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<BillSummaries>
<item congress="113" measure-type="hr" measure-number="3475" measure-id="id113hr3475" originChamber="HOUSE" orig-publish-date="2013-11-13" update-date="2014-01-13">
<title>Cruise Vessel Consumer Confidence Act of 2013</title>
<summary summary-id="id113hr3475v00" currentChamber="HOUSE" update-date="2014-01-13">
<action-date>2013-11-13</action-date>
<action-desc>Introduced in House</action-desc>
<summary-text><![CDATA[<p>Cruise Vessel Consumer Confidence Act of 2013 - Amends federal shipping law to authorize the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to investigate, on its own initiative or upon receiving a complaint, whether the sale of a ticket to a cruise vessel passenger by a cruise vessel owner is: (1) an unfair or deceptive practice, or (2) an unfair method of competition.</p> <p>Requires the FMC, in cases of an affirmative determination, to order the owner to cease such sales. Authorizes the FMC to impose a civil penalty of up to $25,000 for owners who violate such orders.</p> <p>Makes it an unfair or deceptive practice for an owner that fails to make certain written disclosures before offering to sell a ticket to a passenger.</p> <p>Makes it an unfair or deceptive practice for an owner offering to sell a ticket to a passenger via the Internet (electronic ticket) to require that the ticket purchaser provide a printed version of that ticket if the purchaser is able to provide appropriate identification at the time of travel.</p> <p>Directs the FMC to establish a process to ensure that a passenger with a ticket for a vessel whose initial departure or final disembarkment is delayed for more than 24 hours is reimbursed by the owner in an amount that is equal to: (1) the lesser of half the ticket price or $500, if the delay is between 24 and 48 hours; or (2) the full price of the ticket, if the delay is 48 hours or more.</p> <p>Requires a cruise vessel owner to: (1) submit a customer service plan to the FMC, (2) incorporate it into the ticket contract of that owner, and (3) make both of them easily available on the owner's website.</p> <p>Directs the FMC to establish a process for passengers to report complaints to the FMC.</p> <p>Authorizes the FMC to establish, adjust, and collect fees in ticket prices to fund implementation of this Act.</p>]]></summary-text>
</summary>
</item>
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<dc:language>EN</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
<dc:contributor>Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress</dc:contributor>
<dc:description>This file contains bill summaries for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.</dc:description>
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