<enum>I</enum><header>CRIMINAL PROHIBITION</header> <section id="H5857C7E803BD4DF2A1555D70BCA1C4B4"><enum>101.</enum><header>Findings and declarations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Congress finds and declares that operating or embarking in a submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel without nationality and on an international voyage is a serious international problem, facilitates transnational crime, including drug trafficking, and terrorism, and presents a specific threat to the safety of maritime navigation and the security of the United States.</text> </section><section id="H20FC9EA2AAC04380A9774C20CAE16062"><enum>102.</enum><header>Operation of submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel without nationality</header> <subsection id="H5B18ED34113442A89308C2D698619601"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In General</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/18/111">Chapter 111</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:</text> <quoted-block id="H5ACBFD31E2B84D4885AD70C08275EBE8" style="USC"> <section id="H461CBD38CBBF4BC0A04F1E9BE025447F"><header>2285. Operation of submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel without nationality</header> <subsection id="HBBB22E9D80964C03BE006E1472BB002D"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Offense</header><text>Whoever knowingly operates, or attempts or conspires to operate, by any means, or embarks in any submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel that is without nationality and that is navigating or has navigated into, through, or from waters beyond the outer limit of the territorial sea of a single country or a lateral limit of that country’s territorial sea with an adjacent country, with the intent to evade detection, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 15 years, or both.</text> </subsection><subsection id="HFECA8490CC8C41CAA4CF24C1F3BDDAD4"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Evidence of Intent To Evade Detection</header><text>For purposes of subsection (a), the presence of any of the indicia described in paragraph (1)(A), (E), (F), or (G), or in paragraph (4), (5), or (6), of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/46/70507">section 70507(b)</external-xref> of title 46 may be considered, in the totality of the circumstances, to be prima facie evidence of intent to evade detection.</text> </subsection><subsection id="HC9A1A206D2914FFAAE3BC1B24F981341"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Extraterritorial Jurisdiction</header><text>There is extraterritorial Federal jurisdiction over an offense under this section, including an attempt or conspiracy to commit such an offense.</text> </subsection><subsection id="H85046E455DCA49D9A806DD91AFB6FFEC"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Claim of Nationality or Registry</header><text>A claim of nationality or registry under this section includes only—</text> <paragraph id="H91233EC306134B51B2C5D3CF4E4FFED3"><enum>(1)</enum><text>possession on board the vessel and production of documents evidencing the vessel’s nationality as provided in article 5 of the 1958 Convention on the High Seas;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H95BDF2269B8B499AA666DFD9953149ED"><enum>(2)</enum><text>flying its nation’s ensign or flag; or</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H4A51FFE9BB7944C7A900ADBBC2B7F5C7"><enum>(3)</enum><text>a verbal claim of nationality or registry by the master or individual in charge of the vessel.</text> </paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HA498521D4B304509B755A721496CF499"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Affirmative Defenses</header> <paragraph id="H210E90FB8090435DA8B4036EF09CA6E9"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>It is an affirmative defense to a prosecution for a violation of subsection (a), which the defendant has the burden to prove by a preponderance of the evidence, that the submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel involved was, at the time of the offense—</text> <subparagraph id="H851D88388FB8404D9538074F2B733CF9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a vessel of the United States or lawfully registered in a foreign nation as claimed by the master or individual in charge of the vessel when requested to make a claim by an officer of the United States authorized to enforce applicable provisions of United States law;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3E74FEED3C66464DAB9C848FFF20B97D"><enum>(B)</enum><text>classed by and designed in accordance with the rules of a classification society;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H54BA72F66D80421EB23CCB00FAF8B6D5"><enum>(C)</enum><text>lawfully operated in government-regulated or licensed activity, including commerce, research, or exploration; or</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA21F26900A0D4F71B08F395D8C88FBC8"><enum>(D)</enum><text>equipped with and using an operable automatic identification system, vessel monitoring system, or long range identification and tracking system.