WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) reintroduced his legislation to improve the safety of duck boatsfollowing the 2018 tragedy on Table Rock Lake. Senator Hawley’s legislation, cosponsored by Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), would authorize previously-outlined National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations, including commonsense provisions to require the use of life jackets and equipping all operating duck boats to be more buoyant in the case of emergency flooding.
Senator Hawley said, “In 2018, 17 people lost their lives in a preventable tragedy on Table Rock Lake. The best way we can honor the lives lost there and those lost in the accidents that preceded it is to do our part in protecting safety on the water and passing this common-sense legislation. This bill passed the Senate unanimously last year, and I am committed to building on that progress and seeing it become law.”
“Seventeen people lost their lives in the duck boat tragedy on Table Rock Lake,” said Senator Blunt. “These common-sense safety measures, which are long overdue and need to go into effect immediately, will help prevent an incident like this from ever happening again. I was disappointed the House didn’t act on this important legislation after it passed the Senate last Congress. I urge all of my colleagues to come together and support our efforts to improve safety and protect lives.”
Senator Hawley’s bill was passed unanimously by the full Senate and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation in the 116th Congress.
