A bill to require the Secretary of Commerce to prescribe regulations to reduce the incidence of vessels colliding with North Atlantic right whales by limiting the speed of vessels, and for other purposes.

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 893.

S.2657 through Congress

S.2657 keeps its number as it moves between the House and Senate.

SenateFeb 15, 2008IntroducedOfficial record

Major milestones in the imported record. See all actions.

No House action is available in our imported record yet.

Separate related House measures (1)

These are different measures identified as related by Congress.gov. Their text and outcomes may differ; they are not the House stage of S.2657.

Related House bill: H.R.5536 To require the Secretary of Commerce to prescribe regulations to reduce the incidence of vessels colliding with North Atlantic right whales by limiting the speed of vessels, and for other purposes.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 01 · Reported to Senate with amendment(s) · Jul 22, 2008

Directs the Secretary of Commerce to promulgate a final rule to implement speed restrictions to reduce the threat of ships colliding with North Atlantic right whales. Requires that rule to provide the same or greater level of protection as provided by a specified proposed rule.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA] · D–MA

Committees

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

1 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Jul 22, 2008
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 893.
Jul 22, 2008
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Inouye with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 110-429.
Jul 22, 2008
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Inouye with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 110-429.
Apr 24, 2008
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Feb 15, 2008
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation under authority of the order of the Senate of 02/14/2008.
Feb 15, 2008
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

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

Reported to Senate · Jul 22, 2008 Formatted Text PDF
Introduced in Senate · Feb 15, 2008 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

HR 5536 · To require the Secretary of Commerce to prescribe regulations to reduce the incidence of vessels colliding with North Atlantic right whales by limiting the speed of vessels, and for other purposes.

Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.2657 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.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.2657, 110th Congress: A bill to require the Secretary of Commerce to prescribe regulations to reduce the incidence of vessels colliding with North Atlantic right whales by limiting the speed of vessels, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/110th-congress/senate-bill/2657

Text version to examine: Reported to Senate · 2008-07-22.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/110/bills/s2657/BILLS-110s2657rs.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:03:40Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.2657 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.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.2657 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.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.2657, 110th Congress: A bill to require the Secretary of Commerce to prescribe regulations to reduce the incidence of vessels colliding with North Atlantic right whales by limiting the speed of vessels, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/110th-congress/senate-bill/2657

Text version to examine: Reported to Senate · 2008-07-22.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/110/bills/s2657/BILLS-110s2657rs.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:03:40Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.2657 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.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.2657 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.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.2657, 110th Congress: A bill to require the Secretary of Commerce to prescribe regulations to reduce the incidence of vessels colliding with North Atlantic right whales by limiting the speed of vessels, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/110th-congress/senate-bill/2657

Text version to examine: Reported to Senate · 2008-07-22.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/110/bills/s2657/BILLS-110s2657rs.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:03:40Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.2657 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.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.2657 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.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.2657, 110th Congress: A bill to require the Secretary of Commerce to prescribe regulations to reduce the incidence of vessels colliding with North Atlantic right whales by limiting the speed of vessels, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/110th-congress/senate-bill/2657

Text version to examine: Reported to Senate · 2008-07-22.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/110/bills/s2657/BILLS-110s2657rs.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:03:40Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.2657 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.