Biden Signs Bill Allowing Cruise Ships to Resume Service to Alaska
President Joe Biden has signed into law a bill that lets cruise ships sail directly from Washington State to Alaska without having to dock in Canada, opening the door for cruise lines to resume cruises to Alaska after a pandemic-driven stoppage.
The White House announced on Monday that Biden had signed H.R. 1318, or the “Alaska Tourism Restoration Act,” which temporarily allows foreign-flagged cruise ships to sail directly to Alaska until March 31, 2022, or until Canada lifts its pandemic-related restriction prohibiting cruise ships from docking in its waters, whichever date comes first.
House Passes Bill That Would Save Alaska Cruise Season
Photo: Darryl Brooks / Shutterstock.com.
On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved the bill that would allow cruise ships to sail Alaska itineraries this summer.
H.R. 1318, which was sponsored by Alaska House Rep. Don Young and Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, passed by a voice vote without opposition on Thursday. It has now passed both chambers and could be signed by President Joe Biden as soon as later today.
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.
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