[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3282 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3282

    To amend title 46, United States Code, to improve towing vessel 
                          navigational safety.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 14, 1993

   Mr. Tauzin (for himself, Mr. Studds, Mr. Fields of Texas, and Mr. 
    Coble) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
               Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend title 46, United States Code, to improve towing vessel 
                          navigational safety.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Towing Vessel Navigational Safety 
Act of 1993''.

SEC. 2. MINIMUM NAVIGATIONAL SAFETY EQUIPMENT FOR TOWING VESSELS.

    (a) In General.--Section 4102 of title 46, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(f) Each towing vessel to which this chapter applies shall be 
equipped with navigational publications and equipment as prescribed by 
the Secretary, including--
            ``(1) marine charts of the area being transited;
            ``(2) navigational publications for the area being 
        transited;
            ``(3) compasses;
            ``(4) radar; and
            ``(5) a fathometer.''.
    (b) Regulations.--The Secretary of Transportation shall issue 
regulations by not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, prescribing navigational publication and equipment 
requirements under subsection (f) of section 4102 of title 46, United 
States Code, as added by subsection (a) of this section.

SEC. 3. DEMONSTRATION OF PROFICIENCY IN USE OF NAVIGATIONAL SAFETY 
              EQUIPMENT REQUIRED.

    Section 7101 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(j) The Secretary shall require an individual who applies for 
issuance or renewal of a towing vessel operators license to demonstrate 
proficiency in the use of navigational safety equipment.''.

SEC. 4. REPORTING MARINE CASUALTIES.

    (a) Expedited Reporting Required.--Section 6101(b) of title 46, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ``within 5 days'' and 
inserting ``by as soon as practicable, but in no case later than within 
5 days,''.
    (b) Regulations.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prescribe regulations 
implementing the amendment made by subsection (a).

SEC. 5. REPORT ON ADEQUACY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF MANNING AND LICENSING 
              REQUIREMENTS FOR OPERATION OF TOWING VESSELS.

    Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall submit a report to the 
Congress on the adequacy and effectiveness of manning and licensing 
requirements for operation of towing vessels.

SEC. 6. REPORT ON FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A DIFFERENTIAL GLOBAL 
              POSITIONING SATELLITE NAVIGATION SYSTEM FOR INLAND 
              WATERWAYS.

    Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall submit a report to the 
Congress on the feasibility of establishing a differential global 
positioning satellite navigation system for the inland waterways of the 
United States.

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