,v  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #begj  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,june #bg1 #bjac ,mr4
 ,barr introduced the following bill2   
which was referred to the ,committee on 
,transportation and ,infrastructure  ,a 
,,bill  ,to exempt the vessel ,john     
,craig from certain requirements when   
operating on a portion of the ,kentucky 
,river1 and for other purposes4  #a4    
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,valley ,view ,ferry ,preservation  
,act of #bjac4  #b4 ,findings ,congress 
finds the following3  7#a7 ,the ,valley 
,view ,ferry is the oldest continuously 
operated ferry west of the ,appalachian 
,mountains and the third oldest in the  
,united ,states4  7#b7 ,the vessel      
utilized by the ,valley ,view ,ferry1   
the vessel ,john ,craig1 does not have  
steering capabilities2 instead1 it is   
attached to #b overhead1 #g_/h inch     
diameter cables that guide the vessel to
 each side of the river4  7#c7 ,the     
crossing distance for the ,valley ,view 

,ferry is approximately #ejj feet4  7#d7
 ,the ,valley ,view ,ferry is located on
 the ,kentucky ,river between the cities
 of ,lexington1 ,nicholasville1 and     
,richmond in ,central ,kentucky4  7#e7  
,the ,john ,craig is a #bd-ton vessel   
that is #fj feet long and #ad feet wide4
  7#f7 ,the ,valley ,view ,ferry does   
not carry vehicles with combustible     
materials4  7#g7 ,the ,valley ,view     
,ferry is a toll-free ferry4  7#h7      
,federal regulations changed in #bjjf1  
which established a new requirement that
 the ,valley ,view ,ferry comply with   
all ,coast ,guard inspection and        
licensing regulations4  7#i7 ,the new   
licensing regulations for operators of  
the vessel ,john ,craig threaten to     
close the historic ferry4  7#aj7 ,while 
the ,coast ,guard should maintain safety
 inspection authority with respect to   
the ,valley ,view ,ferry1 licensing     
authority should reside with the        
,commonwealth of ,kentucky4  #c4 ,valley
 ,view ,ferry  7a7 ,in general          

,notwithstanding any other provision of 
law1 the vessel ,john ,craig 7,united   
,states official number ,d#aaajfac71 if 
operating on the covered portion of the 
,kentucky ,river1 shall be exempt from  
the requirement under section #hijb of  
title #df1 ,united ,states ,code1 that  
the vessel be operated by an individual 
licensed by the ,secretary4  7b7        
,effective date  7#a7 ,in general ,the  
exemption under subsection 7a7 shall    
take effect on the date on which the    
,secretary determines that a licensing  
requirement under ,kentucky ,state law  
has been established that applies to the
 vessel ,john ,craig4  7#b7 ,continued  
effect ,the exemption under subsection  
7a71 upon taking effect as the result of
 a ,state law under paragraph 7#a71     
shall remain in effect for the period   
during which such ,state law is in      
effect4  7c7 ,definitions ,in this      
section1 the following definitions      
apply3  7#a7 ,covered portion of the    
,kentucky ,river ,the term covered      

portion of the ,kentucky ,river means   
the portion of the ,kentucky ,river1    
,kentucky1 located at approximately mile
 point #aeh1 in ,pool ,number #i1       
between ,lock and ,dam ,number #i and   
,lock and ,dam ,number #aj4  7#b7       
,secretary ,the term ,secretary has the 
meaning given that term in section #baja
 of title #df1 ,united ,states ,code4