S. 1519 114th Congress Senate

PORTS Act

Official title: A bill to amend the Labor Management Relations Act, 1947 to address slowdowns, strikes, and lock-outs occurring at ports in the United States, and for other purposes.

Introduced: September 15, 2015 See on congress.gov

Labor and Employment Civil actions and liabilityGovernment studies and investigationsIntergovernmental relationsLabor-management relations

More subjectsShow fewer subjects

Marine and inland water transportationNavigation, waterways, harborsPresidents and presidential powers, Vice PresidentsState and local government operationsWar and emergency powers

Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Jun 17, 2015

Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Jun 17, 2015

Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation discharged by Unanimous Consent.

Jun 4, 2015

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Jun 4, 2015

Introduced in Senate

Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

Latest action June 17, 2015

Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Protecting Orderly and Responsible Transit of Shipments Act of 2015 or the PORTS Act

This bill amends the Labor Management Relations Act, 1947 to extend to labor slowdowns occurring at U.S. ports the President's authority to appoint a board of inquiry into the issues involved.

State and territorial governors shall have authority to request the President to appoint a board of inquiry if a slowdown, or a threatened or an actual strike or lock-out, occurring at one or more U.S. ports will, if continued, imperil national or state health or safety.

If the President does not appoint a board of inquiry within 10 days after receiving a request, the governor who made the request may appoint one to report on the dispute to the governor and the President, although without recommendations. Supplemental reports are also authorized. Boards of inquiry are limited to one that may appointed for each dispute during a 90-day period.

Governors may also petition for injunctions against such labor or management actions affecting ports in their states or territories.

The National Labor Relations Board, for each dispute, shall take not more than one secret ballot for the same employees in any 30-day period.

Related & companion bills 1

Bill text 2 versions