Alaska Tourism Restoration Act

Bill: 117-s-593
Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
Introduced: 2021-03-04 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Alaska
Canada
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Marine and inland water transportation
Transportation employees
Transportation safety and security
Travel and tourism
Washington State

Summary:
action_date: 2021-03-04
text: 

Alaska Tourism Recovery Act 

 
This bill temporarily allows foreign-owned and flagged cruise ships to transport passengers directly between ports in the states of Washington and Alaska without stopping in Canada. Under current law, these ships cannot transport passengers from one U.S. port to another without stopping in a foreign country. The bill deems a round trip voyage between ports in the states of Washington and Alaska as a foreign voyage. 
 
The bill applies to any foreign voyage that begins any date prior to February 28, 2022, on which Canada prohibits a vessel from entering, berthing, or docking in Canadian waters of the Pacific Coast due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

action_date: 2021-05-13
text: 

Alaska Tourism Restoration Act 

 
This bill temporarily allows specific foreign-owned and foreign-flagged cruise ships to transport passengers directly between ports in the states of Washington and Alaska without stopping in Canada. Under current law, these ships cannot transport passengers from one U.S. port to another without stopping in a foreign country. 
 
The bill deems a round trip voyage between ports in the states of Washington and Alaska as a foreign voyage if (1) during the voyage, the operators of such voyage send U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Canada Border Services Agency an email containing the names of each alien crew member with a valid nonimmigrant work visa; and (2) the voyage begins not later than February 28, 2022. The operators of these voyages must also retain a COVID-19 Conditional Sailing Certificate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
 
Authority to conduct these voyages shall terminate on March 31, 2022, or when Canada lifts its COVID-related restrictions, whichever occurs first. Voyages may not occur during any period for which the CDC has issued an order to suspend cruise ship operations.
 
The bill also directs the Department of Transportation to require, through regulations, the installation of automated external defibrillators on passenger vessels (including cruise ships).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-05-17
text: Held at the desk.
action_date: 2021-05-17
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2021-05-17
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2021-05-13
text: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S2510)
action_date: 2021-05-13
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.(text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S2510)
action_date: 2021-05-13
text: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S2510-2512)
action_date: 2021-05-13
text: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2021-05-13
text: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2021-03-04
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2021-03-04
text: Introduced in Senate