U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Rob Portman (R-OH) have introduced legislation that would allow the Delta Queen to carry passengers on overnight trips on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot (OH-1) and Brad Wenstrup (OH-2).

“The Delta Queen’s legacy is rooted in Cincinnati and the city should play a role in her future,” Brown said. “More than just a treasured historic landmark, restoration of this ship would pump money back into Ohio River towns while returning the Delta Queen to Cincinnati’s Riverfront where it belongs.”

“The Delta Queen is an Ohio treasure and an important part of the history of Cincinnati, the Queen City. I remember being on the Delta Queen as a kid and all Cincinnatians are proud of the connection to our city,” Portman said. “This legislation is about bringing this historic boat back to my home-town of Cincinnati and boosting jobs and tourism along the Ohio River during this time of economic uncertainty, all at no cost to the taxpayer.”

The bill, if adopted by House and Senate, will grant exemption from the fire-retardant materials construction requirement for vessels operating within the Boundary Line until 2018, i.e. for another 15 years from now on, with the possibility of extenting this time period even further by new legislation before the exemption expires in 2028.