Cruise Vessel Security And Safety Act Of 2009

Floor Speech

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Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I rise today on behalf of H.R. 3360, the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2009.

This is important legislation that will significantly improve the safety and security of cruise passengers.

A Senate version of this bill has earned committee approval earlier this year, and in October, the House overwhelmingly approved this measure by a bipartisan vote of 385-11, as part of the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2010.

The bill will bring many of the same, commonsense security measures to cruise ships that a lot of us take for granted in major hotels--things like latches and peep holes for guest rooms and video surveillance to document criminal activity.

In addition, the bill will ensure that cruise ships are equipped to provide emergency assistance to victims of sexual assaults.

Finally, and perhaps most significantly, the bill will require that serious criminal incidents on board are reported to the proper authorities.

I want to thank Representative Doris Matsui for her leadership on this legislation.

I also want to thank Kendall Carver, an Arizonan whose tireless efforts on this issue have been truly incredible.

As many of you know, in 2004, Ken's daughter, Merrian, mysteriously and tragically disappeared aboard a cruise to Alaska. And, as the Arizona Republic recently reported, ``Instead of reporting her absence, the ship's staffers packed up her belongings and cleaned up her cabin. They did nothing for five weeks and only filed a missing-persons report with the FBI after being questioned by a private detective.''

This is not just wrong--it's beyond wrong.

Cruise passengers deserve better. Their families deserve better.

That's why I want to encourage my colleagues to support this legislation.

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