A bill to clarify the United States' obligation to observe occupational safety and health standards and to clarify the United States' responsibility for harm caused by negligence at any workplace owned by, operated by, or under contract with the United States.
Latest action. Referred to subcommitteeA smaller panel inside a standing committee with jurisdiction over a slice of its subject matter. Most hearings and the first markup usually happen here.Read the full definition (opens a new tab) on Courts and Administrative Practice.
Makes the legal defense of discretionary function provided under specified Federal law and the legal doctrine of foreseeability of damages inapplicable to any legal or administrative proceeding for damages arising out of U.S. violation of occupational safety or health standards or U.S. negligence at any workplace owned or operated by or under contract with the United States. Prohibits the foreseeability doctrine from being used to limit the amount or kind of damages otherwise available to the plaintiff. Sets forth a statute of limitations of two years after the date of enactment of this Act or after the date of the harm. Establishes a National Registry of Government Litigants, within the U.S. Claims Court, to collect and maintain data regarding claims against the United States predicated (in whole or in part) upon U.S. violation of safety and health standards. Allows any person seeking damages from the United States on the basis (in whole or part) of harm resulting from U.S. violation of safety and health standards to file a notice of such fact with the U.S. Claims Court, within 30 days after commencement of such action (whether administrative or judicial in character). Directs the chief judge of the U.S. Claims Court to report annually to the Congress on the number of, and relevant facts and common characteristics underlying, such notices filed within the Registry.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on August 10, 1988. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on August 22, 1988: Referred to Subcommittee on Courts and Administrative Practice.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 100th Congress (1987-88), 713 of the 9,582 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 7.4 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
TERRY SANFORD (D-NC) introduced it on August 10, 1988, and 9 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 4 Democrats, 5 Republicans.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on August 10, 1988, 13911 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 13899 days ago, on August 22, 1988.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 100th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1989 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers