PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 156.
Congressional Research Service
Version 01 · Reported to Senate with amendment(s) · Sep 8, 2009
Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2009 - Delineates passenger vessel security and safety requirements concerning: (1) vessel design, equipment, construction, and retrofitting; (2) video surveillance to monitor crime; (3) posting of U.S. embassy locations; (4) maintenance of equipment and medical personnel for sexual assaults on board; (5) confidentiality of sexual assault information; (6) crew access to passenger staterooms; and (7) log book entry and reporting of deaths, missing individuals, thefts, and other crimes.
Prescribes penalties for violations of this Act.
Directs the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to develop minimum training standards for the certification of passenger vessel security personnel, crew members, and law enforcement officials on methods for the prevention, detection, evidence preservation, and reporting of criminal activities in the international maritime environment.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Prohibits a vessel carrying U.S. citizens from entering a U.S. port unless there is at least one crew member on board who has met such training and certification requirements. Subjects persons who violate such requirements to certain penalties.
Directs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on the security needs of a passenger vessel depending on the number of passengers on the vessel, with recommendations for security improvements.
People & committees
Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA] · D–MA
Legislative record
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Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 156.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Rockefeller with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 111-72.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Rockefeller with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 111-72.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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