[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 103 (Tuesday, July 28, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9139-S9140]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DODD:
  S. 2367. 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 Amici; to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.


         certificate of documentation for the vessel ``amici''

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, today I introduce legislation to waive the 
1920 Merchant Marine Act, commonly known as the Jones Act, to allow 
Coastal Cruisers, LLC to operate the 1983 Singapore-built vessel Amici.
  Coastal Cruisers, LLC is a family-owned business in Branford, 
Connecticut that wishes to offer charters of Long Island Sound, Block 
Island Sound, and the Thimble Islands, among other destinations in the 
United States. The Amici is equipped to carry only up to six people 
and, therefore, does not pose any threat to larger U.S. shipping 
interests.
  Prior to the Amici's purchase, the owners secured counsel to purchase 
the vessel and to establish the corporation Coastal Cruisers, LLC. They 
were aware that the vessel was foreign-built, although they had no 
knowledge of the Jones Act's restrictions on foreign-built vessels 
sailing between U.S. ports. Much to the owners' dismay, they were 
informed by the Coast Guard that their services would be in violation 
of the Jones Act only after they had applied for a vessel 
documentation.
  Coastal Cruisers, LLC clearly presented its intentions to use the 
boat for cruising purposes to several parties involved in its 
acquisition, including the insurance company from which it was 
purchased and the seller, who himself is a captain with an unrestricted 
operating license. These parties failed to inform Coastal Cruisers, LLC 
about the Jones Act and the restrictions it would face in its endeavor. 
Coastal Cruisers, LLC never willfully intended to violate the Jones 
Act, a law about which it possessed no knowledge. Based upon these 
facts, Mr. President, I believe a waiver should be granted.
  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. 2367

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

     SECTION 1. CERTIFICATE OF DOCUMENTATION.

       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 sections 
     12106 and 12108 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 for the vessel AMICI, United States 
     official number 658055.

                         ADDITIONAL COSPONSORS


                                 S. 375

  At the request of Mr. McCain, the name of the Senator from South 
Carolina (Mr. Thurmond) was added as a cosponsor of S. 375, a bill to 
amend title II of the Social Security Act to restore the link between 
the maximum amount of earnings by blind individuals permitted without 
demonstrating ability to engage in substantial gainful activity and the 
exempt amount permitted in determining excess earnings under the 
earnings test.


                                S. 1822

  At the request of Mr. Hutchinson, his name was added as a cosponsor 
of S. 1822, a bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize 
provision of care to veterans treated with nasopharyngeal radium 
irradiation.


                                S. 1924

  At the request of Mr. Mack, the name of the Senator from Florida (Mr. 
Graham) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1924, a bill to restore the 
standards used for determining whether technical workers are not 
employees as in effect before the Tax Reform Act of 1986.


                                S. 1993

  At the request of Ms. Collins, the name of the Senator from Colorado 
(Mr. Allard) was added as a cosponsor of S. 1993, a bill to amend title 
XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust the formula used to 
determine costs limits for home health agencies under medicare program, 
and for other purposes.


                                S. 1994

  At the request of Mr. McCain, his name was added as a cosponsor of S. 
1994, a bill to assist States in providing individuals a credit against 
State income taxes or a comparable benefit for contributions to 
charitable organizations working to prevent or reduce poverty and to 
protect and encourage donations to charitable organizations.


                                S. 1995

  At the request of Mr. McCain, his name was added as a cosponsor of S. 
1995, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow the 
designation of renewal communities, and for other purposes.


                                S. 1996

  At the request of Mr. McCain, his name was added as a cosponsor of S. 
1996, a bill to provide flexibility to certain local educational 
agencies that develop voluntary public and private parental choice 
programs under title VI of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
of 1965.


                                S. 2035

  At the request of Mr. Baucus, the name of the Senator from Colorado 
(Mr. Allard) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2035, a bill to amend title 
39, United States Code, to establish guidelines for the relocation, 
closing, or consolidation of post offices, and for other purposes.
  At the request of Mr. Leahy, his name was added as a cosponsor of S. 
2035, supra.


                                S. 2078

  At the request of Mr. Grassley, the name of the Senator from Texas 
(Mr. Gramm) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2078, a bill to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for Farm and Ranch Risk 
Management Accounts, and for other purposes.


                                S. 2154

  At the request of Mrs. Boxer, the name of the Senator from South 
Carolina (Mr. Hollings) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2154, a bill to 
promote research to identify and evaluate the health effects of 
silicone breast implants, and to ensure that women and their doctors 
receive accurate information about such implants.


