Cruise Vessel Security And Safety Act Of 2009

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. MATSUI. I thank the gentleman from Maryland, who has been such a leader in all of this.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3360, the Cruise Vessel Safety and Security Act, legislation that I introduced earlier this year. I want to thank both Chairman Oberstar and Chairman CUMMINGS for the good work their committees have done on this bill and for their tremendous support to enact this critical legislation.

There is an urgent need for the reform I have outlined in the Cruise Vessel Safety and Security Act. For far too long, American families have unknowingly been at risk when embarking on cruise vacations. Unfortunately, the status quo has allowed cruise ships to operate under foreign flags of convenience, and they are not required under U.S. law to report crimes occurring outside of our territorial waters. But leaving our territorial waters does not mean that cruise ships should be allowed to operate without basic laws that protect American citizens.

My legislation requires that all crimes that occur aboard cruise ships be reported to the Coast Guard and to the FBI. Without proper screening processes and accountability, these reprehensible and violent acts will be allowed to continue. Unclear lines of jurisdiction are no longer an excuse for risking the safety of millions of Americans who board cruise ships each year.

I first became aware of the need for increased protections for Americans when one of my constituents, Laurie Dishman, wrote to me for help in April of 2006. Laurie was a victim of a sexual assault while on a cruise vacation. She was given no assistance by the cruise line in properly securing evidence of the assault, no assistance in identifying her attacker, no assistance in prosecuting the crime once back on shore.

Devastated, Laurie reached out to me, and I immediately called for hearings on this issue and began to work on this legislation. Our hearings made apparent the gross inadequacies of current cruise safety provisions; and with ongoing news coverage of recent rapes on cruise ships, it is clear that this legislation is urgent and necessary.

My legislation establishes stringent new standards to ensure the safety and security of passengers on cruise vessels. Its reforms include reporting that vessel personnel be able to preserve evidence of crimes committed on the vessels and provide appropriate medical treatment to the victims of sexual assaults. Security, safety, and accountability must all be strengthened to hold criminals accountable and end the cycle of serious crimes on cruise ships.

This has been a long, difficult road for all cruise victims and their families, and this legislation is truly a result of their courage, their dedication, and their conviction to prevent further crimes from happening. These reforms are long overdue, common sense, and are supported by the Cruise Line Industry Association and was included in the Coast Guard Authorization Act that passed this year.

I urge my colleagues to vote in support of this important legislation and join me in paving a path for a safer future for all cruise passengers.

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