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H.R.5895 / 111th Congress

Gulf Coast Oil Spill Legal Liabilities and Claims Act of 2010

Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jul 28, 2010

Gulf Coast Oil Spill Legal Liabilities and Claims Act of 2010 - Prohibits settlement, legal release, or other agreement from extinguishing or limiting liability in a civil action for significant harm arising from a discharge into waters off the shore of the United States of a substance that contaminates a marine or coastal environment or endangers public health, if such settlement, legal release, or agreement is entered into under coercion or duress or is entered into in exchange for any benefit other than a settlement of claims pending.

Amends the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 to exclude from class actions under such Act any action brought by a state or one of its subdivisions on behalf of its citizens.

Amends the federal judicial code to exclude an action brought by a state or one of its subdivisions on behalf of its citizens from the meaning of a class action or mass action.

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Who introduced it

Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-35] · D–CA

Committees

  • Judiciary Committee
3 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy.

  2. Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

  3. Introduced in House

  4. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Aug 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.5895 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.5895 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

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Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.5895 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

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Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.5895 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

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