[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3731 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3731

  To permit under certain conditions the transportation of passengers 
between ports in the State of Alaska, or between a port in the State of 
Alaska and a port in the State of Washington, on vessels not qualified 
    to engage in the coastwise trade that transport more than 1,000 
                  passengers, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 1, 2024

 Ms. Murkowski introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To permit under certain conditions the transportation of passengers 
between ports in the State of Alaska, or between a port in the State of 
Alaska and a port in the State of Washington, on vessels not qualified 
    to engage in the coastwise trade that transport more than 1,000 
                  passengers, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Cruising for Alaska's Workforce 
Act''.

SEC. 2. LARGE CRUISE SHIPS TRANSPORTING PASSENGERS BETWEEN PORTS IN 
              ALASKA OR BETWEEN A PORT IN ALASKA AND A PORT IN 
              WASHINGTON.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 551 of title 46, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 55124. Large cruise ships transporting passengers between ports 
              in Alaska or between a port in Alaska and a port in 
              Washington
    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Certificate.--The term `certificate' means a 
        certificate of financial responsibility for indemnification of 
        passengers for nonperformance of transportation issued by the 
        Federal Maritime Commission under section 44102 of this title.
            ``(2) Covered passenger vessel.--The term `covered 
        passenger vessel' means a vessel to which sections 3507 and 
        3508 of this title apply, as described in section 3507(k) of 
        this title, that is transporting more than 1,000 passengers.
            ``(3) Covered route.--The term `covered route', with 
        respect to the transportation of passengers, means a route 
        transporting passengers directly between--
                    ``(A) a port in the State of Alaska and another 
                port in the State of Alaska; or
                    ``(B) a port in the State of Alaska and a port in 
                the State of Washington.
    ``(b) Exemption From Requirements for Transportation of 
Passengers.--Notwithstanding section 55103 and except as otherwise 
provided in this section, a covered passenger vessel that is not 
qualified to engage in the coastwise trade may transport passengers on 
a covered route.
    ``(c) Expiration of Exemption.--On a showing to the Secretary of 
the department in which the Coast Guard is operating made after the 
date of enactment of this section by the owner or charterer of a 
covered passenger vessel that such vessel is qualified to engage in the 
coastwise trade and is offering or advertising passenger service 
between a port in one State and a port in another State, or between 2 
ports in the same State, without regard to whether such service is on a 
covered route, pursuant to a certificate, the Secretary shall notify 
the owner or operator of each covered passenger vessel transporting 
passengers under subsection (b) on any covered route to terminate that 
transportation within 270 days after the Secretary's notification. 
Except as provided in subsection (d), the authority to transport 
passengers under subsection (b) on any covered route shall expire at 
the end of that 270-day period.
    ``(d) Delaying Expiration.--If the covered passenger vessel 
described in subsection (c) that is qualified to engage in the 
coastwise trade has not begun the service described in such subsection 
within 270 days after the Secretary's notification, the expiration 
provided by subsection (c) is delayed until 90 days after such vessel 
begins that service.
    ``(e) Reinstatement of Exemption.--If the Secretary finds that the 
covered passenger vessel described in subsection (c) that is qualified 
to engage in the coastwise trade is no longer available for the service 
described in such subsection or any passenger service between a port in 
one State and a port in another State, or between 2 ports in the same 
State, the authority to transport passengers on any covered route under 
subsection (b) shall be reinstated.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 551 of title 
46, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

``55124. Large cruise ships transporting passengers between ports in 
                            Alaska or between a port in Alaska and a 
                            port in Washington.''.
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