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I
116TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 8471
To establish a Federal Maritime Task Force and a private sector advisory
committee to address the health, safety, security, and logistical issues
relating to the continuation of maritime travel and the resumption of
cruise operations in United States waters during the COVID–19 public
health emergency.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 1, 2020
Miss GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N of Puerto Rico (for herself, Ms. SHALALA, Mr.
YOUNG, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL, and Mr. RUTH-
ERFORD) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure
A BILL
To establish a Federal Maritime Task Force and a private
sector advisory committee to address the health, safety,
security, and logistical issues relating to the continuation
of maritime travel and the resumption of cruise oper-
ations in United States waters during the COVID–19
public health emergency.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Set Sail Safely Act’’.
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•HR 8471 IH
SEC. 2. MARITIME TASK FORCE.
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(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Upon enactment of the Set
2
Sail Safely Act, there is established a Maritime Task
3
Force to address the health and safety of passengers,
4
crew, and associated workers, logistical issues relating to
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the continuation of maritime travel, and the resumption
6
of cruise operations, including navigation safety, in United
7
States waters during the COVID–19 public health emer-
8
gency.
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(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Maritime Task Force shall
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consist of the following members, or their designees:
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(1) The Secretary of the department in which
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the Coast Guard is operating, who shall serve as the
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chair of the Task Force.
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(2) The Secretary of Homeland Security, dur-
15
ing any period in which the Coast Guard is oper-
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ating as a service in the Navy.
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(3) The Secretary of Commerce.
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(4) The Secretary of Transportation.
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(5) The Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
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ices.
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(6) The Director of the Centers for Disease
22
Control and Prevention.
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(7) The Secretary of State.
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(8) The Administrator of the Environmental
25
Protection Agency.
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•HR 8471 IH
(9) The Chairman of the Federal Maritime
1
Commission.
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(10) The Chair of the National Economic
3
Council of the United States.
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(c) DUTIES.—
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Maritime Task Force
6
shall meet in-person or virtually during the duration
7
of the COVID–19 public health emergency to de-
8
velop a plan containing information about the re-
9
quirements and protocols that each Federal agency
10
represented on the Maritime Task Force will imple-
11
ment to address the health, safety, security, and
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logistical issues relating to the continuation of mari-
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time travel in United States waters during the
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COVID–19 public health emergency, and with re-
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spect to the resumption of cruise operations and in-
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creased passenger maritime travel after the COVID–
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19 public health emergency ends.
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(2) PRIVATE
SECTOR
ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
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RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not more than—
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(A) 10 days after receiving the written rec-
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ommendations from the private sector advisory
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committee under section 3(c), the Chair of the
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Maritime Task Force shall call an in-person or
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•HR 8471 IH
virtual meeting between the private sector advi-
1
sory committee and the Maritime Task Force;
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(B) 10 days after the meeting under sub-
3
paragraph (A), the Chair of the Maritime Task
4
Force shall publish the plan required under
5
paragraph (1) in the Federal Register; and
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(C) 30 days after publication of such plan
7
in the Federal Register, each Federal agency
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represented on the Maritime Task Force shall
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begin implementing the plan developed under
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paragraph (1), including taking necessary ad-
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ministrative actions to implement the require-
12
ments and protocols of the plan.
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(d) COVID–19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY.—The
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term ‘‘COVID–19 public health emergency’’ means the
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public health emergency related to the coronavirus that
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has been declared by the Secretary of Health and Human
17
Services pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health
18
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d).
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SEC. 3. PRIVATE SECTOR ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 7 days after the
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date of enactment of this Act, the Chair of the Maritime
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Task Force shall nominate representatives to a private
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sector advisory committee to work in consultation with the
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Maritime Task Force.
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•HR 8471 IH
(b) COMPOSITION.—The private sector advisory com-
1
mittee shall consist of the following members:
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(1) Two representatives from the passenger
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cruise line industry.
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(2) One representative from the harbor pilots
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industry.
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(3) Two representatives from longshoremen
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unions.
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(4) One representative from the travel agent in-
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dustry.
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(5) One representative from a port council.
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(6) One representative from vessel and cargo
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operations.
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(7) One representative from a small business
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whose primary income is derived from working with
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a port or cruise company.
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(8) One representative who is a nongovern-
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mental medical health professional with expertise in
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infectious diseases.
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(c) DUTIES.—Not later than 15 days after the ap-
20
pointment of all members of the private sector advisory
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committee, the private sector advisory committee shall
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submit written recommendations to the Maritime Task
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Force established under section 2 on policies and proce-
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dures to be adopted for the safe resumption of the cruise
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•HR 8471 IH
line industry during and after the COVID–19 public
1
health emergency, including providing recommendations
2
about—
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(1) best scientific practices;
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(2) measures adopted in other travel industries
5
that may be adapted for the cruise line industry;
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and
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(3) general matters affecting the safe and rea-
8
sonable resumption of cruise line activity.
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(d) ADMINISTRATION.—
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(1) EMPLOYEE STATUS.—A member of the pri-
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vate sector advisory committee shall not be consid-
12
ered an employee of the Federal Government by rea-
13
son of service on such committee, except for the pur-
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poses of the following:
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(A) Chapter 81 of title 5, United States
16
Code.
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(B) Chapter 171 of title 28, United States
18
Code, and an other Federal law relating to tort
19
liability.
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(2) ACCEPTANCE OF VOLUNTEER SERVICES.—
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Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a mem-
22
ber of the private sector advisory committee shall
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serve on such committee on a voluntary basis with-
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out pay.
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•HR 8471 IH
(3) STATUS OF MEMBERS.—With respect to a
1
member of the committee whom the Chair of the
2
Maritime Task Force appoints to represent an entity
3
or group—
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(A) the member is authorized to represent
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the interests of the applicable entity or group;
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and
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(B) requirements under Federal law that
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would interfere with such representation and
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that apply to a special Government employee
10
(as defined in section 202(a) of title 18, United
11
States Code), including requirements relating to
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employee conduct, political activities, ethics,
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conflicts of interest, and corruption, do not
14
apply to the member.
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(4) SERVICE ON COMMITTEE.—
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(A) PROHIBITION.—The Chair of the Mar-
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itime Task Force shall not seek, consider, or
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otherwise use information concerning the polit-
19
ical affiliation of an appointee in making an ap-
20
pointment to the committee.
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(B) SERVICE
AT
PLEASURE
OF
THE
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CHAIR.—Each member of the committee shall
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serve at the pleasure of the Chair of the Mari-
24
time Task Force.
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•HR 8471 IH
(5) SECURITY BACKGROUND EXAMINATIONS.—
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The Chair of the Maritime Task Force may require
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an individual to have passed an appropriate security
3
background examination before appointment to the
4
committee.
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(6) PROHIBITION.—A Federal employee may
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not be appointed as a member of the committee.
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(7) STAFF SERVICES.—The Chair of the Mari-
8
time Task Force shall furnish to the committee any
9
staff and services considered by the Chair of the
10
Maritime Task Force to be necessary for the con-
11
duct of the committee’s functions and may accept
12
staff and services from the members of the Maritime
13
Task Force.
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(8) TERMINATION.—The committee shall termi-
15
nate upon conclusion of the COVID–19 public health
16
emergency, as defined in section 2(d).
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Æ
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