[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3099 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3099

   To require a site operator of an international travel Web site to 
    provide information on its Web site to consumers regarding the 
  potential health and safety risks associated with overseas vacation 
                 destinations marketed on its Web site.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 26, 2009

 Mr. Markey of Massachusetts introduced the following bill; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To require a site operator of an international travel Web site to 
    provide information on its Web site to consumers regarding the 
  potential health and safety risks associated with overseas vacation 
                 destinations marketed on its Web site.

    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 ``International Travelers Bill of 
Rights Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Site operator.--The term ``site operator'' means an 
        individual or entity that operates a Web site that provides 
        access to international travel services. Such term includes an 
        overseas vacation destination or a third party that operates a 
        Web site that offers international travel services.
            (2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal 
        Trade Commission.
            (3) International travel services.--The term 
        ``international travel services'' means a service that a 
        consumer can use to reserve lodging at an overseas vacation 
        destination.
            (4) Overseas vacation destination.--The term ``overseas 
        vacation destination'' means a resort, hotel, retreat, hostel, 
        or any other similar lodging outside the United States.
            (5) United states.--The term ``United States'' means each 
        of the several States, the District of Columbia, the 
        Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American 
        Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

SEC. 3. PROVIDING INFORMATION REGARDING THE POTENTIAL HEALTH AND SAFETY 
              RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH OVERSEAS VACATION DESTINATIONS.

    (a) In General.--A site operator, in a manner in compliance with 
regulations issued by the Commission and with the requirements of this 
Act, shall provide information on its Web site to consumers in a clear 
and conspicuous manner regarding the potential health and safety risks 
associated with overseas vacation destinations marketed on its Web 
site, if any, including the following:
            (1) Information compiled by the Department of State, 
        including Department of State country-specific travel warnings 
        and alerts.
            (2) Information regarding the onsite health and safety 
        services that are available to consumers at each overseas 
        vacation destination, including whether the destination--
                    (A) employs or contracts with a physician or nurse 
                on the premises to provide medical treatment for 
                guests;
                    (B) employs or contracts with personnel, other than 
                a physician, nurse, or lifeguard, on the premises who 
                are trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation;
                    (C) has an automated external defibrillator and 
                employs or contracts with 1 or more individuals on the 
                premises trained in its use; and
                    (D) employs or contracts with 1 or more lifeguards 
                on the premises trained in cardiopulmonary 
                resuscitation, if the overseas vacation destination has 
                swimming pools or other water-based activities on its 
                premises, or in areas under its control for use by 
                guests.
    (b) Services Not Available 24 Hours a Day.--If the onsite health 
and safety services at an overseas vacation destination are not 
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the site operator shall 
display the hours and days of availability on its Web site in a clear 
and conspicuous manner.
    (c) Information Not Available.--If the onsite health and safety 
services described in subsection (a)(2) are not available at an 
overseas vacation destination, or if the site operator does not possess 
information on the onsite health and safety services required to be 
displayed on its Web site, the site operator shall display in a clear 
and conspicuous manner the following: ``This destination does not 
provide certain health and safety services, or information regarding 
such services is not available. Travel to this destination may pose an 
increased risk to your health or safety.''.

SEC. 4. CONSUMER COMPLAINTS.

    (a) Suspension.--A site operator shall establish a process under 
which an overseas vacation destination will be suspended from its Web 
site as a result of complaints from consumers to the site operator 
regarding poor medical care, unsafe or unsanitary facilities, or other 
health-related issues with respect to such destination.
    (b) Public Availability.--A site operator shall make all complaints 
submitted by consumers publicly available on its Web site and may 
modify the contents of such complaints at the request of the 
complainant or may remove offensive language and personal 
identification information.

SEC. 5. ENFORCEMENT.

    (a) In General.--A violation of any provision of this Act shall be 
treated as a violation of a rule defining an unfair or deceptive act or 
practice prescribed under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade 
Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)). The Commission shall enforce 
this Act in the same manner, by the same means, and with the same 
jurisdiction as though all applicable terms and provisions of the 
Federal Trade Commission Act were incorporated into and made a part of 
this Act.
    (b) Deadline for Issuance of Regulations.--The Commission shall 
issue regulations to carry out this Act not later than 6 months after 
the date of the enactment of this Act.
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