To restrict the imposition by the Secretary of Homeland Security of fines, penalties, duties, or tariffs applicable only to coastwise voyages, or prohibit otherwise qualified non-United States citizens from serving as crew, on specified vessels transporting passengers between the State of Washington and the State of Alaska, to address a Canadian cruise ship ban and the extraordinary impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Alaskan communities, and for other purposes.
Alaska Tourism Restoration Act
This bill temporarily allows specific foreign-owned and foreign-flagged cruise ships to transport passengers directly between ports in the states of Washington and Alaska without stopping in Canada. Under current law, these ships cannot transport passengers from one U.S. port to another without stopping in a foreign country.
The bill deems a round trip voyage between ports in the states of Washington and Alaska as a foreign voyage if (1) during the voyage, the operators of such voyage send U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Canada Border Services Agency an email containing the names of each alien crew member with a valid nonimmigrant work visa; and (2) the voyage begins not later than February 28, 2022. The operators of these voyages must also retain a COVID-19 Conditional Sailing Certificate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and operate in accordance with CDC restrictions associated with the certificate.
Authority to conduct these voyages shall terminate on March 31, 2022, or when Canada lifts its COVID-related restrictions, whichever occurs first. Voyages may not occur during any period for which the CDC has issued an order to suspend cruise ship operations.
The bill also directs the Department of Transportation to require, through regulations, the installation of automated external defibrillators on passenger vessels (including cruise ships), among other requirements.
Held at the desk.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
Mr. DeFazio asked unanimous consent to discharge from committee and consider.
Committee on Transportation discharged.
Committee on Transportation discharged.
Considered by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR H2632-2633)
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed without objection.(text: CR H2632)
On passage Passed without objection. (text: CR H2632)
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Received in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S3186-3187)
Enacted as Public Law 117-14
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Received in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S3186-3187)
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Presented to President.
Presented to President.
Signed by President.
Signed by President.
Became Public Law No: 117-14.
Became Public Law No: 117-14.