58
FOGHORN
AT THE HELM
Continued from page 7: Letter from the Executive Director
The strength of the PVA/Coast Guard 
QP lies in its long-term non-regulatory 
influence on maritime safety culture in 
the U.S. By bringing regulators and op-
erators together in a non-regulatory en-
vironment, the QP continues to build 
trust and promote communication 
between PVA and the Coast Guard. 
The next QP meeting will be held in 
the fall. 
PVA CONGRESSIONAL  
FLY-IN A HUGE SUCCESS
In April, more than 30 PVA mem-
bers—both vessel and associate—gath-
ered in Washington, D.C., to partici-
pate in the annual PVA Congressional 
Fly-In. These PVA members took part 
in 32 meetings with members of 
Congress and their staff members to 
highlight the passenger vessel industry, 
discuss pressing issues and challenges, 
and seek support for current and fu-
ture industry legislative priorities.
Members of Congress and their staff 
are very receptive to meeting face-to-
face with constituents and business 
leaders. They are genuinely interested 
in hearing about the challenges and 
opinions of individuals and businesses 
in their districts and states. These types 
of interactions are extremely valuable 
not only in airing concerns and dis-
cussing important issues of the day, 
but they also provide an opportunity 
to heighten the visibility for the signif-
icance of the passenger vessel industry 
and the many services and benefits it 
provides to the public at large. We do 
notice that those on the Hill are very 
familiar with the topics that we discuss 
with them and we believe that much of 
this is linked to PVA consistently com-
municating with them through PVA’s 
Congressional Fly-Ins and ongoing 
staff contact. The relationships that 
PVA members build through this an-
nual event delivers long term benefits. 
The following are a just a few of the 
issues that were covered in this year’s 
PVA Congressional Fly-In:
• Concerns about Coast Guard 
service delivery
• Need for expanded illegal  
charter enforcement
• Adequate funding for the Coast 
Guard’s marine inspection and 
training missions
• Increased funding for the  
Small Shipyard Grant Program
• Increased funding for the  
Federal Highway Administration 
Ferry Grant Program
• Increased funding for the  
Federal Transit Administration 
Ferry Grant Program 
• Concerns about future funding for 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
PVA members who participated 
in this year’s PVA Congressional 
Fly-In were successful in building 
lasting relationships while also em-
phasizing issues of importance to 
their businesses and to the passen-
ger vessel industry.
Please join us next spring in Washing-
ton, D.C., for the PVA Congressional 
Fly-In. I promise that you will find it 
to be a rewarding experience.
PVA vessel and associate members gathered in Washington, D.C., for the PVA Congressional Fly-In in April. 

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