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119-s-2537119th CongressWALLET

Open America's Ports Act

Sponsored By: Senator Lee, Mike [R-UT]

Introduced

Summary

Repeals the Passenger Vessel Services Act's domestic requirement and creates a narrow carve-out in the Jones Act so certain passenger vessels can operate U.S. port-to-port routes even if they call at a foreign port. This bill would change which ships qualify to carry passengers between U.S. ports and updates several related statutory provisions to reflect that change.

Show full summary
  • Passenger and cruise operators: Would exempt vessels that transport passengers between U.S. ports, even via a foreign port, from the PVSA domestic requirement in 46 U.S.C. 55103. That lets more non-U.S.-flagged passenger ships serve domestic itineraries under the terms the bill sets.
  • Coastwise and Jones Act rules: Would add a "nonapplicability" exception to 46 U.S.C. 12103 and revise 46 U.S.C. 12112(a) and 12121(b) to carve out certain passenger vessels from some coastwise constraints.
  • Statutory cleanup and limits: Repeals or removes several PVSA-related sections in Chapter 551 and 46 U.S.C. references, and adds an exemption in 46 U.S.C. 8103(k). The bill also says nothing in the amendments exempts vessels from other federal laws except as explicitly provided.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

More coastwise freedom for ship owners

This bill would repeal the Passenger Vessel Services Act's domestic passenger rule. It would create an exception letting passenger ships carry people between U.S. ports even if they stop at a foreign port. It would change related coastwise (Jones Act) rules so those vessels are not bound by certain passenger-vessel limits. It would also say these changes do not remove other federal laws, so ships must still follow safety, labor, and other rules.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Lee, Mike [R-UT]

UT • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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