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HB4296DF3EA994C93834B9BC43BF7C2C7"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Production of documents</header><text>The affirmative defenses provided by this subsection are proved conclusively by the production of—</text> <subparagraph id="H23FD8F5E13D3467CB47FA8B41226699"><enum>(A)</enum><text>government documents evidencing the vessel’s nationality at the time of the offense, as provided in article 5 of the 1958 Convention on the High Seas;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="HFEB86A40245C452E9D8349EED0B3C6D"><enum>(B)</enum><text>a certificate of classification issued by the vessel’s classification society upon completion of relevant classification surveys and valid at the time of the offense; or</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H48FD79ABC26F4428965C8067EA7B2D92"><enum>(C)</enum><text>government documents evidencing licensure, regulation, or registration for commerce, research, or exploration.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H4B454B53041047698E06B1963FCDFAB4"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Federal Activities Excepted</header><text>Nothing in this section applies to lawfully authorized activities carried out by or at the direction of the United States Government.</text> </subsection><subsection id="H64555804F26647DBAC529183EDAA4B15"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Applicability of Other Provisions</header><text>Sections <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/46/70504">70504</external-xref> and <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/46/70505">70505</external-xref> of title 46 apply to offenses under this section in the same manner as they apply to offenses under section 70503 of such title.</text> </subsection><subsection id="HDF98E03CE4284AF48F877F340804FE82"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section, the terms <term>submersible vessel</term>, <term>semi-submersible vessel</term>, <term>vessel of the United States</term>, and <term>vessel without nationality</term> have the meaning given those terms in section 70502 of title 46.</text> </subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </subsection><subsection id="HB3027AA9DD644ADEAB4F33C47BE327C8"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Clerical Amendment</header><text>The chapter analysis for <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/18/111">chapter 111</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 2284 the following:</text> <quoted-block id="HD4FD23D770DD4BBE9D4954A57F00D2E9" style="USC"> <toc regeneration="no-regeneration"> <toc-entry level="section">2285. Operation of submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel without nationality.</toc-entry> </toc> <after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </subsection></section><section id="HFCCA76C0EF1A4957BD27A000B49972D5"><enum>103.</enum><header>Sentencing guidelines</header> <subsection id="HEB3B66EA788D47BF8CD4F6A347D18B4"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In General</header><text>Pursuant to its authority under section 994(p) of title 28, United States Code, and in accordance with this section, the United States Sentencing Commission shall promulgate sentencing guidelines (including policy statements) or amend existing sentencing guidelines (including policy statements) to provide adequate penalties for persons convicted of knowingly operating by any means or embarking in any submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel in violation of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/18/2285">section 2285</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code.</text> </subsection><subsection id="H1765F194503F47BBA4E6B2BFFCF468FB"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Requirements</header><text>In carrying out this section, the United States Sentencing Commission shall—</text> <paragraph id="HE811F972D0A84E5FABF60465E2005D14"><enum>(1)</enum><text>ensure that the sentencing guidelines and policy statements reflect the serious nature of the offense described in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/18/2285">section 2285</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code, and the need for deterrence to prevent such offenses;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="HBF161D5C203B41F6B2BB562B5DD14FB"><enum>(2)</enum><text>account for any aggravating or mitigating circumstances that might justify exceptions, including—</text> <subparagraph id="H4727A852CD53446BAC3225B61D4D36F3"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the use of a submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel described in section 2285 of title 18, United States Code, to facilitate other felonies;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCC338D21A5AA4E7A8E4E82BAD9CE631E"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the repeated use of a submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel described in section 2285 of title 18, United States Code, to facilitate other felonies, including whether such use is part of an ongoing criminal organization or enterprise;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5A4A2A002D1741619D42C0CCD79412E"><enum>(C)</enum><text>whether the use of such a vessel involves a pattern of continued and flagrant violations of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/18/2285">section 2285</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1BD02EDEBA984100A18382B179B0F368"><enum>(D)</enum><text>whether the persons operating or embarking in a submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel willfully caused, attempted to cause, or permitted the destruction or damage of such vessel or failed to heave to when directed