Congresswoman Matsui Calls for Expansion of Cruise Passenger Safety Laws
Contact: Lauren Dart
202-225-7163
Congresswoman Matsui Calls for Expansion of Cruise Passenger Safety Laws
Matsui's Cruise Passenger Protection Act Would Require Better Crime Reporting Mechanisms and Expand Information Available to Cruise Passengers
Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) submitted the following statement for the record at the House Tandamp;I Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Hearing on Maritime Transportation Safety and Stewardship Programs:
"Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this hearing. I am pleased that Mr. Carver from the International Cruise Victims Association is here today to testify.
For the last decade, I have been working to better protect the safety of our friends and families on cruise ships. Cruise ship crime victims and victims' families,people like Mr. Carver, are the reason why I believe that this is such an important issue.
Shortly after I was elected to Congress, I was approached by a constituent who bravely shared that she had been a victim of sexual assault on a cruise ship. Her story immediately prompted me to seek answers and I soon discovered that there were many gaps in the protections available to passengers who are victims of crimes on cruise ships.
We took the first step to close these gaps when, in 2010, Congress passed my bipartisan cruise legislation, the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act, which put into place critical protections for the thousands of Americans who take cruises every year.
But there is still much more work to do, which is why we are here today. The Coast Guard must issue a rule that fully implements the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act as Congress intended.
This means a rule that requires a Man Overboard system with both alarm and video capture features on every cruise ship. It also means that victims of crimes on cruise ships must be able to keep potentially sensitive information confidential from cruise lines if they wish to do so. And importantly, it means that the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act must apply to all cruise voyages regardless of whether or not a ship has "temporary" visiting status.
Even with the protections in the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act, we need to expand cruise safety laws further. That's why I've introduced the Cruise Passenger Protection Act, which would expand upon the improvements we made in the law in 2010 to require better crime reporting mechanisms and expand information available to cruise passengers.
Families should be able to expect a safe experience while on vacation. Standards for victims' rights and consumer protection should be strong, whether on land or at sea.
The security of our families and friends should not be a political issue, and this is rightfully a bipartisan cause. I've worked closely with my Republican colleague Congressman Ted Poe on this issue. And we will continue to push for improved cruise safety measures until passengers receive the protections they deserve.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman."
Congresswoman Matsui also joined the International Cruise Victims (ICV) Association today for an event to mark the 10th anniversary of the organization. The event honored victims' stories and highlighted the need for increased health and safety standards on cruise ships.
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