PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.

Lieutenant Colonel Dominic "Rocky" Baragona Justice for American Heroes Harmed by Contractors Act

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 682.

Official summary

Version 01 · Reported to Senate with amendment(s) · Dec 9, 2010

Lieutenant Colonel Dominic "Rocky" Baragona Justice for American Heroes Harmed by Contractors Act - Directs the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to: (1) permit the debarment or suspension of U.S. government contractors for evading service of process in civil or criminal proceedings brought against them by a U.S. citizen or national in connection with an obligation under the terms of a government contract or for failing to appear in federal court in such proceedings; and (2) require such contractors performing federal contracts of $5 million or more outside the United States to consent to personal jurisdiction over them in any future civil action brought by the United States alleging wrongdoing associated with contract performance and in any future civil action alleging a rape or sexual assault of or serious bodily injury to a member of the Armed Forces, a federal civilian employee, or an employee of a company performing work for the United States who is a U.S. citizen or national.

Requires the contractor to: (1) consent to personal jurisdiction in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia for a covered civil action in which the events giving rise to the cause of action occurred outside the United States and where personal jurisdiction cannot be established in another federal court; and (2) designate an agent located in the United States for service of process in any covered civil action if the covered contract was awarded to a contractor that does not maintain an office in the United States.

Requires: (1) a covered civil action to be analyzed in accordance with U.S. law; and (2) the substantive law of the state (including the District of Columbia) in which the covered civil action is brought to be the law applicable to a covered civil action if the substantive law otherwise applicable to the covered civil action would be the law of the location where the events giving rise to the cause of action occurred and if the location is designated as a hazardous duty zone by the Secretary of Defense (DOD).

Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.

Read full official summaryShow less

Provides that nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit: (1) the ability of a contractor to assert any settled right under the U.S. Constitution; and (2) any other jurisdictional basis for a civil action against or criminal prosecution of a contractor.

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.

Who introduced it

Sen. McCaskill, Claire [D-MO] · D–MO

Committees

  • Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
9 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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

  1. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 682.

  2. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

  3. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

  4. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

  5. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

  6. Introduced in Senate

Bill text & related measures

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

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

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

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.2782 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
Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.2782 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
Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.2782 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
Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.2782 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