I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8471 

To establish a Federal Maritime Task Force and a private sector advisory 

committee to address the health, safety, security, and logistical issues 

relating to the continuation of maritime travel and the resumption of 

cruise operations in United States waters during the COVID–19 public 

health emergency. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 1, 2020 

Miss GONZA ́LEZ-COLO ́N of Puerto Rico (for herself, Ms. SHALALA, Mr. 

YOUNG, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL, and Mr. RUTHERFORD) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To establish a Federal Maritime Task Force and a private 

sector advisory committee to address the health, safety, 

security, and logistical issues relating to the continuation 

of maritime travel and the resumption of cruise operations in United States waters during the COVID–19 

public health emergency. 

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 ‘‘Set Sail Safely Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. MARITIME TASK FORCE. 

2 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Upon enactment of the Set 

3 Sail Safely Act, there is established a Maritime Task 

4 Force to address the health and safety of passengers, 

5 crew, and associated workers, logistical issues relating to 

6 the continuation of maritime travel, and the resumption 

7 of cruise operations, including navigation safety, in United 

8 States waters during the COVID–19 public health emer9 gency. 

10 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Maritime Task Force shall 

11 consist of the following members, or their designees: 

12 (1) The Secretary of the department in which 

13 the Coast Guard is operating, who shall serve as the 

14 chair of the Task Force. 

15 (2) The Secretary of Homeland Security, dur16 ing any period in which the Coast Guard is oper17 ating as a service in the Navy. 

18 (3) The Secretary of Commerce. 

19 (4) The Secretary of Transportation. 

20 (5) The Secretary of Health and Human Serv21 ices. 

22 (6) The Director of the Centers for Disease 

23 Control and Prevention. 

24 (7) The Secretary of State. 

25 (8) The Administrator of the Environmental 

26 Protection Agency. 


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1 (9) The Chairman of the Federal Maritime 

2 Commission. 

3 (10) The Chair of the National Economic 

4 Council of the United States. 

5 (c) DUTIES.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Maritime Task Force 

7 shall meet in-person or virtually during the duration 

8 of the COVID–19 public health emergency to de9 velop a plan containing information about the re10 quirements and protocols that each Federal agency 

11 represented on the Maritime Task Force will imple12 ment to address the health, safety, security, and 

13 logistical issues relating to the continuation of mari14 time travel in United States waters during the 

15 COVID–19 public health emergency, and with re16 spect to the resumption of cruise operations and in17 creased passenger maritime travel after the COVID– 

18 19 public health emergency ends. 

19 (2) PRIVATE SECTOR ADVISORY COMMITTEE

20 RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not more than— 

21 (A) 10 days after receiving the written rec22 ommendations from the private sector advisory 

23 committee under section 3(c), the Chair of the 

24 Maritime Task Force shall call an in-person or 


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1 virtual meeting between the private sector advi2 sory committee and the Maritime Task Force; 

3 (B) 10 days after the meeting under sub4 paragraph (A), the Chair of the Maritime Task 

5 Force shall publish the plan required under 

6 paragraph (1) in the Federal Register; and 

7 (C) 30 days after publication of such plan 

8 in the Federal Register, each Federal agency 

9 represented on the Maritime Task Force shall 

10 begin implementing the plan developed under 

11 paragraph (1), including taking necessary ad12 ministrative actions to implement the require13 ments and protocols of the plan. 

14 (d) COVID–19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY.—The 

15 term ‘‘COVID–19 public health emergency’’ means the 

16 public health emergency related to the coronavirus that 

17 has been declared by the Secretary of Health and Human 

18 Services pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health 

19 Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d). 

20 SEC. 3. PRIVATE SECTOR ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 

21 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 7 days after the 

22 date of enactment of this Act, the Chair of the Maritime 

23 Task Force shall nominate representatives to a private 

24 sector advisory committee to work in consultation with the 

25 Maritime Task Force. 


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1 (b) COMPOSITION.—The private sector advisory com2 mittee shall consist of the following members: 

3 (1) Two representatives from the passenger 

4 cruise line industry. 

5 (2) One representative from the harbor pilots 

6 industry. 

7 (3) Two representatives from longshoremen 

8 unions. 

9 (4) One representative from the travel agent in10 dustry. 

11 (5) One representative from a port council. 

12 (6) One representative from vessel and cargo 

13 operations. 

14 (7) One representative from a small business 

15 whose primary income is derived from working with 

16 a port or cruise company. 

17 (8) One representative who is a nongovern18 mental medical health professional with expertise in 

19 infectious diseases. 

20 (c) DUTIES.—Not later than 15 days after the ap21 pointment of all members of the private sector advisory 

22 committee, the private sector advisory committee shall 

23 submit written recommendations to the Maritime Task 

24 Force established under section 2 on policies and proce25 dures to be adopted for the safe resumption of the cruise 


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1 line industry during and after the COVID–19 public 

2 health emergency, including providing recommendations 

3 about— 

4 (1) best scientific practices; 

5 (2) measures adopted in other travel industries 

6 that may be adapted for the cruise line industry; 

7 and 

8 (3) general matters affecting the safe and rea9 sonable resumption of cruise line activity. 

10 (d) ADMINISTRATION.— 

11 (1) EMPLOYEE STATUS.—A member of the pri12 vate sector advisory committee shall not be consid13 ered an employee of the Federal Government by rea14 son of service on such committee, except for the pur15 poses of the following: 

16 (A) Chapter 81 of title 5, United States 

17 Code. 

18 (B) Chapter 171 of title 28, United States 

19 Code, and an other Federal law relating to tort 

20 liability. 

21 (2) ACCEPTANCE OF VOLUNTEER SERVICES.— 

22 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a mem23 ber of the private sector advisory committee shall 

24 serve on such committee on a voluntary basis with25 out pay. 


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1 (3) STATUS OF MEMBERS.—With respect to a 

2 member of the committee whom the Chair of the 

3 Maritime Task Force appoints to represent an entity 

4 or group— 

5 (A) the member is authorized to represent 

6 the interests of the applicable entity or group; 

7 and 

8 (B) requirements under Federal law that 

9 would interfere with such representation and 

10 that apply to a special Government employee 

11 (as defined in section 202(a) of title 18, United 

12 States Code), including requirements relating to 

13 employee conduct, political activities, ethics, 

14 conflicts of interest, and corruption, do not 

15 apply to the member. 

16 (4) SERVICE ON COMMITTEE.— 

17 (A) PROHIBITION.—The Chair of the Mar18 itime Task Force shall not seek, consider, or 

19 otherwise use information concerning the polit20 ical affiliation of an appointee in making an ap21 pointment to the committee. 

22 (B) SERVICE AT PLEASURE OF THE

23 CHAIR.—Each member of the committee shall 

24 serve at the pleasure of the Chair of the Mari25 time Task Force. 


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1 (5) SECURITY BACKGROUND EXAMINATIONS.— 

2 The Chair of the Maritime Task Force may require 

3 an individual to have passed an appropriate security 

4 background examination before appointment to the 

5 committee. 

6 (6) PROHIBITION.—A Federal employee may 

7 not be appointed as a member of the committee. 

8 (7) STAFF SERVICES.—The Chair of the Mari9 time Task Force shall furnish to the committee any 

10 staff and services considered by the Chair of the 

11 Maritime Task Force to be necessary for the con12 duct of the committee’s functions and may accept 

13 staff and services from the members of the Maritime 

14 Task Force. 

15 (8) TERMINATION.—The committee shall termi16 nate upon conclusion of the COVID–19 public health 

17 emergency, as defined in section 2(d). 

Æ 


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