I 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6831 

To require the Commandant of the Coast Guard to issue regulations for 

amphibious passenger vessels operating in waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 25, 2022 

Mr. CARSON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To require the Commandant of the Coast Guard to issue 

regulations for amphibious passenger vessels operating 

in waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, 

and for other purposes. 

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

3 SECTION 1. REQUIREMENTS FOR AMPHIBIOUS PASSENGER 

4 VESSELS. 

5 (a) REGULATIONS REQUIRED.—Not later than 1 year 

6 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Com7 mandant of the Coast Guard shall issue regulations for 

8 amphibious passenger vessels operating in waters subject 


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1 to the jurisdiction of the United States, as defined in sec2 tion 2.38 of title 33, Code of Federal Regulations (as in 

3 effect on the date of enactment of this Act). 

4 (b) DEADLINE FOR COMPLIANCE.—The regulations 

5 issued under subsection (a) shall take effect not later than 

6 24 months after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

7 (c) REQUIREMENTS.—The regulations required 

8 under subsection (a) shall include the following: 

9 (1) A requirement that operators of amphibious 

10 passenger vessels provide reserve buoyancy for such 

11 vessels through passive means, including watertight 

12 compartmentalization, built-in flotation, or such 

13 other means as determined appropriate by the Com14 mandant, in order to ensure that such vessels re15 main afloat and upright in the event of flooding, in16 cluding when carrying a full complement of pas17 sengers and crew. 

18 (2) A requirement that an operator of an am19 phibious passenger vessel— 

20 (A) review and notate the forecast of the 

21 National Weather Service of the National Oce22 anic and Atmospheric Administration in the 

23 logbook of the vessel before getting underway 

24 and periodically while underway; 


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1 (B) proceed to the nearest harbor or safe 

2 refuge in any case in which a watch or warning 

3 is issued for wind speeds exceeding the wind 

4 speed equivalent used to certify the stability of 

5 such amphibious passenger vessel; and 

6 (C) maintain and monitor a weather mon7 itor radio receiver at the operator station of the 

8 vessel that is capable of being automatically ac9 tivated by the warning alarm device of the Na10 tional Weather Service. 

11 (3) A requirement that— 

12 (A) operators of amphibious passenger ves13 sels inform passengers that seat belts may not 

14 be worn during waterborne operations; 

15 (B) before the commencement of water16 borne operations, a crew member shall visually 

17 check that the seatbelt of each passenger is un18 buckled; and 

19 (C) operators or crew maintain a log re20 cording the actions described in subparagraphs 

21 (A) and (B). 

22 (4) A requirement for annual training for oper23 ators and crew of amphibious passengers vessels, in24 cluding— 


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1 (A) training for personal flotation and seat 

2 belt requirements, verifying the integrity of the 

3 vessel at the onset of each waterborne depar4 ture, identification of weather hazards, and use 

5 of National Weather Service resources prior to 

6 operation; and 

7 (B) training for crew to respond to emer8 gency situations, including flooding, engine 

9 compartment fires, man-overboard situations, 

10 and in water emergency egress procedures. 

11 (d) CONSIDERATION.—In issuing the regulations re12 quired under subsection (a), the Commandant shall con13 sider whether personal flotation devices should be required 

14 for the duration of the waterborne transit of an amphib15 ious passenger vessel. 

16 (e) INTERIM REQUIREMENTS.—Beginning on the 

17 date on which the regulations under subsection (a) are 

18 issued, the Commandant shall require that operators of 

19 amphibious passenger vessels that are not in compliance 

20 with such regulations shall be subject to the following re21 quirements: 

22 (1) Remove the canopies and any window cov23 erings of such vessels for waterborne operations, or 

24 install in such vessels a canopy that does not restrict 


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1 horizontal or vertical escape by passengers in the 

2 event of flooding or sinking. 

3 (2) If a canopy and window covering are re4 moved from any such vessel pursuant to paragraph 

5 (1), require that all passengers wear a personal flo6 tation device approved by the Coast Guard before 

7 the onset of waterborne operations of such vessel. 

8 (3) Reengineer such vessels to permanently 

9 close all unnecessary access plugs and reduce all 

10 through-hull penetrations to the minimum number 

11 and size necessary for operation. 

12 (4) Install in such vessels independently pow13 ered electric bilge pumps that are capable of 

14 dewatering such vessels at the volume of the largest 

15 remaining penetration in order to supplement an op16 erable Higgins pump or a dewatering pump of equiv17 alent or greater capacity. 

18 (5) Install in such vessels not fewer than 4 

19 independently powered bilge alarms. 

20 (6) Conduct an in-water inspection of any such 

21 vessel after each time a through-hull penetration of 

22 such vessel has been removed or uncovered. 

23 (7) Verify through an in-water inspection the 

24 watertight integrity of any such vessel at the outset 

25 of each waterborne departure of such vessel. 


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1 (8) Install underwater LED lights that activate 

2 automatically in an emergency. 

3 (9) Otherwise comply with any other provisions 

4 of the circular titled ‘‘Navigation and Vessel Inspec5 tion Circular 1–01’’ in the inspection, configuration, 

6 and operation of such vessels. 

Æ 


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