Lisa Murkowski: “yesterday I reintroduced a bill that I introduced some years ago. I think it is a very important measure. It is a…”

“yesterday I reintroduced a bill that I introduced some years ago. I think it is a very important measure. It is a measure that will unlock and open a door that Congress has kept barred for over 100 years. By opening this door, we are going to create thousands of new jobs, hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity, and significant revenue for the Federal and State and local governments. Furthermore, that door can be opened with no adverse impact on any existing U.S. industry, U.S. labor interest, or on the environment. And it will cost the Federal Government nothing. There is no magic to this. In fact, it is a very simple matter. This bill allows U.S. seaports to compete for the ever-growing cruise ship trade, specifically to my State of Alaska, but all west coast ports, Tacoma, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and so forth, would benefit. Further, it would encourage the development of an all-Alaska cruise business as well. The bill I propose amends the Passenger Service Act to allow foreign cruise ships to operate from U.S. ports to Alaska and between Alaska ports.”