by law enforcement officers; and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H46366D8379594A37917D84F03BDFD113"><enum>(E)</enum><text>circumstances for which the sentencing guidelines (and policy statements) provide sentencing enhancements;</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H9954B6955B2341368E87C515CB0F765"><enum>(3)</enum><text>ensure reasonable consistency with other relevant directives, other sentencing guidelines and policy statements, and statutory provisions;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H0DACE817653D416ABA32B8C066AF1838"><enum>(4)</enum><text>make any necessary and conforming changes to the sentencing guidelines and policy statements; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H22B672740A244EA68CBFC100847B709C"><enum>(5)</enum><text>ensure that the sentencing guidelines and policy statements adequately meet the purposes of sentencing set forth in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/18/3553">section 3553(a)(2)</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code.</text> </paragraph></subsection></section>

110 HR 7099 IH: Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of U.S. House of Representatives 2008-09-25 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008

<enum>I</enum><header>CRIMINAL PROHIBITION</header> <section id="H5857C7E803BD4DF2A1555D70BCA1C4B4"><enum>101.</enum><header>Findings and declarations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Congress finds and declares that operating or embarking in a submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel without nationality and on an international voyage is a serious international problem, facilitates transnational crime, including drug trafficking, and terrorism, and presents a specific threat to the safety of maritime navigation and the security of the United States.</text> </section><section id="H20FC9EA2AAC04380A9774C20CAE16062"><enum>102.</enum><header>Operation of submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel without nationality</header> <subsection id="H5B18ED34113442A89308C2D698619601"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In General</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/18/111">Chapter 111</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:</text> <quoted-block id="H5ACBFD31E2B84D4885AD70C08275EBE8" style="USC"> <section id="H461CBD38CBBF4BC0A04F1E9BE025447F"><header>2285. Operation of submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel without nationality</header> <subsection id="HBBB22E9D80964C03BE006E1472BB002D"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Offense</header><text>Whoever knowingly operates, or attempts or conspires to operate, by any means, or embarks in any submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel that is without nationality and that is navigating or has navigated into, through, or from waters beyond the outer limit of the territorial sea of a single country or a lateral limit of that country’s territorial sea with an adjacent country, with the intent to evade detection, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 15 years, or both.</text> </subsection><subsection id="HFECA8490CC8C41CAA4CF24C1F3BDDAD4"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Evidence of Intent To Evade Detection</header><text>For purposes of subsection (a), the presence of any of the indicia described in paragraph (1)(A), (E), (F), or (G), or in paragraph (4), (5), or (6), of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/46/70507">section 70507(b)</external-xref> of title 46 may be considered, in the totality of the circumstances, to be prima facie evidence of intent to evade detection.</text> </subsection><subsection id="HC9A1A206D2914FFAAE3BC1B24F981341"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Extraterritorial Jurisdiction</header><text>There is extraterritorial Federal jurisdiction over an offense under this section, including an attempt or conspiracy to commit such an offense.</text> </subsection><subsection id="H85046E455DCA49D9A806DD91AFB6FFEC"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Claim of Nationality or Registry</header><text>A claim of nationality or registry under this section includes only—</text> <paragraph id="H91233EC306134B51B2C5D3CF4E4FFED3"><enum>(1)</enum><text>possession on board the vessel and production of documents evidencing the vessel’s nationality as provided in article 5 of the 1958 Convention on the High Seas;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H95BDF2269B8B499AA666DFD9953149ED"><enum>(2)</enum><text>flying its nation’s ensign or flag; or</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H4A51FFE9BB7944C7A900ADBBC2B7F5C7"><enum>(3)</enum><text>a verbal claim of nationality or registry by the master or individual in charge of the vessel.