President Obama last week signed into law the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act.
According to USA Today, the new law “requires cruise lines to contact the FBI and the U.S. Coast Guard as soon as a suspicious death or assault of a passenger on a ship is reported.”
“The term ‘duty free’ does not apply to the safety of passengers,” U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., said in a statement. “Murky lines of jurisdiction are no longer an excuse for risking the safety of millions of Americans who will board cruise ships this year. Ken Carver has been a tireless advocate for this cause.”
U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., introduced the legislation last year.
“This has been a long, difficult road for all cruise victims and their families, and this legislation is truly a result of their courage, their dedication and their conviction to preventing further crimes from happening,” Matsui said in a statement. “This legislation is critical to providing the security and safety measures that all Americans need and deserve, no matter if they are on land or at sea.”
