I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3241 

To require operators of Internet websites that provide access to international 

travel services and market overseas vacation destinations to provide on 

such websites information to consumers regarding the potential health 

and safety risks associated with traveling to such vacation destinations, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 24, 2011 

Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois (for himself and Mr. LIPINSKI) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period 

to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 

concerned 

A BILL 

To require operators of Internet websites that provide access 

to international travel services and market overseas vacation destinations to provide on such websites information 

to consumers regarding the potential health and safety 

risks associated with traveling to such vacation destinations, 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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘International Travelers 

3 Bill of Rights Act of 2011’’. 

4 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

5 In this Act: 

6 (1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 

7 means the Federal Trade Commission. 

8 (2) COVERED WEBSITE OPERATOR.—The term 

9 ‘‘covered website operator’’ means an individual or 

10 entity that operates an Internet website that pro11 vides access to international travel services. Such 

12 term includes an overseas vacation destination or a 

13 third party that operates an Internet website that 

14 offers international travel services. 

15 (3) INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL SERVICES.—The 

16 term ‘‘international travel services’’ means a service 

17 that a consumer can use to reserve lodging at an 

18 overseas vacation destination. 

19 (4) OVERSEAS VACATION DESTINATION.—The 

20 term ‘‘overseas vacation destination’’ means a resort, 

21 hotel, retreat, hostel, or any other similar lodging lo22 cated outside the United States. 

23 (5) UNITED STATES.—The term ‘‘United 

24 States’’ means each of the several States, the Dis25 trict of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 

26 Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, 


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1 and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Is2 lands. 

3 SEC. 3. PROVIDING INFORMATION REGARDING THE POTEN4 TIAL HEALTH AND SAFETY RISKS ASSOCI5 ATED WITH OVERSEAS VACATION DESTINA6 TIONS. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—A covered website operator shall 

8 provide to consumers information on the Internet website 

9 of the covered website operator, in a manner the website 

10 operator considers appropriate, regarding the potential 

11 health and safety risks associated with overseas vacation 

12 destinations marketed on such website, if any, including 

13 the following: 

14 (1) Information compiled by the Department of 

15 State, including Department of State country-spe16 cific travel warnings and alerts. 

17 (2) Information regarding the onsite health and 

18 safety services that are available to consumers at 

19 each overseas vacation destination, including wheth20 er the destination— 

21 (A) employs or contracts with a physician 

22 or nurse on the premises to provide medical 

23 treatment for guests; 

24 (B) employs or contracts with personnel, 

25 other than a physician, nurse, or lifeguard, on 


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1 the premises who are trained in cardiopulmo2 nary resuscitation; 

3 (C) has an automated external defibrillator 

4 and employs or contracts with 1 or more indi5 viduals on the premises trained in its use; and 

6 (D) employs or contracts with 1 or more 

7 lifeguards on the premises trained in cardiopul8 monary resuscitation, if the overseas vacation 

9 destination has swimming pools or other water10 based activities on its premises, or in areas 

11 under its control for use by guests. 

12 (b) SERVICES NOT AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY.— 

13 If the onsite health and safety services described in sub14 section (a)(2) are not available 24 hours a day, 7 days 

15 a week, a covered website operator who provides informa16 tion about such services under subsection (a) shall display 

17 the hours and days of availability on its Internet website 

18 in a manner the covered website operator considers appro19 priate. 

20 (c) MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR OBTAINING INFOR21 MATION.—If a covered website operator does not possess, 

22 with respect to an overseas vacation destination, informa23 tion about the onsite health and safety services required 

24 to be displayed on its Internet website under subsection 


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1 (a), the covered website operator shall, at a minimum, re2 quest such information from such destination. 

3 (d) INFORMATION NOT AVAILABLE.—If onsite health 

4 and safety services described in subsection (a)(2) are not 

5 available at an overseas vacation destination, or if a cov6 ered website operator does not possess information about 

7 the onsite health and safety services required to be dis8 played on its Internet website under subsection (a), the 

9 covered website operator shall display on the Internet 

10 website of the website operator, in a manner the website 

11 operator considers appropriate, the following: ‘‘This des12 tination does not provide certain health and safety serv13 ices, or information regarding such services is not avail14 able.’’. 

15 (e) IMMUNITY.—A covered website provider shall not 

16 be liable in a civil action in a Federal or State court relat17 ing to inaccurate or incomplete information published 

18 under subsection (a) regarding an overseas vacation des19 tination that is not owned or operated by the covered 

20 website provider if— 

21 (1) such information was provided by the over22 seas vacation destination; and 

23 (2) the covered website provider published such 

24 information without knowledge that such informaVerDate Mar 15 2010 00:28 Oct 25, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3241.IH H3241

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1 tion was inaccurate or incomplete, as the case may 

2 be. 

3 SEC. 4. ENFORCEMENT BY FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION. 

4 (a) UNFAIR OR DECEPTIVE ACTS OF PRACTICES.— 

5 A violation of this Act shall be treated as a violation of 

6 a rule defining an unfair or deceptive act or practice pre7 scribed under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade 

8 Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)). 

9 (b) POWERS OF COMMISSION.—The Commission 

10 shall enforce this Act in the same manner, by the same 

11 means, and with the same jurisdiction, powers, and duties 

12 as though all applicable terms and provisions of the Fed13 eral Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were 

14 incorporated into and made a part of this Act. 

15 (c) DEADLINE FOR ISSUANCE OF REGULATIONS.— 

16 The Commission shall prescribe regulations to carry out 

17 this Act not later than 1 year after the date of the enact18 ment of this Act. 

19 SEC. 5. DEPARTMENT OF STATE RECORDS OF OVERSEAS 

20 DEATHS OF UNITED STATES CITIZENS FROM 

21 NONNATURAL CAUSES. 

22 (a) INCREASED GRANULARITY OF DATA COL23 LECTED.—Subsection (a) of section 57 of the State De24 partment Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2729) 


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1 is amended by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the 

2 following: 

3 ‘‘(2) The location of where the death occurred, 

4 including the address of the location, the name of 

5 the property where the death occurred, and the state 

6 or province and municipality of such location, if 

7 available.’’. 

8 (b) INCREASED FREQUENCY OF PUBLICATION.— 

9 Subsection (c) of such section is amended by striking ‘‘at 

10 least every six months’’ and inserting ‘‘not less frequently 

11 than once each month’’. 

12 (c) MONTHLY REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—Such sec13 tion is amended by adding at the end the following: 

14 ‘‘(d) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—Each time the Sec15 retary updates the information made available under sub16 section (c), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a re17 port containing such information.’’. 

Æ 


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