9 U.S.C. § 1 — “Maritime transactions” and “commerce” defined; exceptions to operation of title

This section defines two terms for the rest of this title, and then carves out an exception. "Maritime transactions" means charter parties, bills of lading from water carriers, agreements about wharfage, supplies furnished to vessels, repairs to vessels, collisions, or any other matter in foreign commerce that would fall under admiralty jurisdiction if it became a dispute. "Commerce" means commerce among the states, or with foreign nations. It also includes commerce in any U.S. Territory or the District of Columbia, between one Territory and another, between a Territory and a State or foreign nation, and between the District of Columbia and any State, Territory, or foreign nation. Exception. Despite these two definitions, nothing in this title applies to employment contracts of seamen, railroad employees, or any other class of worker engaged in foreign or interstate commerce. That means those workers' employment contracts are not covered by this title, even though their work involves "commerce" as defined above.