IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 652 
Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the importance of protecting 
American cruise ship passengers against crimes on the high seas and 
ensuring that the perpetrators of such crimes are brought to justice. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 17, 2007 
Ms. MATSUI (for herself, Mr. SHAYS, Mrs. MALONEY of New York, Mr. 
ARCURI, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. COHEN, Mr. DOGGETT, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of 
Texas, Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California, Mr. POE, Ms. SUTTON, Mr. 
THOMPSON of California, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. KENNEDY, Mrs. BOYDA of 
Kansas, Ms. WATSON, Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, Mr. FILNER, Mr. 
CARTER, Mr. BERRY, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. CARDOZA, and Mr. MCGOV-
ERN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the importance 
of protecting American cruise ship passengers against 
crimes on the high seas and ensuring that the perpetra-
tors of such crimes are brought to justice. 
Whereas there are approximately 200 overnight ocean-going 
cruise ships worldwide, and the average such ship carries 
2,000 passengers as well as a crew of 950 people; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:41 Sep 18, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR652.IH
HR652
cnoel on PRODPC60 with BILLS
•HRES 652 IH 
Whereas approximately 12,000,000 passengers are projected 
to take a cruise worldwide in the year 2007 alone; 
Whereas few vacationing passengers on cruise liners fully ap-
preciate their potential vulnerability to crime while on an 
ocean voyage, and those who are victimized often do not 
know their legal rights or who to contact for help in the 
immediate aftermath of the crime; 
Whereas sexual violence, the disappearance of passengers 
from vessels on the high seas, and other serious crimes 
have occurred during luxury cruises on numerous occa-
sions, as evidenced by the congressional testimony of the 
President of the International Cruise Victims Association, 
Kendall Carver, and Ms. Laurie Dishman during a 
March 27, 2007 hearing before the Committee on Trans-
portation and Infrastructure of the House of Representa-
tives; 
Whereas crimes at sea can involve attacks by both passengers 
and crewmembers on other passengers and crewmembers; 
Whereas no Federal statute or regulation explicitly requires 
cruise lines to report alleged crimes to United States 
Government officials unless such crimes occur within the 
territorial waters of the United States; 
Whereas it is not known precisely how often crimes occur on 
cruise ships or exactly how many people have disappeared 
during ocean voyages because cruise line companies do 
not make comprehensive, crime-related data readily avail-
able to the public; 
Whereas obtaining reliable crime-related cruise data from 
governmental sources can be difficult, because multiple 
countries may be involved when crime occurs on the high 
seas, including the flag country for the vessel, the coun-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:41 Sep 18, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR652.IH
HR652
cnoel on PRODPC60 with BILLS
•HRES 652 IH 
try of citizenship of particular passengers, and any coun-
tries having special or maritime jurisdiction; 
Whereas due to the absence of law enforcement officials on 
ocean voyages, it can be difficult or impossible for crimi-
nal investigators to immediately secure an alleged crime 
scene on a cruise ship, recover evidence of an onboard of-
fense, and identify or interview potential witnesses to the 
alleged crime; 
Whereas the adequate collection and preservation of evidence 
relating to a crime on the high seas frequently depends 
upon the ability and willingness of cruise officials to man-
age an alleged crime scene, identify possible witnesses, 
and provide aid to the victim until law enforcement offi-
cials arrive on the ship; 
Whereas most cruise ships that operate into and out of 
United States ports are registered under the laws of an-
other country and subsequent investigations and prosecu-
tions of crimes against passengers and crewmembers may 
involve the laws and authorities of multiple nations; 
Whereas perpetrators of sexual violence and other violent 
crimes on cruise ships are rarely brought to justice in 
light of the jurisdictional uncertainties and the absence of 
law enforcement authorities employing standard police in-
vestigative procedures on voyages; 
Whereas sexual assault and physical assaults on cruise ships 
were the leading crime reported to and investigated by 
the Federal Bureau of Investigation on the high seas over 
the last five years, but cruise line personnel do not con-
sistently provide sufficient access to readily available, 
confidential support services, such as the crisis interven-
tion services that are available through the National Sex-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:41 Sep 18, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR652.IH
HR652
cnoel on PRODPC60 with BILLS
•HRES 652 IH 
ual Assault Hotline or the National Sexual Assault On-
line Hotline, for American passengers who become vic-
tims of sexual violence while vacationing on cruise ships; 
Whereas consumers who book a cruise generally do not re-
ceive information at the point of sale about their legal 
rights as a cruise passenger and who to contact for help 
in the event a crime occurs during their oceangoing voy-
age; and 
Whereas groups such as the International Cruise Victims As-
sociation, the National Center for Victims of Crime, and 
the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network have voiced 
concern about the safety of passengers and crewmembers 
traveling on ocean voyages: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives that— 
(1) the members of the International Cruise 
Victims Association, the National Center for Victims 
of Crime, and the Rape, Abuse & Incest National 
Network are to be commended for their leadership 
in highlighting the problem of crimes against Amer-
ican citizens on cruise ships; 
(2) cruise line passengers and crewmembers 
who become victims of crime while traveling on the 
high seas are often denied access to justice and sup-
port services, and Americans who are victims of 
crime on a cruise ship should have ready access to 
justice and additional steps should be taken to en-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:41 Sep 18, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HR652.IH
HR652
cnoel on PRODPC60 with BILLS
•HRES 652 IH 
sure that the perpetrators of such crimes are 
brought to justice; 
(3) the cruise industry should provide com-
prehensive information to passengers about security 
risks and maintain necessary security personnel on 
each ship; and 
(4) Congress should provide oversight to ensure 
the safety and security of American passengers. 
Æ 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:41 Sep 18, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR652.IH
HR652
cnoel on PRODPC60 with BILLS