An Act for the relief of sick and disabled seamen

The bill was introduced into the House of Representatives by a committee appointed for the purpose on February 28, 1798, and read the first and second time that day.{{cite journal|title=A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875|url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field%28DOCID+@lit%28hj003132%29%29}} After some consideration, the bill was referred back to committee and on April 6, 1798, an amended bill was reported to the House of Representatives and read the first and second time that day.{{cite journal|title=A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875|url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field%28DOCID+@lit%28hj003159%29%29}} On April 9, 1798, the bill was amended, engrossed and read the third time and on April 12, 1798, the bill was passed and sent to the Senate for concurrence.{{cite journal|title=A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875|url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field%28DOCID+@lit%28hj003160%29%29}}{{cite journal|title=A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875|url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field%28DOCID+@lit%28hj003163%29%29}}

The bill was received in the Senate on April 12, 1798, and read the first time.{{cite journal|title=A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875|url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field%28DOCID+@lit%28sj002605%29%29}} The bill received its second reading the following day and was referred to committee.{{cite journal|title=A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875|url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field%28DOCID+@lit%28sj002606%29%29}} The bill was reported from committee with amendments on June 19, 1798.{{cite journal|title=A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875|url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field%28DOCID+@lit%28sj002652%29%29}} The bill was amended, read the third time and passed by the Senate on July 14, 1798, and sent back to the House of Representatives for concurrence in the amendments.{{cite journal|title=A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875|url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field%28DOCID+@lit%28sj002674%29%29}}

The bill was received in the House of Representatives on July 14, 1798, and the Senate amendments were approved the same day.{{cite journal|title=A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875|url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field%28DOCID+@lit%28hj003237%29%29}} On July 16, 1798, the bill was duly enrolled and transmitted to President John Adams, who signed it into law the same day.{{cite journal|title=A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875|url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field%28DOCID+@lit%28hj003238%29%29}}{{cite journal|title=A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875|url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hlaw:@field%28DOCID+@lit%28sj002675%29%29}}

Section one of the Act directed each master of a vessel of the United States arriving from a foreign port into any port of the United States to pay to the Collector at the arrival port twenty cents per month from each seaman on board the vessel, which sum he was authorized to withhold from the wages of said seamen. Section two of the Act forbid Collectors from renewing the license of vessels in the coasting trade unless the master of said vessel complied with the provisions of the Act and provided a penalty of a one hundred dollar fine for a master's failure to comply.{{cite journal|title=A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875|url=http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=001/llsl001.db&recNum=729}} Section three of the Act directed Collectors to deliver funds collected under the Act to the Secretary of the Treasury on a quarterly basis. It further authorized the President of the United States to use the funds for the treatment of sick and disabled seamen in existing hospitals and facilities. Section four of the Act authorized and directed the President of the United States to use surplus funds collected under the Act to build additional hospitals at the ports of the United States. Section five of the Act authorized the President to appoint directors for each port, to direct the spending of funds at each port and to account for the use of said funds. The directors were appointed solely by the President and served at his pleasure.

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• [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=001/llsl001.db&recNum=728 Link to full text of the Act at the Library of Congress]

{{John Adams}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:An Act For The Relief Of Sick And Disabled Seamen}}

Category:1798 in American law

Category:United States federal disability legislation

Category:United States federal admiralty and maritime legislation

Category:1798 in American politics

Category:5th United States Congress

Category:Individual mandates