b'LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORPVA Membership BenefitsAT THE HELMKeep Growing JOHN GROUNDWATER // EXECUTIVE DIRECTORO n behalf of all here at the Passenger Vessel Asso- to ensure that your opinions on legislative and regulatory ciation( PVA), please accept our best wishes formatters remain top of mind.a happy and safe Holiday Season. We appreciate your continuing support and look forward to working onThe PVA Legislative Committee provides valuable input your behalf in the New Year. andguidancetoPVAleadersandstaffoncurrentand emergingissuesimpactingindustry.Thecommitteeis THANK YOU FOR YOUR PVA MEMBERSHIP opentonewmembers.Ifyouareinterestedinjoining Special thanks to those of you who have renewed yourthis group, I encourage you to contact Richard Patch at PVA membership for 2026. Your support is appreciatedrpatch@passengervessel.com.and serves to underwrite important projects and activities that directly benefit members and their businesses. If youPROGRESS COMBATING ILLEGAL CHARTERS have not submitted your 2026 membership dues, there isAs you know, the existence of illegal charters has plagued still time, and we urge you to do so that we may continuethe public and passenger vessel industry for years. Despite our work in your behalf. local and Coast Guard enforcement efforts the problem continues to grow and the danger to the public remains.PVA IS YOUR VOICE IN WASHINGTON D.C.PVAs government relations work in Washington, D.C.,PVAhasplacedillegalchartersatthetopofthelistof is an important influence in shaping public policy thattalking points for each of the recent PVA Congressional benefits PVA membersFly-Ins.Whilespeaking directly.PVAplaysato members of Congress keyroleinensuringPVA plays a key role inand their staff, PVA con-thatlawmakersandsistentlystressestheim-regulatorsinourna- ensuring that lawmakersportanceofaddressing tionscapitalunder- the safety concerns asso-stand the needs of ourand regulators inciatedwithillegalvessel diverseindustryandoperatorsandthedan-are aware of how theirgers that the public faces decisionsimpactyourour nations capitalwhen they unknowingly businesses.PVAsac- charter these vessels.tivitiesservetofocusunderstand the needs of andamplifycriticalPVAstaffhasworked positions on the issuesour diverse industry.directlywiththeHouse ofimportancetoyouTransportationandIn-thatmightotherwisefrastructure (T&I) Com-be missed without a strong collective association voice.mittee to highlight and promote the need for aggressive law Through advocacy efforts such as the PVA Congressionalenforcement at the federal level. As a result of this effort, Fly-In, the PVA/U.S. Coast Guard Quality Partnershipthe chairman of the House T&I Committee has requested Meeting, and other congressional and regulatory activi- that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) initiate ties, PVA engages directly with government policymakersa study of illegal charters and to examine the Coast Guards Continued on page 707 DECEMBER 2025'