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The Coast Guard proposes to amend the lifejacket approval requirements and follow-up program requirements by incorporating three new bi-national standards. At the same time, the Coast Guard proposes to amend lifejacket and personal flotation devices (PFD) carriage requirements to allow for the use of equipment approved to the new standards, and to remove obsolete equipment approval requirements. The new standards are state-of-the-art and are intended to replace the legacy standards. The proposed amendments will streamline the process for approval of PFDs and allow manufacturers the opportunity to produce more innovative equipment that meets the approval requirements of both Canada and the United States, while reducing the burden for manufacturers in both the approval process and follow-up program.  These proposed changes are expected to promote economic relief. The proposed rule is expected to promote economic relief by reducing the regulatory burden on PFD manufacturers by harmonizing our PFD approval standards with Canada, requiring less frequent inspections of manufacturing facilities, providing lower cost PFD user manuals, and by creating a new market in PFDs with a lower buoyancy rating.