IB 
Union Calendar No. 190 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3360 
[Report No. 111–332] 
To amend title 46, United States Code, to establish requirements to ensure 
the security and safety of passengers and crew on cruise vessels, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 28, 2009 
Ms. MATSUI introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
NOVEMBER 7, 2009 
Additional sponsor: Mr. CAPUANO 
NOVEMBER 7, 2009 
Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 
and ordered to be printed 
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A BILL 
To amend title 46, United States Code, to establish require-
ments to ensure the security and safety of passengers 
and crew on cruise vessels, and for other purposes. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2009’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Findings. 
Sec. 3. Cruise vessel security and safety requirements. 
Sec. 4. Study and report on the security needs of passenger vessels. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) There are approximately 200 overnight 
ocean-going cruise vessels worldwide. The average 
ocean-going cruise vessel carries 2,000 passengers 
with a crew of 950 people. 
(2) In 2007 alone, approximately 12,000,000 
passengers were projected to take a cruise world-
wide. 
(3) Passengers on cruise vessels have an inad-
equate appreciation of their potential vulnerability to 
crime while on ocean voyages, and those who may be 
victimized lack the information they need to under-
stand their legal rights or to know whom to contact 
for help in the immediate aftermath of the crime. 
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(4) Sexual violence, the disappearance of pas-
sengers from vessels on the high seas, and other se-
rious crimes have occurred during luxury cruises. 
(5) Over the last 5 years, sexual assault and 
physical assaults on cruise vessels were the leading 
crimes investigated by the Federal Bureau of Inves-
tigation with regard to cruise vessel incidents. 
(6) These crimes at sea can involve attacks 
both by passengers and crew members on other pas-
sengers and crew members. 
(7) Except for United States flagged vessels, or 
foreign flagged vessels operating in an area subject 
to the direct jurisdiction of the United States, there 
are no Federal statutes or regulations that explicitly 
require cruise lines to report alleged crimes to 
United States Government officials. 
(8) It is not known precisely how often crimes 
occur on cruise vessels or exactly how many people 
have disappeared during ocean voyages because 
cruise line companies do not make comprehensive, 
crime-related data readily available to the public. 
(9) Obtaining reliable crime-related cruise data 
from governmental sources can be difficult, because 
multiple countries may be involved when a crime oc-
curs on the high seas, including the flag country for 
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the vessel, the country of citizenship of particular 
passengers, and any countries having special or mar-
itime jurisdiction. 
(10) It can be difficult for professional crime 
investigators to immediately secure an alleged crime 
scene on a cruise vessel, recover evidence of an on-
board offense, and identify or interview potential 
witnesses to the alleged crime. 
(11) Most cruise vessels that operate into and 
out of United States ports are registered under the 
laws of another country, and investigations and 
prosecutions of crimes against passengers and crew 
members may involve the laws and authorities of 
multiple nations. 
(12) The Coast Guard has found it necessary to 
establish 500-yard security zones around cruise ves-
sels to limit the risk of terrorist attack. Recently pi-
racy has dramatically increased throughout the 
world. 
(13) To enhance the safety of cruise pas-
sengers, the owners of cruise vessels could upgrade, 
modernize, and retrofit the safety and security infra-
structure on such vessels by installing peep holes in 
passenger room doors, installing security video cam-
eras in targeted areas, limiting access to passenger 
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rooms to select staff during specific times, and in-
stalling acoustic hailing and warning devices capable 
of communicating over distances. 
SEC. 3. CRUISE VESSEL SECURITY AND SAFETY REQUIRE-
MENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 35 of title 46, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘§ 3507. Passenger vessel security and safety require-
ments 
‘‘(a) VESSEL DESIGN, EQUIPMENT, CONSTRUCTION, 
AND RETROFITTING REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each vessel to which this 
subsection applies shall comply with the following 
design and construction standards: 
‘‘(A) The vessel shall be equipped with 
ship rails that are located not less than 42 
inches above the cabin deck. 
‘‘(B) Each passenger stateroom and crew 
cabin shall be equipped with entry doors that 
include peep holes or other means of visual 
identification. 
‘‘(C) For any vessel the keel of which is 
laid after the date of enactment of the Cruise 
Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2009, each 
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passenger stateroom and crew cabin shall be 
equipped with— 
‘‘(i) security latches; and 
‘‘(ii) time-sensitive key technology. 
‘‘(D) The vessel shall integrate technology 
that can be used for capturing images of pas-
sengers or detecting passengers who have fallen 
overboard, to the extent that such technology is 
available. 
‘‘(E) The vessel shall be equipped with a 
sufficient number of operable acoustic hailing 
or other such warning devices to provide com-
munication capability around the entire vessel 
when operating in high risk areas (as defined 
by the United States Coast Guard). 
‘‘(2) FIRE
SAFETY
CODES.—In administering 
the requirements of paragraph (1)(C), the Secretary 
shall take into consideration fire safety and other 
applicable emergency requirements established by 
the U.S. Coast Guard and under international law, 
as appropriate. 
‘‘(3) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), the requirements of para-
graph (1) shall take effect 18 months after the 
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date of enactment of the Cruise Vessel Security 
and Safety Act of 2009. 
‘‘(B) LATCH AND KEY REQUIREMENTS.— 
The requirements of paragraph (1)(C) take ef-
fect on the date of enactment of the Cruise Ves-
sel Security and Safety Act of 2009. 
‘‘(b) VIDEO RECORDING.— 
‘‘(1) REQUIREMENT
TO
MAINTAIN
SURVEIL-
LANCE.—The owner of a vessel to which this section 
applies shall maintain a video surveillance system to 
assist in documenting crimes on the vessel and in 
providing evidence for the prosecution of such 
crimes, as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(2) ACCESS TO VIDEO RECORDS.—The owner 
of a vessel to which this section applies shall provide 
to any law enforcement official performing official 
duties in the course and scope of an investigation, 
upon request, a copy of all records of video surveil-
lance that the official believes may provide evidence 
of a crime reported to law enforcement officials. 
‘‘(c) SAFETY INFORMATION.—The owner of a vessel 
to which this section applies shall provide in each pas-
senger stateroom, and post in a location readily accessible 
to all crew and in other places specified by the Secretary, 
information regarding the locations of the United States 
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