Tribal Tourism Sovereignty Act

To deem certain voyages transporting passengers between ports or places within the United States in compliance with certain requirements upon calling on a port owned by an Indian Tribe, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Tribal Tourism Sovereignty Act 2. Designation of ports and port calls on Indian lands (a) Criteria For the purposes of complying with section 55103 of title 46, United States Code, voyages transporting passengers between ports or places in the United States shall be deemed in compliance with such section upon calling on a port or place owned by an Indian Tribe, if the voyage— (1) is made by a covered passenger vessel to which sections 3507 and 3508 of title 46, United States Code, apply; and (2) employs alien crewman issued nonimmigrant visas pursuant to subparagraph (C) of (D) of section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1101(a) (b) Applicability (1) In general Voyages conducted under subsection (a) shall originate in a port or place in the United States and terminate in a port or place in the United States. (2) Compliance For purposes of complying with subsection (a), a covered passenger vessel performing voyages under subsection (a) shall comply with the following: (A) Receive permission through a tribal resolution or formal agreement from the applicable Indian Tribe to dock at a port or place owned by such Indian Tribe and disembark passengers on the tribal lands of such Tribe. (B) The agreement— (i) shall grant such covered passenger vessels access to such port; and (ii) may provide authority to disembark passengers and crew on such lands and describe permissible activities for such passengers and crew. (C) Such covered passenger vessels, crews, and passengers shall comply with all applicable Tribal laws and regulations, including health and safety laws and regulations for the duration of such vessels, crews, and passenger’s time on Tribal land. (c) Tribal powers and privileges For voyages and port calls described in subsections (a) and (b), Tribes— (1) shall have the sole authority to make or terminate agreements described in subsection (b) at any time; (2) shall have the authority to levy and collect fees from port calls made by covered passenger vessels performed under subsection (a); and (3) shall receive the right of first refusal to provide contracts and services to covered passenger vessels described in subsection (a) for the duration of the port call. (d) Rule of Construction For purposes of complying with subsection (a), ports owned by Indian Tribes located on land adjacent to navigable coastal waters shall be considered a foreign port for purposes of section 55103 of title 46, United States Code. (e) Definitions In this Act: (1) Covered passenger vessel The term covered passenger vessel (2) Indian tribe The term Indian Tribe (A) any federally recognized Indian tribe, band, nation, village, or other organized group or community; and (B) any Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq. (3) Port call The term port call (4) Port owned by an Indian Tribe The term port owned by an Indian Tribe

Summary: Tribal Tourism Sovereignty Act This bill allows covered passenger vessels (e.g., foreign-flagged cruise ships) to comply with the foreign-stop requirement by calling on ports or places owned by an Indian tribe. Under current law, these vessels may not transport passengers from one U.S. port to another without stopping in a foreign country. The bill allows a voyage transporting passengers to call on a port owned by an Indian tribe if the voyage (1) is made by a covered passenger vessel that complies with security and safety requirements and certain training for crew members, and (2) employs alien crew members with valid nonimmigrant work visas. A vessel performing such a voyage must receive permission from the tribe to dock at a port or place owned by the tribe and disembark passengers on tribal lands. In addition, the bill outlines tribal powers and privileges, including that the tribe shall have the authority to levy and collect fees from port calls.