Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said the committee will conduct a hearing to review cruise ship safety in light of Costa Concordia accident.
“The Costa Concordia tragedy is a wakeup call for the United States and international maritime organizations to carefully review and make certain we have in place all appropriate standards to ensure passengers’ safety on cruise ships,” Mica said.
“In general, cruise travel is a safe form of transportation and an important jobs provider for the nation’s economy. Congress must closely examine how this incident occurred and address questions raised regarding vessel safety and operating standards and crew training requirements.”
The committee will review the Concordia incident, current safety measures and training requirements.
Mica said he has asked Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.), chairman of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, to help lead the review and preliminary investigations in preparation for a February hearing.
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