AAB-09-003 is a bill that addresses the misuse of commercial cruiseliners and US citizens. Cruises that use US ports and contain US citizens are not protected by US law when out on international waters. This bill will ensure that Americans are protected by US law even when in international waters.
AAB-09-003:
*Any cruiseliner that needs to use US ports and have US citizens as customers must be flagged in with the American flag which guarantees the passengers protection under US law when out on international waters.
-Any cruiseliner that refuses to be under US law will be denied access to US ports.
-A cruiseliner may belong to a foreign business and be manufactured abroad but when used by American customers must be flagged in under the American flag.
*This bill will be used for any vessel that uses an American port for transportation of American citizens.
The Jones Act is a federal law that regulates maritime commerce in the United States. The Jones Act requires goods shipped between U.S. ports to be transported on ships that are built, owned, and operated by United States citizens or permanent residents. The Jones Act is Section 27 of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, which provided for the maintenance of the American merchant marine.
My concern with this is that the majority of cruise liners are based in Bermuda and other Caribbean islands because of labor laws and taxes within American shipping laws. America has only 1 cruise line that is american flagged and it is the most expensive because of the amount of taxes and labor for an American manned ship. Look up the Jones Act and its effects. A suggestion would be to drop the cruise line regulations and expand the Jones Act to encourage American industry and trade.