PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 20, 2008

ICV Members Testify in California House of Representatives and US Senate

SAMMAMISH, WASHINGTON The International Cruise Victims Association, Inc. (ICV), a not for profit corporation formed by victims and families of victims of cruise crimes, is pleased to announce that Cruise ship safety has been the topic of two more hearings by U.S. lawmakers this week alone with one more hearing scheduled for next week as well.

On Tuesday June 17^th, theCalifornia State Assembly Judiciary Committee voted 7 to 1 in favor of a bill to place peace officers aboard cruise ships, bringing the legislation one step closer to a full vote in the chamber; having already passed the state Senate with a 25-12 vote on May 28^th, 2008.  ICV Vice President Son Michael Pham, whose parents disappeared from a Carnival Cruise ship while on a Caribbean vacation on Mothers Day in 2005, testified before the committee.  Marilyn Decker, also an ICV member, gave testimony as well regarding the rape of her 12-year-old daughter by a crew member while on a cruise.  ICV members are urging for support of Senator Joe Simitians above mentioned bill, SB 1582 which seeks to enhance public safety measures as well as environmental compliance in lieu of the current industry practice of self-monitoring and self-reporting.

Meanwhile, yesterday in Washington, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation held a Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Subcommittee hearing, on Cruise Ship Safety: Examining Potential Steps For Keeping Americans Safe At Sea.  Invited by the Senate to testify at yesterdays hearing was Kendall Carver, President of International Cruise Victims Association (ICV), and one the organizations founding members.  When he lost his daughter on the Celebrity cruise ship Mercury in 2005, Mr. Carver reports that no one from the cruise line ever notified him that his daughter was missing, and no law enforcement was brought in to investigate.  At that point Mr. Carver began his own investigation into his daughters disappearance and discovered that the cruise line had also engaged in what would amount to a cover-up. Since forming ICV just over two and one half years ago, the organization has grown to include hundreds of members around the world, including sixteen countries with a separate chapter in Australia.  Many members of the ICV association have appeared before the United States Congress beginning in 2005, again in 2006 and 2007. 

Others invited to testify in the U.S. Senate hearing yesterday included Professor Ross Klein, a Professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. Johns, Newfoundland.  He is also the author of Cruise Ship Blues.  Dr. Klein also testified before Congress in 2007 regarding the issue of cruise ship crime.  Along with Mr. Carver and Dr. Klein was Evelyn Fortier, Vice President of policy with the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network  (RAINN) which operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE and carries out programs to prevent sexual assault and helps victims by ensuring that rapists are brought to justice. 

Mr. Carver indicated today that, The subcommittee has expressed the need for change within the cruise industry and toward that end they hope to work together with U.S. Representative Doris Matsui (CA-05) to introduce legislation on the federal level that will bring new accountability and safety measures to the cruise industry. 

Back on the state level, next Tuesday June 24^th, the Simitian bill, SB 1582 will go before the California Assembly Public Safety Committee where Mr. Carver will once again testify along with Jamie Barnett  another ICV member whose daughter Ashley died mysteriously while on a 3-day Carnival cruise out of Long Beach, California to Ensenada, Mexico.  Both Mr. Carver and Ms Barnett will urge committee members to support Mr. Simitians bill which would help to bring U.S. citizens one step closer to safety and security while on a cruise. 

For more information about the International Crime Victims Association, please visit www.internationalcruisevictims.org or contact the following:

Kendall Carver
E-Mail Kcarver17@cox.net                                              Phone 602 852 5896