Introduction of Protect Americans from Crimes on Cruise Ships Resolution

INTRODUCTION OF PROTECT AMERICANS FROM CRIMES ON CRUISE SHIPS RESOLUTION -- (Extensions of Remarks - September 17, 2007)

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SPEECH OF
HON. DORIS O. MATSUI
OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2007

* Ms. MATSUI. Madam Speaker, today I am introducing the Protect Americans from Crimes on Cruise Ships Resolution with many of my distinguished colleagues, including Representatives Chris Shays and Carolyn Maloney.

* Madam Speaker, in 2007, over 12 million Americans will travel on cruise lines. Unfortunately, few of these vacationing ``cruisers'' fully appreciate their potential vulnerability to crime while on an ocean voyage. Citizens who are victimized often do not know their legal rights or who to contact for help in the immediate aftermath of the crime.

* In recent years, the media has reported on a number of high profile cases of passengers falling overboard, passengers gone missing and passengers being raped and sexually assaulted. Sadly, many of these cases remain unresolved. Worse yet, many cases go unreported because there is no industry reporting mechanism.

* My involvement in this issue began after a young woman from my district, Laurie Dishman, came to me for assistance after she had been a victim of a violent crime on a cruise ship. Laurie shared her shocking story with me in a letter one year ago.

* As a passenger on board the Vision of the Seas, a ship operated by Royal Caribbean, Laurie was raped by a crew member. One of the most disturbing aspects of Laurie's case is that the cruise ship on which she was raped was short security staff. As a result, the cruise line promoted someone with no training to perform security personnel duties. If a real security guard had been aboard, Laurie may have been spared her awful ordeal. The tragedy that ensued is something that Laurie will never forget.

* The story of her experience on the ship was shocking enough. Unfortunately, I soon learned that was only the beginning. Laurie wrote me to tell me she was having difficulty getting a response to her request for information about the incident from the cruise line. As I began looking into the matter, a number of red flags were raised regarding the handling of

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Laurie's particular case. These include the FBI's decision not to have a polygraph test of the crewmember and the cruise line's decision to withhold Laurie's own medical information.

* These incidents beg the question: what is the process when a crime is committed on a cruise line and what recourse do passengers have? The more I have inquired, the more I have been alarmed that there is no shortage of cases of: rape, sexual assaults of minors, alcohol related fighting and abuse, and persons overboard.

* Even more troubling, most of these incidents have not been fully resolved or prosecuted. I have also learned that there have been no convictions for rape cases on cruise lines in four decades, a statistic that takes a new meaning through the lens of Ms. Dishman's experience.

* As a result of continued cases of victims of crimes on the high seas, and with the much appreciated leadership of Chairman Cummings, the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation held a hearing on this important issue in March, 2007. The hearing showed numerous discrepancies between the experience sold by cruise lines and the real experience on board these ships. In addition, the hearing highlighted how crime numbers reported to Congress in a previous hearing are radically different from the cruise industry's internal crime statistics.

* The result of our hearing, combined with numerous and unending media reports of crimes on cruise ships, point to the need for increased safety and security for these passengers. Prevention can be an important tool, and we all know that prevention starts with making people aware of the potential for a crime to occur. It is time for Congress to acknowledge formally this ongoing problem and to ensure that Americans are informed, aware and safe. The Resolution I am introducing today will do just that.

* The resolution acknowledges:

* The lack of federal regulation overseeing crime reporting by the cruise industry;

* The absence of law enforcement officials on ocean voyages;

* That without a law enforcement official, cruise officials are essentially responsible for collection and preserving a crime scene;

* Most cruise ships are registered under the laws of another country;

* Perpetrators of sexual violence and other violent crimes on cruise ships are rarely brought to justice; and

* Consumers who book a cruise generally do not receive information at the point of sale about their legal rights as a cruise passenger and who to contact for help in the event a crime occurs during their voyage.

* And Resolves that:

* The members of the International Cruise Victims Association, the National Center for Victims of Crime, and the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network are to be commended for their leadership in highlighting the problem of crimes against American citizens on cruise ships;

* Americans who are victims of crime on a cruise ship should have access to justice, and necessary steps should be taken to ensure that the perpetrators of such crimes are brought to justice;

* The cruise industry should provide comprehensive information to passengers about security risks and maintain necessary security personnel on each ship; and

* Congress should provide oversight to ensure the safety and security of American passengers.

* Madam Speaker, nearly all cruise ships operate under a foreign flag. U.S. citizens who are victimized onboard cruise ships often do not know their legal rights or who to contact for help in the immediate aftermath of crimes. Cruises operate in a legal vacuum, where a lack of accountability empowers predators and obstructs their victims' pursuit of justice. That is an unacceptable situation, made worse by the cruise lines' own efforts to avoid scrutiny of and accountability for their own handling of the security of their passengers.

* My hope is that with increased Congressional involvement that the cruise lines finally take these crimes seriously and enact necessary reforms. The Resolution acknowledges the ongoing safety concerns and will help ensure that the millions of men, women and children who cruise each year are informed, aware and safe on cruise ships. This resolution is supported by the Women's Caucus and Victim's Rights Caucus, and I would urge all of my colleagues to cosponsor this important Resolution.

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