[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 149 (Thursday, October 30, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11462-S11463]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DODD (for himself and Mr. Lieberman):
  S. 1349. A bill to authorize the Secretary of Transportation to issue 
a certificate of documentation with appropriate endorsement for 
employment in the coastwise trade for the vessel Prince Nova, and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation.


               THE CROSS SOUND FERRY SERVICE ACT OF 1997

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce with Senator 
Lieberman legislation to waive the 1920 Merchant Marine Act, commonly 
known as the Jones Act, to allow Cross Sound Ferry Services, Inc., to 
purchase, rebuild, and operate the 1964 Canadian-built vessel Prince 
Nova. Faced with an increased demand for its services and a shortage of 
suitable U.S.-built ferries, Cross Sound cannot purchase a domestically 
built vessel.
  Cross Sound Ferry Services, a family owned, nonsubsidized operation, 
provides auto, truck, and high speed passenger service between Orient 
Point, NY, and New London, CT. According to the proposed waiver, Cross 
Sound will purchase the Prince Nova, and spend more than three times 
the purchase price, no less than $4.2 million, on the conversion, 
restoration, repair, rebuilding, or retrofitting of the ferry in a 
shipyard located in New London.
  Cross Sound Ferry Service, a vital link between New England and 
eastern Long Island, provides an alternative mode of transportation 
that saves trucks and autos up to 200 miles in each direction, and 
reduces traffic, congestion, and wear on major roadways. From an 
environmental standpoint, ferry service reduces fuel consumption and 
pollution. Currently, the I-95 corridor throughout the Northeast is 
under a tremendous traffic burden. If the waiver is granted, it is 
expected that the new and expanded service the Prince Nova will provide 
will save 6 million miles and 360,000 travel hours.
  Cross Sound's commitment to service the Prince Nova in a United 
States shipyard will create high-skilled, high-wage jobs. Additionally, 
this waiver will undoubtably better facilitate commerce and encourage 
economic development in the region by allowing consumers easier access 
to goods and services. Furthermore, it will provide businesses with an 
additional mode to transport their products.
  An identical waiver was passed last week in the House of 
Representatives as part of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1997. 
It is our hope that it will receive the same favorable consideration in 
the Senate.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1349

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

     SECTION 1. DOCUMENTATION OF THE VESSEL PRINCE NOVA.

       (a) Documentation Authorized.--Notwithstanding section 27 
     of the Merchant Marine Act, 1920 (46 U.S.C. App. 883), 
     section 8 of the Act of June 19, 1886 (24 Stat. 81, chapter 
     421; 46 U.S.C. App. 289), and section 12106 of title 46, 
     United States Code, the Secretary of Transportation may issue 
     a certificate of documentation with appropriate endorsement 
     for employment in the coastwise trade

[[Page S11463]]

     for the vessel PRINCE NOVA (Canadian registration number 
     320804).
       (b) Expiration of Certificate.--A certificate of 
     documentation issued for the vessel under subsection (a) 
     shall expire unless--
       (1) the vessel undergoes conversion, reconstruction, 
     repair, rebuilding, or retrofitting in a shipyard located in 
     the United States;
       (2) the cost of that conversion, reconstruction, repair, 
     rebuilding, or retrofitting is not less than the greater of--
       (A) 3 times the purchase value of the vessel before the 
     conversion, reconstruction, repair, rebuilding, or 
     retrofitting; or
       (B) $4,200,000; and
       (3) not less than an average of $1,000,000 is spent 
     annually in a shipyard located in the United States for 
     conversion, reconstruction, repair, rebuilding, or 
     retrofitting of the vessel until the total amount of the cost 
     required under paragraph (2) is spent.
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