Cohen Votes to Support SPILL Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-9) today voted to support the SPILL Act, legislation he cosponsored to reform maritime liability laws -- the Death on the High Seas Act, the Jones Act and the Limitation on Liability Act -- to ensure that the families of those killed or injured in the BP Oil Spill and other such tragedies are justly compensated for their losses.

“BP and Transocean cannot be allowed to take advantage of outdated laws that would enable them to escape liability for what has become the worst environmental disaster of all time,” said Congressman Cohen. “I’m proud to support a bill that provides fairness and justice to the people affected by this terrible tragedy.”

The Securing Protections for the Injured from Limitations on Liability (SPILL) Act (H.R. 5503) would update these grossly inadequate and outdated laws by:

• Permitting recovery of non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, loss of care, comfort and companionship -- not just lost income and funeral expenses -- for family members of those killed or injured under the Death on the High Seas Act and Jones Act;

• Repealing the Limitation on Liability Act of 1851, which limits liability to the post-accident value of a vessel and its cargo. Transocean, which owns the Deepwater Horizon platform, has sought to limit its liability to $27 million under this outdated law; and

• Preventing parties responsible for oil spills from using bankruptcy to leave victims without adequate legal recourse.

For more details on the legislation please visit the House Committee on the Judiciary by clicking here.