO · SenateChristopher BondRRepublicanYes
MO · SenateJohn AshcroftRRepublicanYes
MS · SenateThad CochranRRepublicanYes
MS · SenateTrent LottRRepublicanYes
MT · SenateConrad BurnsRRepublicanNo
MT · SenateMax BaucusDDemocratYes
NC · SenateDuncan FairclothRRepublicanYes
NC · SenateJesse HelmsRRepublicanYes
ND · SenateByron DorganDDemocratYes
ND · SenateKent ConradDDemocratYes
NE · SenateJ. ExonDDemocratYes
NE · SenateJ. KerreyDDemocratYes
NH · SenateJudd GreggRRepublicanYes
NH · SenateRobert SmithRRepublicanYes
NJ · SenateFrank R. LautenbergDDemocratYes
NJ · SenateWilliam BradleyDDemocratYes
NM · SenateJeff BingamanDDemocratYes
NM · SenatePete DomeniciRRepublicanYes
NV · SenateHarry ReidDDemocratYes
NV · SenateRichard BryanDDemocratYes
NY · SenateAlfonse D’AmatoRRepublicanYes
NY · SenateDaniel MoynihanDDemocratYes
OH · SenateJohn GlennDDemocratYes
OH · SenateMichael DeWineRRepublicanYes
OK · SenateDon NicklesRRepublicanNo
OK · SenateJames M. InhofeRRepublicanYes
OR · SenateMark HatfieldRRepublicanYes
OR · SenateRon WydenDDemocratYes
PA · SenateArlen SpecterRRepublicanYes
PA · SenateRichard SantorumRRepublicanYes
RI · SenateClaiborne PellDDemocratYes
RI · SenateJohn ChafeeRRepublicanYes
SC · SenateErnest HollingsDDemocratYes
SC · SenateJ. ThurmondRRepublicanYes
SD · SenateLarry PresslerRRepublicanYes
SD · SenateThomas DaschleDDemocratYes
TN · SenateFred ThompsonRRepublicanNo
TN · SenateWilliam FristRRepublicanYes
TX · SenateKay Bailey HutchisonRRepublicanYes
TX · SenatePhil GrammRRepublicanYes
UT · SenateOrrin G. HatchRRepublicanYes
UT · SenateRobert BennettRRepublicanYes
VA · SenateCharles RobbDDemocratYes
VA · SenateJohn WarnerRRepublicanYes
VT · SenateJames JeffordsRRepublicanYes
VT · SenatePatrick J. LeahyDDemocratYes
WA · SenatePatty MurrayDDemocratYes
WA · SenateT. GortonRRepublicanYes
WI · SenateHerb KohlDDemocratYes
WI · SenateRussell FeingoldDDemocratYes
WV · SenateJohn D. Rockefeller, IVDDemocratYes
WV · SenateRobert ByrdDDemocratYes
WY · SenateAlan SimpsonRRepublicanYes
WY · SenateCraig ThomasRRepublicanNo

Where this comes from

A file marked "saved" is our own copy of the official file. The code beside it is its fingerprint, a short code that changes if the file's contents change. A file with no copy saved carries "Not published yet".

Published law, official text (web page)govinfo.gov · saved October 5, 2026 · 76,995 bytes
deabcc036676ce30Confirmed from the official record
Published law, official text (PDF)govinfo.gov · saved October 5, 2026 · 268,476 bytes
798c7dd1ea6f0876Confirmed from the official record
Final bill as passed by Congress (web page)govinfo.gov · saved October 5, 2026 · 70,378 bytes
5f54889b210bb31cConfirmed from the official record
Final bill as passed by Congress (PDF)govinfo.gov · saved October 5, 2026 · 299,088 bytes
ed4bdfbcb93e9c00Confirmed from the official record
Senate roll call 300 of 1996: On Passage of the Bill H.R. 1350senate.gov · saved October 5, 2026 · the vote that passed the law
1f8dbbcb9e44e64cConfirmed from the official record
Senate roll call 299 of 1996: On the Motion to Table S.Amdt. 5394 to H.R. 1350 (Maritime Security Act of 1996)senate.gov · saved October 5, 2026
ccce8ce1930d4f21Confirmed from the official record
Senate roll call 298 of 1996: On the Motion to Table S.Amdt. 5393 to H.R. 1350 (Maritime Security Act of 1996)senate.gov · saved October 5, 2026
69ccf1b5e4f20229Confirmed from the official record
Senate roll call 297 of 1996: On the Motion to Table S.Amdt. 5396 to S.Amdt. 5393 to H.R. 1350 (Maritime Security Act of 1996)senate.gov · saved October 5, 2026
b7d08c59e8009312Confirmed from the official record
Senate roll call 296 of 1996: On the Motion to Table S.Amdt. 5391 to H.R. 1350 (Maritime Security Act of 1996)senate.gov · saved October 5, 2026
4954b8123f72c8d0Confirmed from the official record
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