</text> </paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HA498521D4B304509B755A721496CF499"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Affirmative Defenses</header> <paragraph id="H210E90FB8090435DA8B4036EF09CA6E9"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>It is an affirmative defense to a prosecution for a violation of subsection (a), which the defendant has the burden to prove by a preponderance of the evidence, that the submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel involved was, at the time of the offense—</text> <subparagraph id="H851D88388FB8404D9538074F2B733CF9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a vessel of the United States or lawfully registered in a foreign nation as claimed by the master or individual in charge of the vessel when requested to make a claim by an officer of the United States authorized to enforce applicable provisions of United States law;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3E74FEED3C66464DAB9C848FFF20B97D"><enum>(B)</enum><text>classed by and designed in accordance with the rules of a classification society;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H54BA72F66D80421EB23CCB00FAF8B6D5"><enum>(C)</enum><text>lawfully operated in government-regulated or licensed activity, including commerce, research, or exploration; or</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA21F26900A0D4F71B08F395D8C88FBC8"><enum>(D)</enum><text>equipped with and using an operable automatic identification system, vessel monitoring system, or long range identification and tracking system.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HB4296DF3EA994C93834B9BC43BF7C2C7"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Production of documents</header><text>The affirmative defenses provided by this subsection are proved conclusively by the production of—</text> <subparagraph id="H23FD8F5E13D3467CB47FA8B41226699"><enum>(A)</enum><text>government documents evidencing the vessel’s nationality at the time of the offense, as provided in article 5 of the 1958 Convention on the High Seas;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="HFEB86A40245C452E9D8349EED0B3C6D"><enum>(B)</enum><text>a certificate of classification issued by the vessel’s classification society upon completion of relevant classification surveys and valid at the time of the offense; or</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H48FD79ABC26F4428965C8067EA7B2D92"><enum>(C)</enum><text>government documents evidencing licensure, regulation, or registration for commerce, research, or exploration.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H4B454B53041047698E06B1963FCDFAB4"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Federal Activities Excepted</header><text>Nothing in this section applies to lawfully authorized activities carried out by or at the direction of the United States Government.</text> </subsection><subsection id="H64555804F26647DBAC529183EDAA4B15"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Applicability of Other Provisions</header><text>Sections <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/46/70504">70504</external-xref> and <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/46/70505">70505</external-xref> of title 46 apply to offenses under this section in the same manner as they apply to offenses under section 70503 of such title.</text> </subsection><subsection id="HDF98E03CE4284AF48F877F340804FE82"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section, the terms <term>submersible vessel</term>, <term>semi-submersible vessel</term>, <term>vessel of the United States</term>, and <term>vessel without nationality</term> have the meaning given those terms in section 70502 of title 46.</text> </subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </subsection><subsection id="HB3027AA9DD644ADEAB4F33C47BE327C8"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Clerical Amendment</header><text>The chapter analysis for <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/18/111">chapter 111</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 2284 the following:</text> <quoted-block id="HD4FD23D770DD4BBE9D4954A57F00D2E9" style="USC"> <toc regeneration="no-regeneration"> <toc-entry level="section">2285. Operation of submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel without nationality.</toc-entry> </toc> <after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </subsection></section><section id="HFCCA76C0EF1A4957BD27A000B49972D5"><enum>103.</enum><header>Sentencing guidelines</header> <subsection id="HEB3B66EA788D47BF8CD4F6A347D18B4"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In General</header><text>Pursuant to its authority under section 994(p) of title 28, United States Code, and in accordance with this section, the United States Sentencing Commission shall promulgate sentencing guidelines (including policy statements) or amend existing sentencing guidelines (including policy statements) to provide adequate penalties for persons convicted of knowingly operating by any means or embarking in any submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel in violation of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/18/2285">section 2285</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code.</text> </subsection><subsection id="H1765F194503F47BBA4E6B2BFFCF468FB"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Requirements</header><text>In carrying out this section, the United States Sentencing Commission shall—</text> <paragraph id="HE811F972D0A84E5FABF60465E2005D14"><enum>(1)</enum><text>ensure that the sentencing guidelines and policy statements reflect the serious nature of the offense described in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/18/2285">section 2285</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code, and the need for deterrence to prevent such offenses;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="HBF161D5C203B41F6B2BB562B5DD14FB"><enum>(2)</enum><text>account for any aggravating or mitigating circumstances that might justify exceptions, including—</text> <subparagraph