Efforts to reverse portions of a law that had good intentions but bad consequences have left the dock.

And in this case, that’s a good thing.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted Wednesday to allow an exemption to the 1960 Safety of Lives at Sea Act. The act, aimed at potentially saving lives in the case of a fire aboard a vessel, ultimately beached the Delta Queen.

The Queen — a local favorite and a fixture on the Mississippi River for years — is a wooden steamboat.

But, since it only travels on rivers, it would never be more than a mile from shore. In the case of a fire, help would be nearby.

In addition, much of the Queen has been replaced with steel, including its hull.

The steamboat has been docked since 2008 in compliance with the law.

With House approval, the new exemption that would allow the Delta Queen to tour again now faces the Senate OK.

Thankfully, the Queen’s stomping grounds — the Mighty Mississippi — snakes through the districts of a number of U.S. senators.

We hope those who are most affected — especially Sen. Roger Wicker and Sen. Thad Cochran — will lead the charge in putting the Delta Queen on the water again.

The Natchez economy would reap the benefits for years to come.