[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 155 (Friday, October 23, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2624-E2625]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 COAST GUARD AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2010

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. JAMES A. HIMES

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 22, 2009

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration of the bill (H.R. 3619) to 
     authorize appropriations for the Coast Guard for fiscal year 
     2010, and for other purposes.


[[Page E2625]]


  Mr. HIMES. Madam Chair, I rise today in favor of the Cruise Vessel 
Security and Safety Act which has been included in the base bill of the 
Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2009.
  It is expected that more than 12 million Americans will take a cruise 
vacation in 2009 alone. Passengers on cruises have an inadequate 
understanding of their potential vulnerability to crime, and those who 
may be victimized lack the information they need to understand their 
legal rights or to know who to contact for help in the immediate 
aftermath of a crime.
  Cruise ships, which operate under foreign flags of convenience, are 
not required under U.S. law to report crimes that occur outside of U.S. 
territorial waters.
  Travelers on water deserve the same protections as travelers on land, 
and taking a few extra measures to protect passengers will lead to more 
enjoyable, safer trips and better results for victims of crimes.
  To enhance the safety of cruise passengers, the owners of cruise 
vessels need to upgrade, modernize, and retrofit the safety and 
security infrastructure on their vessels. They need to install peep 
holes in passenger doors, raise standard ship railings, install 
security video cameras and limit access to passenger rooms.
  In addition, passenger vessel crew members must be trained on the 
appropriate methods for prevention, detection, evidence preservation, 
and reporting of criminal activities. In the event that a crime should 
occur, it is of utmost importance that the crime scene or any potential 
evidence is not tampered with before the FBI can begin its 
investigation.
  I would be remiss if I did not take a moment to mention my 
predecessor, the Honorable Christopher Shays, and the fight he began to 
improve safety on cruise ships and protect cruise ship passengers years 
ago. Congressman Shays took on this charge after one of our 
constituents, George Smith, was the victim of a crime in international 
waters while on his honeymoon in 2005. The investigation surrounding 
Mr. Smith's disappearance remains open to this day. Had the safety 
improvements and post-incident regulations mandated by the Cruise 
Vessel Security and Safety Act been in place in 2005, this horrible 
tragedy might have been prevented. I proudly stand alongside the Smith 
family and the Cruise Victims Association as they continue their fight 
for justice every day. Together, we work to honor Mr. Smith's death so 
no family will ever have to suffer again from this type of tragic 
crime.

                          ____________________