Q: In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) It is in the interest of the United States to maximize
economic return from the growing trade in cruise ship sailings
to and from Alaska by encouraging the use of United States
berthing and repair facilities, labor, supplies, and other
services, as well as the growth of new enterprises such as the
carriage of passengers on luxury cruises between ports in
Alaska.
(2) In promoting additional economic benefits to the United
States from the cruise ship industry, there is a need to ensure
that existing employment and economic activity associated with
the Alaska Marine Highway System, United States-flag tour boats
operating from Alaska ports, and similar efforts are protected
from adverse impacts.
(3) Cruise ship sailings to Alaska comprise a vital and
growing segment of the United States travel industry. The
number of passengers entering or leaving Alaska via cruise ship
increased by 14 percent in the last two years alone, and is
expected to continue increasing at a similar or higher rate.
(4) No United States-flag cruise ships are presently
available to enter the Alaska trade. Thus, all cruise ships
carrying passengers to and from Alaska destinations are
foreign-flag vessels which are precluded, under current law,
from carrying passengers from other United States ports to
ports in Alaska, and from carrying passengers between ports in
Alaska.
(5) The City of Vancouver, British Columbia receives
substantial economic benefit through providing services to
cruise ships in the Alaska trade, including direct and indirect
employment of 2,435 persons in 1992, and direct and indirect
payments for goods and services of $119,700,000.
(6) The transfer of cruise ship-based economic activity
from Vancouver, British Columbia to United States ports could,
at 1992 spending levels, yield additional Federal Government
revenues of $97,600,000 per annum, and additional State and
local government revenues of $29,700,000.

SEC. 2. FOREIGN FLAG CRUISE VESSELS.

(a) Waiver.--Notwithstanding provisions of section 8 of the Act of
June 19, 1886 (46 U.S.C. 289), or any other provision of law,
passengers may be transported in foreign-flag cruise vessels between
ports in Alaska and between ports in Alaska and other United States
ports, except as otherwise provided by this section.
(b) Coastwise Trade.--Upon a showing satisfactory to the Secretary
of Transportation, by the owner or charterer of a United States cruise
vessel, that service aboard such vessel qualified to engage in the
coastwise trade is being offered or advertised pursuant to a
Certificate of Financial Responsibility for Indemnification of
Passengers for Nonperformance of Transportation (46 App. U.S.C. 817e)
from the Federal Maritime Commission for service in the coastwise trade
between ports in Alaska or between ports in Alaska and other ports in
the United States, or both, the Secretary shall notify the owner or
operator of one or more foreign-flag cruise vessels transporting
passengers under authority of this section, if any, that he shall,
within one year from the date of notification, terminate such service.
Coastwise privileges granted to any owner or operator of a foreign-flag
cruise vessel under this section shall expire on the 365th day
following receipt of the Secretary's notification.
(c) Notification.--Notifications issued by the Secretary under
subsection (b) of this section shall be issued to the owners or
operators of foreign-flag cruise vessels--
(1) in the reverse of the order in which foreign-flag
cruise vessels entered the coastwise service under this
section determined by the date of the vessels' first coastwise
sailing; and
(2) in the minimum number as to ensure that the passenger-
carrying capacity thereby removed from coastwise service
exceeds the passenger-carrying capacity of the United States
cruise vessel which is entering the service.
(d) Termination.--If, at the expiration of the 365-day period
specified in subsection (b) of this section, the United States cruise
vessel that has offered service has not entered the coastwise passenger
trade between ports in Alaska or between ports in Alaska and other
ports in the United States, then the termination of service required by
subsection (b) shall not take effect until 90 days following the entry
into trade by the United States vessel.
(e) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section, the term--
(1) ''cruise vessel'' means a vessel of greater than 5,000
deadweight tons which provides a full range of luxury
entertainment, personal care and food services for its
passengers; and
(2) ''foreign-flag cruise vessels'' does not apply to
vessels which regularly carry for hire both passengers and
vehicles or other cargo.
(f) Disclaimer.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed as
affecting or otherwise modifying the authority contained in the Act of
June 30, 1961 (46 U.S.C. 289b) authorizing the transportation of
passengers and merchandise in Canadian vessels between ports in Alaska
and the United States.
A:
Prescribes guidelines under which passengers may be transported in foreign-flag cruise vessels between ports in Alaska and between ports in Alaska and other U.S. ports.