                                S. 2209

  At the request of Mrs. Murray, the name of the Senator from 
California (Mrs. Feinstein) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2209, a bill 
to reduce class size in the early grades and to provide for teacher 
quality improvement.


                                S. 2217

  At the request of Mr. Frist, the name of the Senator from Michigan

[[Page S9140]]

(Mr. Abraham) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2217, a bill to provide 
for continuation of the Federal research investment in a fiscally 
sustainable way, and for other purposes.


                                S. 2256

  At the request of Mr. Kerry, the name of the Senator from Hawaii (Mr. 
Inouye) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2256, a bill to provide an 
authorized strength for commissioned officers of the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration Corps, and for other purposes.


                                S. 2259

  At the request of Mr. Murkowski, the name of the Senator from North 
Carolina (Mr. Faircloth) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2259, A bill to 
amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make certain changes 
related to payments for graduate medical education under the medicare 
program.


                                S. 2296

  At the request of Mr. Mack, the name of the Senator from Florida (Mr. 
Graham) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2296, a bill to amend the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the limitation on the amount of 
receipts attributable to military property which may be treated as 
exempt foreign trade income.


                                S. 2330

  At the request of Mr. Nickles, the name of the Senator from Colorado 
(Mr. Campbell) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2330, a bill to improve 
the access and choice of patients to quality, affordable health care.


                                S. 2337

  At the request of Mr. Smith, the name of the Senator from Colorado 
(Mr. Allard) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2337, a bill to establish a 
system of registries of temporary agricultural workers to provide for a 
sufficient supply of such workers and to amend the Immigration and 
Nationality Act to streamline procedures for the admission and 
extension of stay of nonimmigrant agricultural workers, and for other 
purposes.


                                S. 2352

  At the request of Mr. Leahy, the name of the Senator from Michigan 
(Mr. Abraham) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2352, a bill to protect 
the privacy rights of patients.


                                S. 2354

  At the request of Mr. Bond, the name of the Senator from South 
Carolina (Mr. Thurmond) was added as a cosponsor of S. 2354, a bill to 
amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to impose a moratorium on 
the implementation of the per beneficiary limits under the interim 
payment system for home health agencies, and to modify the standards 
for calculating the per visit cost limits and the rates for prospective 
payment systems under the medicare home health benefit to achieve fair 
reimbursement payment rates, and for other purposes.


                                S. 2358

  At the request of Mr. Rockefeller, the names of the Senator from 
Wisconsin (Mr. Feingold), the Senator from Minnesota (Mr. Wellstone), 
the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin), the Senator from Delaware (Mr. 
Biden), and the Senator from California (Mrs. Boxer) were added as 
cosponsors of S. 2358, a bill to provide for the establishment of a 
service-connection for illnesses associated with service in the Persian 
Gulf War, to extend and enhance certain health care authorities 
relating to such service, and for other purposes.


                    Senate Concurrent Resolution 109

  At the request of Mr. Coverdell, the name of the Senator from South 
Carolina (Mr. Thurmond) was added as a cosponsor of Senate Concurrent 
Resolution 109, a concurrent resolution expressing the sense of the 
Congress that executive departments and agencies must maintain the 
division of governmental responsibilities between the national 
government and the States that was intended by the framers of the 
Constitution, and must ensure that the principles of federalism 
established by the framers guide the executive departments and agencies 
in the formulation and implementation of policies.


                         Senate Resolution 210

  At the request of Mr. Warner, the name of the Senator from Nevada 
(Mr. Bryan) was added as a cosponsor of Senate Resolution 210, a 
resolution designating the week of June 22, 1998 through June 28, 1998 
as ``National Mosquito Control Awareness Week''.


                           Amendment No. 3249

  At the request of Mr. Hutchinson the names of the Senator from 
Michigan (Mr. Abraham), the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Brownback), the 
Senator from Arizona (Mr. McCain), the Senator from Oklahoma (Mr. 
Inhofe), the Senator from Minnesota (Mr. Grams), the Senator from New 
Hampshire (Mr. Smith), the Senator from North Carolina (Mr. Helms), the 
Senator from Alaska (Mr. Murkowski), the Senator from Indiana (Mr. 
Coats), the Senator from Alabama (Mr. Sessions), the Senator from 
Georgia (Mr. Coverdell), and the Senator from Maine (Ms. Collins) were 
added as cosponsors of Amendment No. 3249 proposed to S. 2312, an 
original bill making appropriations for the Treasury Department, the 
United States Postal Service, the Executive Office of the President, 
and certain Independent Agencies, for the fiscal year ending September 
30, 1999, and for other purposes.

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