The Alaska State House passed Senate Joint Resolution 9 urging the U.S. Congress and President Joe Biden to temporarily halt federal laws that currently block large cruise ships from visiting Alaska. The resolution passed the House 38-2 with only Rep. David Eastman (R-Wasilla) and Rep. Christopher Kurka (R-Wasilla) opposed. A similar measure is now before the Alaska Senate.
The bill attempts to address concerns over the Passenger Vessel Services Act, which requires large cruise ships with more than 100 passengers to stop in at least one international port before arriving in Alaska. On Feb. 2, however, the Canadian government closed its ports to cruise ships for the entire 2021 season due to COVID concerns. This effectively blocks summer cruises to Alaska until the spring of 2022.
Eastman said he opposed the bill because it goes beyond asking the U.S. Congress to change the law regarding passenger ships, and actually requests that President Biden not enforce a duly passed federal law. Eastman said he could have supported resolution if it had simply asked Congress to change what he considers to be a very bad federal law.
On the federal level, all three members of Alaska’s Congressional delegation have introduced bills to make the temporary changes which SJR 9 requests.
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The UK is considering a proposal to allow cruises in May and multiple cruise lines have already announced trips beginning after May 17.
SJR 9 notes that more than 2,260,000 visitors traveled to Alaska in 2019 with half of those coming via cruise ships. Together, these tourists generate more than $214 million in state and municipal revenue, more than $1.4 billion in payroll and $2.2 billion in visitor spending. This influx of money creates 8,394 jobs annually.
If the U.S. Congress agrees to suspend the Passenger Vessels Services Act, large cruise ships (of more than 100 passengers) could resume operations this summer, albeit with stringent health and safety measures such as mitigation plans for crews and passengers, and increased testing. A number of cruise lines have, but not all, are requiring every passenger to be vaccinated before traveling.
7 Comments
And so it begins. Bankrupt Alaska’s economy. Way to go demotards
Notice that the covid emergency is on the verge of being extended(HB76)! What is wrong with our legislators? The virus has been dramatically declining for months and this bill is close to passing. The restrictions from these government declarations have destroyed many aspects of the economy including cruise ship travel. I suggest it is time to let our legislators in the Senate know that we are done!
How do we figure out who voted Y and who voted N?
It is all public record – if you track the bill then when it comes up for vote there should be record of whom voted and how….
This is the page where bills can be looked up –
http://www.akleg.gov/basis/Home/Bill
https://lindelltv.com/mike-lindell-tv-releases-irrefutable-election-theft-proof/?fbclid=IwAR26jwuMYwt8_iv4nwEoHOjWbiaju2iTU9Rq-Mi7_Tzsl1pdiOB6os6xXRg truth. Politicians,,, yes you who said nothing you cowards,,,, Its all a hoax and they did nothing your business destroyed Alaska hamstrung . This is a crime scene and DOMINION is your Albatross.
“Ownership.” What does it mean? Do AK citizens own Alaska’s natural resources, or not? The Constitution of our state says yes, but the actual fact is “no.” If the Feds or Canadian government can simply squeeze us to death, and we have no recourse, then we don’t own the resources. Alaskans are simply squatting on land that is actually fully controlled by outside forces. It never should have been this way. But nearsightedness has led us here, and we are powerless to reverse it now.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/alaska-tourism-is-ailing-but-not-from-covid-11617567083?st=833lftplbtuhsng&reflink=article_copyURL_share
Repeal the Jones Act and the PVSA