Texas Joins In On Suing Of The CDC In Order To Get Cruising Restarted Again

By: Alana DeRose

cruzely.com

The state of Texas has joined Alaska and Florida in the suing of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Texas believes that the Conditional Sailing Order is unlawful and greatly impacts the local economy.

"CDC's outdated and unlawful regulation harms the State of Texas, its economy, and its citizens"

The only cruise port in Texas, Port of Galveston, is the fourth most popular cruise port in America, right behind Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale, FL) , Port Canaveral (Orlando FL) and Port of Miami (Miami FL), bringing in $43,514,516 in 2018. However in 2020 they only gained $2 million after expenses were paid.

"This litigation concerns the lawfulness of a CDC regulatory order with a profound effect on the Texas public fisc, including tax revenues to the state and the well-being of multiple industries vital to the State’s economy. The CDC order also raises constitutional concerns bearing on the lawfulness and reach of the CDC’s authority."

The lawsuit arrives just days after after a rally was held in Galveston, Texas when Carnival Vista and Carnival Breeze arrived at Port of Galveston to being the vaccination of their crew on May 3, 2021.

"Carnival Cruise Line joined members of the Federal Maritime Commission, Galveston city and port officials and local businesses at the Port of Galveston to highlight the economic impact of cruising in Galveston and throughout Texas."

According to Royal Caribbean Blog.

The first hearing concerning the lawsuit is scheduled six days from now on May 12.

Texas will address the economic and employment issues and what they'll due if there were to be a Covid outbreak in order to persuade the CDC to drop their Conditional Sailing Order.

However, just yesterday on May 5, the CDC set new guidelines to help cruise lines get back to running again and Florida's whole reason in joining the lawsuit was the lack of progress by the CDC.

These new requirements are to help the cruise industry meet that mid-July restart the CDC predicted about a week ago.