b'LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORIF HED EVER STOPProgress On Multiple Fronts,AT THE HELMWORKING, HEDBut PVAs Work Is Not DoneTELL YOU HIS CUMMINS TIER 4 ENGINE NEVERJOHN GROUNDWATER // EXECUTIVE DIRECTORSTOPS WORKING. S ince the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020,RESTAURANT REVITALIZATION FUND AND DINNER CRUISESPVA leaders and staffhave been working diligently on a varietyPVA has worked closely with the Small Business Administration (SBA) offrontstohelpPVAmembersendurethisunprecedentedto ensure that PVA member dinner cruise companies were qualifi ed MARINERS KNOW BEST, and theres a good reasonsituation. PVA communicated on numerous occasionsand is stillto receive funding under the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF).for that. Nobody knows what it takes to power ourcommunicatingwith Congress and the Administration to provideUnfortunately, the $28.6 billion provided under the program has been economy like they do. Except for Cummins. Our enginesemergency funding to assist PVA member companies during this time ofdepleted.While several PVA members received grants, others have not are built with one goal in mind: keeping you and yourneed. While the passenger vessel industry was not alone in experiencingbecause of the lack of funds.As a result, PVA has joined in eff orts to customers movingno matter what. And our rangeshutdowns and the corresponding serious drop offin business, PVAlobby Congress for additional funding.Last month, the PVA Board of of ever-dependable Tier 4 solutionsthe QSK38 andworked steadfastly to ensure that industry needs remained front andDirectors passed the following resolution.QSK60are no exception. With connected technologycenter in the eyes of Congress and the Administration.that lets you fine-tune performance, collaborativePVA BOARD RESOLUTION SUPPORTING ADDITIONAL engineering that makes our products feel like theyPVA also worked with state governments to try to bring some sanityAPPROPRIATIONS FOR THE RESTAURANT REVITALIZATION were made just for you, and a service network thatandconsistencyastheyscrambledtoimplementCOVID-relatedFUNDunderstands the way you operate, mariners onlyrestrictions and rules.But PVAs work is not done.We recognize thatThe Passenger Vessel Association (PVA)the national trade association need to trust one name, and thats Cummins. our industry is slowly working back in the face of continuing COVID- representing owners and operators of U.S.- agged passenger vessels of related impacts and that we are not yet out of the woods.As a result,all typesurges Congress to speedily enact additional funding for the Learn more at cummins.com or callwe will continue representing the interests of PVA in Washington D.C.Small Business Administrations Restaurant Revitalization Fund. The 1-800-CUMMINS. with ongoing vigor. initial funding of approximately $28 billion has proven insucient to provide aid to numerous eligible applicants, including members of PVA. During this time, we have made progress on a variety of fronts.BelowThe economic harm caused by the pandemic still aicts many small are just a few of the areas in which we have made headway in supportbusinesses, and a well-funded RRF can help alleviate that pain.of PVA members.RRF REPLENISHMENT ACT INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS CORONAVIRUS ECONOMIC RELIEF PROGRAM FORPROVIDING $60 BILLION IN ADDITIONAL AID TRANSPORTATION SERVICES (CERTS) NOW OPENPVARespondingtocallsforadditionalfundingfortheRestaurant Member Passenger Vessel Operators Should Apply Now Revitalization Fund (RRF), Congress has introduced the Restaurant AftermanymonthsofintensivelobbyingbyPVAandworkingRevitalization Fund Replenishment Act of 2021.If approved, the closely with officials from the U.S. Department of Treasury on themeasure would direct a much needed $60 billion to the Small Business Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services (CERTS)Administration (SBA) to augment the original $28.6 billion approved Program, the new grant program is now open to U.S. passenger vesselfor grants under the RRF.Senators Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and operators. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-PA) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) are co-sponsors of the bill.CERTS provides up to $2 billion in grants to eligible companies that certify that they have experienced an annual revenue loss of 25 percentThe SBA reports that it received more than 362,000 applications for a or more as a direct or indirect result of COVID-19. CERTS granttotal of $75 billion in funding in the three weeks the RRF application funds are primarily intended to cover payroll costs but may also beportal was open, thus dramatically outpacing available funding.used to cover the acquisition of services, equipment, including PPE and protection measures from COVID-19 for workers and customers;WhilethislegislationhasnotyetbeenpassedinCongress,PVA continuedoperationsandmaintenanceofexistingequipmentandencourages dinner cruise operators to apply for RRF fi nds if they have facilities; rent, leases, insurance, and interest on regular debt service. not done so already.Eligible PVA Member passenger vessel operators are urged to applyCDC RELAXES MASK MANDATE FOR OUTDOOR SPACES ON immediately as funds are expected to be depleted quickly.PASSENGER VESSELS AfterdeterminedadvocacybyPVA,andothers,theCentersof Click herefor application information and to access the CERTS PortalDisease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced that eff ective to apply.immediately it will no longer enforce mask wearing requirements on outdoorspacesaboardpassengervesselsandothertransportation PVA has actively lobbied for these grants and has worked closely withmodes.Furthermore,theCDCrecommendedtotheU.S.Coast Treasury Department officials as they prepared to launch the program.Guard and other federal agencies that they also will no longer enforce PVA is actively urging Congress to provide additional funding for amandatory mask wearing in outdoor spaces. second round of CERTS. Continued on page 29JUNE 2021 7 LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR21-CMI-0333_media_2021 Marine Media_IMO III_v1.indd 1 1/25/21 12:03 PM'