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103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 3282

To amend title 46, United States Code, to improve towing vessel navigational

safety.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

OCTOBER 14, 1993

Mr. TAUZIN (for himself, Mr. STUDDS, Mr. FIELDS of Texas, and Mr. COBLE)

introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on

Merchant Marine and Fisheries

A BILL

To amend title 46, United States Code, to improve towing

vessel navigational safety.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Towing Vessel Naviga5 tional Safety Act of 1993’’.

6 SEC. 2. MINIMUM NAVIGATIONAL SAFETY EQUIPMENT FOR

7 TOWING VESSELS.

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 4102 of title 46, United

9 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the

10 following:
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1 ‘‘(f) Each towing vessel to which this chapter applies

2 shall be equipped with navigational publications and

3 equipment as prescribed by the Secretary, including—

4 ‘‘(1) marine charts of the area being transited;

5 ‘‘(2) navigational publications for the area

6 being transited;

7 ‘‘(3) compasses;

8 ‘‘(4) radar; and

9 ‘‘(5) a fathometer.’’.

10 (b) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary of Transportation

11 shall issue regulations by not later than 6 months after

12 the date of the enactment of this Act, prescribing naviga13 tional publication and equipment requirements under sub14 section (f) of section 4102 of title 46, United States Code,

15 as added by subsection (a) of this section.

16 SEC. 3. DEMONSTRATION OF PROFICIENCY IN USE OF

17 NAVIGATIONAL SAFETY EQUIPMENT RE18 QUIRED.

19 Section 7101 of title 46, United States Code, is

20 amended by adding at the end the following:

21 ‘‘(j) The Secretary shall require an individual who ap22 plies for issuance or renewal of a towing vessel operators

23 license to demonstrate proficiency in the use of naviga24 tional safety equipment.’’.
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1 SEC. 4. REPORTING MARINE CASUALTIES.

2 (a) EXPEDITED REPORTING REQUIRED.—Section

3 6101(b) of title 46, United States Code, is amended by

4 striking ‘‘within 5 days’’ and inserting ‘‘by as soon as

5 practicable, but in no case later than within 5 days,’’.

6 (b) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 90 days after the

7 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall pre8 scribe regulations implementing the amendment made by

9 subsection (a).

10 SEC. 5. REPORT ON ADEQUACY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF

11 MANNING AND LICENSING REQUIREMENTS

12 FOR OPERATION OF TOWING VESSELS.

13 Not later than 6 months after the date of the enact14 ment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall

15 submit a report to the Congress on the adequacy and ef16 fectiveness of manning and licensing requirements for op17 eration of towing vessels.

18 SEC. 6. REPORT ON FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A DIF19 FERENTIAL GLOBAL POSITIONING SAT20 ELLITE NAVIGATION SYSTEM FOR INLAND

21 WATERWAYS.

22 Not later than 6 months after the date of the enact23 ment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall

24 submit a report to the Congress on the feasibility of estab25 lishing a differential global positioning satellite navigation

26 system for the inland waterways of the United States.
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