The Coast Guard Authorization Bill has passed the House while the Rules Committee declined Rep. Baron Hill's request to amend the exemption the the Delta Queen to it. While Baron Hill is still dedicated to find other ways to help the Delta Queen eventually returning to the rivers as cruise vessel, the 2010 Coast Guard Authorization Bill now is in the Senate (S.1194) where there is a new chance to get an amendment giving the Delta Queen a renewal of her exemption.

Delta Queen fans are requested to contact their Senators asking them to introduce an amendment to the bill and/or support it in the Senate.

From the 2008 Senate bill S.3498, all sponsors and co-sponsors are still in the Senate, except Barack Obama. So most likely one or more of them should be more than happy to introduce a new bill in the Senate to amend the Delta Queen exemption to the 2010 Coast Guard Authorization Act.

Democrats who sponsored or co-sponsored the 9/16/2008 bill in the Senate:

Bayh, Evan [D – IN] – up for re-election in 2010, considered safe
Brown, Sherrod [D – OH]
Harkin, Tom [D – IA]
Lincoln, Blanche L. [D – AR] – up for re-election in 2010, considered safe
Pryor, Mark L. [D – AR] – member of the Senate's Commerce Committee
Sen Obama, Barack [D – IL]

Republicans:

Voinovich, George V. [R – OH] – retiring in 2010
Cochran, Thad [R – MS]
Lugar, Richard G. [R – IN]
Alexander, Lamar [R – TN]
Wicker, Roger F. [R – MS] – member of the Senate's Commerce Committee
Grassley, Chuck [R – IA] – up for re-election in 2010, considered safe
McConnell, Mitch [R – KY]
Vitter, David [R – LA] – member of the Senate's Commerce Committee – up for re-election in 2010

Chairman of the Senate's Commerce & Transportation Committe is John D. Rockefeller, IV [D – WV], who has succeeded Daniel K. Inouye (D – HI). Inouye is still a regular member of the committee and is said to be a strong opponent of any exemption for the Delta Queen.