Safeguarding American Tourism Act

This bill aims to adjust the applicability of certain U.S. maritime and immigration laws for large passenger vessels. Specifically, it exempts vessels with 800 or more passenger berths from key provisions of the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) and the Jones Act . These exemptions apply to requirements related to domestic passenger transport between U.S. ports, vessel documentation, and the citizenship of officers and crew. Furthermore, the legislation modifies regulations concerning temporary landing permits for alien crewmen in the United States. It grants immigration officers discretion to allow crewmen to land for the duration of their valid visa, provided the officer is satisfied they intend to depart. The bill also simplifies the options for crewmen's departure, allowing them to leave on their arriving vessel or another vessel or aircraft. A rule of construction clarifies that these amendments only provide explicit exemptions and do not broadly exempt vessels from other U.S. laws.