Title: Open America's Waters Act of 2019
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Open America's Waters Act of 2019
This bill repeals certain limitations on the types of vessels that may engage in coastwise trade, which is the domestic transportation of merchandise or passengers by vessels.
The bill directs the U.S. Coast Guard to issue regulations that require all vessels permitted to engage in coastwise trade to meet all appropriate safety and security requirements.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 694 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 694

To repeal the Jones Act restrictions on coastwise trade, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 7, 2019

    Mr. Lee introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To repeal the Jones Act restrictions on coastwise trade, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Open America's Waters Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. REPEAL OF CERTAIN LIMITATIONS ON COASTWISE TRADE.

    (a) In General.--Section 12112(a) of title 46, United States Code, 
is amended to read as follows:
    ``(a) In General.--A coastwise endorsement may be issued for a 
vessel that qualifies under the laws of the United States to engage in 
the coastwise trade.''.
    (b) Regulations.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard 
shall issue regulations to implement the amendment made by subsection 
(a) that require all vessels permitted to engage in the coastwise trade 
to meet all appropriate safety and security requirements.
    (c) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Tank vessel construction standards.--Section 
        3703a(c)(1)(C) of title 46, United States Code, is amended by 
        striking ``and is qualified for documentation as a wrecked 
        vessel under section 12112 of this title''.
            (2) Liquified gas tankers.--Section 12120 of such title is 
        amended by striking ``, if the 
        vessel--'' and all that follows and inserting a period.
            (3) Small passenger vessels.--Section 12121(b) of such 
        title is amended by striking ``12112,''.
            (4) Loss of coastwise trade privileges.--Section 12132 of 
        such title is repealed.
            (5) Oil spill response vessels.--Section 12117(b) of such 
        title is amended by striking ``sections 12103, 12132, and 
        50501'' and inserting ``sections 12103 and 50501''.
            (6) Optional regulatory measurement.--Section 14305(a)(6) 
        of such title is amended by striking ``sections 12118 and 
        12132'' and inserting ``section 12118''.
            (7) Court sales of undocumented vessels.--Section 31329(b) 
        of such title is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``;'' and 
                inserting ``; and'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``; and'' and 
                inserting a period; and
                    (C) by striking paragraph (3).
            (8) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 
        121 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by striking the 
        item relating to section 12132.
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