id="H4727A852CD53446BAC3225B61D4D36F3"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the use of a submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel described in section 2285 of title 18, United States Code, to facilitate other felonies;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCC338D21A5AA4E7A8E4E82BAD9CE631E"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the repeated use of a submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel described in section 2285 of title 18, United States Code, to facilitate other felonies, including whether such use is part of an ongoing criminal organization or enterprise;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5A4A2A002D1741619D42C0CCD79412E"><enum>(C)</enum><text>whether the use of such a vessel involves a pattern of continued and flagrant violations of <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/18/2285">section 2285</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1BD02EDEBA984100A18382B179B0F368"><enum>(D)</enum><text>whether the persons operating or embarking in a submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel willfully caused, attempted to cause, or permitted the destruction or damage of such vessel or failed to heave to when directed by law enforcement officers; and</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H46366D8379594A37917D84F03BDFD113"><enum>(E)</enum><text>circumstances for which the sentencing guidelines (and policy statements) provide sentencing enhancements;</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H9954B6955B2341368E87C515CB0F765"><enum>(3)</enum><text>ensure reasonable consistency with other relevant directives, other sentencing guidelines and policy statements, and statutory provisions;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H0DACE817653D416ABA32B8C066AF1838"><enum>(4)</enum><text>make any necessary and conforming changes to the sentencing guidelines and policy statements; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H22B672740A244EA68CBFC100847B709C"><enum>(5)</enum><text>ensure that the sentencing guidelines and policy statements adequately meet the purposes of sentencing set forth in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/18/3553">section 3553(a)(2)</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code.</text> </paragraph></subsection></section><enum>II</enum><header>CIVIL PROHIBITION</header> <section id="HE9D76EB119D74E4E9E546C98B99CFCA"><enum>201.</enum><header>Operation of submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel without nationality</header> <subsection id="H2B7C6E02827840E789FA7C332E292151"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Finding and declaration</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/46/70501">Section 70501</external-xref> of title 46, United States Code, is amended—</text> <paragraph id="HFE8A48A24FC348C4B7BCD34BB67BDEF"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>(1)</quote> after <quote>that</quote>; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H0B194A3241444328A44885C467DDA215"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking <quote>States.</quote> and inserting <quote>States and (2) operating or embarking in a submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel without nationality and on an international voyage is a serious international problem, facilitates transnational crime, including drug trafficking, and terrorism, and presents a specific threat to the safety of maritime navigation and the security of the United States.</quote>.</text> </paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HB7F2EF80939D4040A6A9CD00F500F8CF"><enum>202.</enum><header>Operation prohibited</header> <subsection id="H0010E488D84F4DF096B923D525CD6E87"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In General</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/46/705">Chapter 705</external-xref> of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end thereof the following:</text> <quoted-block id="H6422C874135E443DB7AA7839A1D85BBD" style="USC"> <section id="H3E90D135EF5C480AA394B45A30FBB"><enum>70508.</enum><header>Operation of submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel without nationality</header> <subsection id="H440815C6D5B6406CBE37385BFC9E99F2"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In General</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An individual may not operate by any means or embark in any submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel that is without nationality and that is navigating or has navigated into, through, or from waters beyond the outer limit of the territorial sea of a single country or a lateral limit of that country’s territorial sea with an adjacent country, with the intent to evade detection</text> </subsection><subsection id="H574715E00D44445A00344000AA056935"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Evidence of Intent To Evade Detection</header><text>In any civil enforcement proceeding for a violation of subsection (a), the presence of any of the indicia described in paragraph (1)(A), (E), (F), or (G), or in paragraph (4), (5), or (6), of section 70507(b) may be considered, in the totality of the circumstances, to be prima facie evidence of intent to evade detection.