1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Safeguarding American Tourism Act”.
Safeguarding American Tourism Act
A BILL
To exempt large cruise ships from certain requirements applicable to passenger vessels, and for other purposes.
2. Adjusting applicability of certain PVSA and Jones Act requirements
PVSA domestic requirements— Section 55103(a) of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(c) Nonapplicablity—This section shall not apply to any vessel with 800 or more passenger berths.”
Jones Act requirements— Chapter 121 of title 46, United States Code, is amended—
in section 12103, by adding at the end the following:
“(d) Nonapplicability—The requirements of this section shall not apply to any vessel with 800 or more passenger berths and that transports passengers between ports or places in the United States to which the coastwise laws apply, either directly or via a foreign port.”
in section 12112(a)—
in paragraph (1), by inserting “except in the case of a vessel described in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (2),” before “satisfies”; and
in paragraph (2)—
in subparagraph (A), by striking “or” after the semicolon;
in subparagraph (B)(iii), by striking “; and” and inserting “; or”; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(C) has 800 or more passenger berths and transports passengers between ports or places in the United States to which the coastwise laws apply, either directly or via a foreign port; and”
Adjustment of citizenship and Navy Reserve requirements— Section 8103(k) of title 46, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
“(k) Nonapplicability to certain passenger vessels—Subsections (a) and (b) shall not apply to any vessel with 800 or more passenger berths and that transports passengers between ports or places in the United States to which the coastwise laws apply, either directly or via a foreign port.”
3. Adjustments relating to permits to land temporarily for alien crewmen
Section 252(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1282(a)) is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “not to exceed—” and all that follows through the period at the end of paragraph (2) and inserting “not to exceed the period of time during which the crewman is in possession of a valid, unexpired visa issued pursuant to such paragraph, if the immigration officer is satisfied that the crewman intends to depart—
“(1) on the vessel or aircraft on which the crewman arrived; or
“(2) on a vessel or aircraft other than the vessel or aircraft on which the crewman arrived.”
4. Rule of construction
Nothing in the amendments made by this Act shall be construed to exempt a vessel that transports passengers between ports or places in the United States to which the coastwise laws apply, either directly or via a foreign port, from any applicable law of the United States except as explicitly provided in such amendments.