July 30, 2025
Mr. Lee introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
To exempt large cruise ships from certain requirements applicable to passenger vessels, 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 Safeguarding American Tourism Act
.
Sec. 2. Adjusting applicability of certain PVSA and Jones Act requirements
(a) PVSA domestic requirements
Section 55103 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.
(b) Jones Act requirements
Chapter 121 of title 46, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
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.; and
(2)
in section 12112(a)—
(A)
in paragraph (1), by inserting except in the case of a vessel described in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (2),
before satisfies
; and
(B)
in paragraph (2)—
(i)
in subparagraph (A), by striking or
after the semicolon;
(ii)
in subparagraph (B)(iii), by striking ; and
and inserting ; or
; and
(iii)
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
(c) 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.
Sec. 3. Adjustments relating to permits for alien crewmen to land temporarily in the United States
Section 252(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1282(a)) is amended—
(1)
in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—
(A)
by striking he may, in his discretion,
and inserting the officer may
; and
(B)
by striking a period of time, in any event, not to exceed
and inserting the period during which such crewman is in possession of a valid, unexpired visa issued pursuant to such paragraph, if such officer is satisfied the crewman intends to depart
; and
(2)
by striking paragraphs (1) through (3) and inserting the following:
(1)
on the vessel or aircraft on which such crewman arrived; or
(2)
on a vessel or aircraft other than the vessel or aircraft on which such crewman arrived.
Sec. 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.