[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1116 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1116

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Federal 
   Government should recoup monies from the Synergy Marine Group and 
    Maersk Line Limited to compensate taxpayers for certain damages 
resulting from the allision of the cargo shipping vessel the Dali with 
the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 5, 2024

Mr. Van Drew submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
           the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Federal 
   Government should recoup monies from the Synergy Marine Group and 
    Maersk Line Limited to compensate taxpayers for certain damages 
resulting from the allision of the cargo shipping vessel the Dali with 
the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024, and for other purposes.

Whereas, on the morning of March 26, 2024, an international container ship named 
        the Dali, traversed the Patapsco River on its way from Baltimore Harbor 
        to Sri Lanka;
Whereas, at 1:24 a.m., the Dali suffered a total power failure and loss of 
        control, and three minutes later struck a critical support pylon of the 
        Francis Scott Key Bridge, resulting in the catastrophic collapse of the 
        entire bridge structure;
Whereas, the Francis Scott Key Bridge accident resulted in loss of life, 
        substantial damages to public infrastructure, disruption of the domestic 
        supply chain, and subsequently a financial burden on taxpayers;
Whereas, it is necessary for companies involved in maritime activities to adhere 
        to strict safety standards and protocols to prevent accidents and 
        mitigate risks to public safety and infrastructure;
Whereas, Congress has a duty to protect the interests of the taxpayers and 
        promote accountability in corporate actions, and that taxpayer dollars 
        should be allocated towards efforts that safeguard the interests and 
        well-being of taxpayers, not for the compensation of losses incurred due 
        to accidents and disasters caused by private entities;
Whereas, the compensation for the losses incurred from the Francis Scott Key 
        Bridge accident should be borne by the entities directly responsible for 
        the incident, in accordance with principles of corporate accountability 
        and liability;
Whereas, the application of general average principles, which distribute costs 
        among stakeholders, could play a significant role in allocating 
        financial responsibilities related to the Francis Scott Key Bridge 
        collapse, reflecting the complexities of maritime law and industry 
        practices;
Whereas, the responsibility for the Francis Scott Key Bridge disaster lies with 
        Synergy Group, the Singaporean company that chartered the vessel, the 
        charterers of the vessel including Maersk Line, and the insurance 
        providers associated with the vessel, who should bear the financial 
        costs resulting from the accident, as they are accountable for the 
        voyage and its consequences;
Whereas, President Biden has stated the intention for the Federal Government to 
        assume responsibility for covering the reconstruction costs of the 
        Francis Scott Key Bridge, with estimates surpassing $600,000,000, 
        highlighting the magnitude of the financial burden this would have on 
        taxpayers;
Whereas, all reconstruction costs, in addition to any additional liabilities 
        related to personal damages or national economic damages should be 
        reimbursed to taxpayers through the insurance of the corporate firms 
        accountable for the voyage and its consequences; and
Whereas, Congress should direct the relevant committees to monitor the progress 
        of the investigations and legal actions related to the Francis Scott Key 
        Bridge accident and to take further legislative action if necessary to 
        safeguard taxpayer interests: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
the Federal Government should recoup monies from the Synergy Marine 
Group and Maersk Line Limited for all human, economic, and physical 
damages that resulted from the catastrophic allision of the cargo 
shipping vessel Dali with the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 
2024.
                                 <all>