Vessel Response Plan Improvement Act

Bill: 117-s-1505
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA]
Introduced: 2021-04-29
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Coast guard

Department of Homeland Security

First responders and emergency personnel

Marine and inland water transportation

Transportation employees

Transportation safety and security
Latest action: action_date: 2021-04-29
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-04-29
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Vessel Response Plan Improvement Act</strong></p> <p>This bill directs the U.S. Coast Guard to require the vessel response plans of Coast Guard-approved commercial vessels to include certain notification requirements with regard to search and rescue missions. Such requirements include developing a procedure for the immediate notification of next of kin in the event that search and rescue teams save or recover crew members during the missions.</p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1505 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 29, 2021 Mr. Kennedy introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation A BILL To require the Commandant of the Coast Guard to modify regulations relating to vessel response plans to include notifications with respect to search and rescue missions.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Vessel Response Plan Improvement Act . 2. Search and rescue notification requirements for vessel response plans of Coast Guard-approved commercial vessels (a) In general The Commandant of the Coast Guard shall modify subparts I and J of part 155 of title 33, Code of Federal Regulations, to require the vessel response plans of Coast Guard-approved tank and nontank commercial vessels to include the procedures described in subsection (b) for use by the Coast Guard in the case of a search and rescue mission. (b) Procedures The procedures described in this subsection are as follows: (1) A procedure for providing, not less frequently than twice daily for the duration of a search and rescue mission, notifications to family members of the crew of the vessel with respect to the status of the search and rescue mission, any injured crew member, and salvage. (2) A procedure for the immediate notification of the next of kin or family members in the case of— (A) a deceased crew member; or (B) the recovery of a survivor or the body of a crew member during such a search and rescue mission.