I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7256 
To implement recommendations related to the safety of amphibious passenger 
vessels, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 11, 2018 
Mr. CARSON of Indiana introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To implement recommendations related to the safety of 
amphibious passenger vessels, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. REQUIREMENTS FOR AMPHIBIOUS PASSENGER 
VESSELS TO REMAIN AFLOAT AND UPRIGHT 
IN THE EVENT OF FLOODING. 
(a) RESERVE BUOYANCY
FOR AMPHIBIOUS PAS-
SENGER VESSELS THROUGH PASSIVE MEANS.— 
(1) REGULATIONS REQUIRED.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Commandant of the Coast Guard shall prescribe 
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in regulations requirements that operators of am-
phibious passenger vessels provide reserve buoyancy 
for such vessels through passive means, including 
watertight compartmentalization, built-in flotation, 
or such other means as the Commandant shall speci-
fy in the regulations, in order to ensure that such 
vessels remain afloat and upright in the event of 
flooding, including when carrying a full complement 
of passengers and crew. 
(2) DEADLINE FOR COMPLIANCE.—The regula-
tions required by paragraph (1) shall require compli-
ance with the requirements in the regulations by op-
erators of amphibious passenger vessels by such 
date, not later than 24 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, as the Commandant shall 
specify in the regulations. 
(b) INTERIM REQUIREMENTS.—Commencing as of 
the date the regulations required by subsection (a) are 
prescribed, the Commandant of the Coast Guard shall re-
quire that operators of amphibious passenger vessels that 
are not in compliance with the requirements in the regula-
tions do the following: 
(1) Remove the canopies of such vessels for wa-
terborne operations, or install in such vehicles a 
Coast Guard-approved canopy that does not restrict 
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either horizontal or vertical escape by passengers in 
the event of flooding or sinking. 
(2) If the canopy is removed from any such ves-
sel pursuant to paragraph (1), require that all pas-
sengers don a Coast Guard type-approved personal 
flotation device before the onset of waterborne oper-
ations of such vessel. 
(3) Reengineer such vessels to permanently 
close all unnecessary access plugs and to reduce all 
through-hull penetrations to the minimum number 
and size necessary for operation. 
(4) Install in such vessels independently pow-
ered electric bilge pumps that are capable of dewa-
tering such vessels at the volume of the largest re-
maining penetration in order to supplement either 
an operable Higgins pump or a dewatering pump of 
equivalent or greater capacity. 
(5) Install in such vessels not fewer than four 
independently powered bilge alarms. 
(6) Inspect any such vessel in water after each 
time a through-hull penetration of such vessel has 
been removed or uncovered. 
(7) Verify the watertight integrity of any such 
vessel in the water at the outset of each waterborne 
departure of such vessel. 
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(8) Otherwise comply with any other provisions 
of Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular 1–01 
in the inspection, configuration, and operation of 
such vessels. 
(c) PROHIBITION ON OPERATION OF NONCOMPLIANT 
VESSELS.—The following amphibious passenger vessels 
may not operate on United States waterways: 
(1) Commencing as of the date the regulations 
required by subsection (a) are prescribed, any am-
phibious passenger vessel whose configuration or op-
eration does not comply with the requirements in 
subsection (b). 
(2) Commencing as of the date specified by the 
Commandant of the Coast Guard pursuant to sub-
section (a)(2), any amphibious passenger vessel 
whose configuration or operation does not comply 
with the requirements in the regulations under sub-
section (a)(1). 
Æ 
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