</text> </subsection><subsection id="H783C4DF1E2574BEF8BD620270068A3E9"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Defenses</header> <paragraph id="H78DC6F4D80764FD3AE1EA7EF1DF67978"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>It is a defense in any civil enforcement proceeding for a violation of subsection (a) that the submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel involved was, at the time of the violation—</text> <subparagraph id="HA22CA8E082F342CC9184C52DF307C0CC"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a vessel of the United States or lawfully registered in a foreign nation as claimed by the master or individual in charge of the vessel when requested to make a claim by an officer of the United States authorized to enforce applicable provisions of United States law;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H00286F2D145443F9B2F062AC32C1D45D"><enum>(B)</enum><text>classed by and designed in accordance with the rules of a classification society;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3FE0877CA2C8447AAD0217EF3650C3E2"><enum>(C)</enum><text>lawfully operated in government-regulated or licensed activity, including commerce, research, or exploration; or</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="HF6551B42634949268EE5D28B5773492"><enum>(D)</enum><text>equipped with and using an operable automatic identification system, vessel monitoring system, or long range identification and tracking system.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HD3244F89A83449B8826E826890739491"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Production of documents</header><text>The defenses provided by this subsection are proved conclusively by the production of—</text> <subparagraph id="H9B238A26E9B143F994DD9892F084A675"><enum>(A)</enum><text>government documents evidencing the vessel’s nationality at the time of the offense, as provided in article 5 of the 1958 Convention on the High Seas;</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7EDA787C77E54B6584742BBCA1650384"><enum>(B)</enum><text>a certificate of classification issued by the vessel’s classification society upon completion of relevant classification surveys and valid at the time of the offense; or</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H33EEFB0B12B04E42A7E179F634B9503"><enum>(C)</enum><text>government documents evidencing licensure, regulation, or registration for research or exploration.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HEC76E70558FE40B193E7D0CCC91DCB2"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Civil Penalty</header><text>A person violating this section shall be liable to the United States for a civil penalty of not more than $1,000,000.</text> </subsection></section><after-quoted-block></after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </subsection><subsection id="H1265EA33301D4613B05EFD6B8E1DA42E"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming Amendments</header> <paragraph id="HE4311A738B4A4D78958B002916BD261F"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The chapter analysis for <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/46/705">chapter 705</external-xref> of title 46, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 70507 the following:</text> <quoted-block id="HCCD3D523F75D4FEFB261E7DF5DDF9F26" style="OLC"> <toc regeneration="no-regeneration"> <toc-entry level="section">70508. Operation of submersible vessel or semi-submersible vessel without nationality.</toc-entry> </toc> <after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </paragraph><paragraph id="H3AC62C56D3CF4B769B73243F007575E3"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Section 70504(b) of title 46, United States Code, is amended by inserting <quote>or 70508</quote> after <quote>70503</quote>.</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H83E23A07850F457E9378972EB78E3D66"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Section 70505 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by striking <quote>this title</quote> and inserting <quote>this title, or against whom a civil enforcement proceeding is brought under section 70508,</quote>.</text> </paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HEB3627EDF66740F3B469E1BCA2CFC5C"><enum>203.</enum><header>Submersible vessel and semi-submersible vessel defined</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline"><external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/46/70502">Section 70502</external-xref> of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end thereof the following:</text> <quoted-block id="HB6D12529734649B6A7AE2EA478F86B" style="OLC"> <subsection id="H9E48CFA3D6CB4A5C8F06B68BE19CA02"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Semi-submersible vessel; Submersible Vessel</header><text>In this chapter:</text> <paragraph id="HD2D5BCB9DF0745FD91DDE3E3502DF784"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Semi-submersible vessel</header><text>The term <term>semi-submersible vessel</term> means any watercraft constructed or adapted to be capable of operating with most of its hull and bulk under the surface of the water, including both manned and unmanned watercraft.</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H2704465FA4DD475A89FB301D9383E4EA"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Submersible vessel</header><text>The term <term>submersible vessel</term> means a vessel that is capable of operating completely below the surface of the water, including both manned and unmanned watercraft.</text> </paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block> </section>