S. 2924 — Introduced in Senate

II 113th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2924 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 13, 2014Mr. Brown (for himself, Mr. Portman, Mr. Pryor, Mr. Boozman, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Vitter, and Mrs. McCaskill) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation A BILL To amend title 46, United States Code, to exempt old vessels that only operate within inland waterways from the fire-retardant materials requirement if the owners of such vessels make annual structural alterations to at least 10 percent of the areas of the vessels that are not constructed of fire-retardant materials. 1. Fire-retardant materials exemption Section 3503 of title 46, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a), by striking 2008, this section and inserting 2028, this subsection; and (2) in subsection (b)(1)— (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking this section and inserting subsection (a); (B) in subparagraph (A), by inserting and crew after prospective passengers; (C) in subparagraph (B), by inserting or crew member after passenger; (D) in subparagraph (C), by striking and at the end; and (E) by striking subparagraph (D) and inserting the following: (D) the owner or managing operator of the vessel shall— (i) make annual structural alterations to not less than 10 percent of the areas of the vessel that are not constructed of fire-retardant materials; (ii) provide advance notice to the Coast Guard regarding the alterations made pursuant to clause (i); and (iii) comply with any noncombustible material requirements prescribed by the Coast Guard; and (E) the requirements referred to in subparagraph (D)(iii) shall, to the extent practicable, be consistent with the preservation of the historic integrity of the vessel in areas carrying or accessible to passengers or generally visible to the public. .