The shutdown of large ship cruises to the Last Frontier affects British Columbia and Washington state.
Taxicab drivers, hotel staff, cafe and restaurant cooks and dishwashers, merchants â big and small â bear the brunt of the continuing cruise industry hiatus in U.S. waters that began in early 2020.
One major issue is it that cruise ships with a capacity of more than 100 passengers that usually operate between Washington and Alaska are banned from sailing in Canadian waters and visiting Canadian ports such as Vancouver and Victoria until February 2022.
It s no small matter, Ketchikan knows.
The bigger city of Seattle is experiencing severe impacts, as well. Every time a cruise ship docks in the Emerald City, according to The Associated Press, more than $4 million is injected into the city s economy, and $14.5 million in statewide taxes is collected. It s a $1 billion industry for Seattle during the six-month cruise season. Jobs supported by the industry total about 5,50
WASHINGTON - Here s a look at how area members of Congress voted over the previous week.
Along with the week s roll call votes, the Senate also passed the Alaska Tourism Recovery Act (S. 593).
House votes
House Vote 1: ORPHAN PRESCRIPTION DRUGS: The House has rejected the Fairness in Orphan Drug Exclusivity Act (H.R. 1629), sponsored by Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa. The bill would have prevented prescription drug manufacturers who receive orphan status for a drug from the Food and Drug Administration from using the same status for a newly approved drug that has an ingredient identical to the drug that received orphan status. Dean said the change would help ensure people can gain access to newer therapies and medically assisted treatments that are potentially blocked due to orphan designation. The vote, on May 11, was 250 yeas to 168 nays, with a two-thirds majority required for approval.
Alaska Cruises Could Happen this Summer After Senate Bill Passes
Photo: Shutterstock.com.
On Thursday, the U.S. Senate passed the Alaska Tourism Recovery Act that is largely seen as the first step in restoring some kind of Alaska 2021 summer cruise season.
The bill, which can be found in full here, would allow Alaska-bound cruise ships to bypass restrictions that were preventing ships from sailing out of the U.S. ports, including ports in Washington State, through Canada to Alaska.
The bill passed the Senate with unanimous consent on Thursday and will now have to pass the House and be signed by President Biden.