Posted:
April 3, 2012
In March, a bipartisan group of 17 senators sent a letter to Senate Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-WA) and ranking member Susan Collins (R-ME) to request full funding for the Maritime Security Program in fiscal year 2013. The letter was signed by Senators John Rockefeller IV (D-WV), Roger Wicker (R-MI), Frank Lautenberg (R-NJ), David Vitter (R-LA), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mark Begich (D-AK), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).
Earlier in March, 33 Congressional representatives sent a similar letter to House Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Chairman Tom Latham (R-IA) and ranking member John Olver (D-MA) requesting full funding for the MSP in fiscal year 2013. Signing the letter with House Committee on Armed Services Chairman Buck McKeon (R-CA) and ranking member Adam Smith (D-WA) were Representatives John "Jimmy" Duncan (R-TN), Don Young (R-AK), Brian Higgins (D-NY), Norm Dicks (D-WA), Corrine Brown (D-FL), Allen West (R-FL), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), Duncan Hunter (R-CA), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Jim Langevin (D-RI), Scott Rigell (R-VA), Timothy Bishop (D-NY), Michael Grimm (R-NY), Mike McIntyre (D-NC), Nick Rahall (D-WV), Howard Coble (R-NC), Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Albio Sires (D-NJ), Bob Filner (D-CA), C.A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger (D-MD), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU), Daniel Lipinski (D-IL), Michael Michaud (D-ME), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Laura Richardson (D-CA), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Cedric Richmond (D-LA) and Janice Hahn (D-CA).
"The Maritime Security Program and the uninterrupted operation of its maritime security fleet of 60 U.S.-flag militarily-useful commercial vessels ensures that America will in fact be able to support and supply our troops overseas," the senators wrote. "It guarantees that American flag vessels and American crews will continue to be available to transport the supplies and equipment our troops need to do their job in behalf of our nation."
The senators requested full funding for the program of $186 million, the same amount authorized by Congress and proposed by the administration.
"It is extremely important to note that the failure to approve the requested funding for the Maritime Security Program will not only put American troops at risk, but will weaken America's overall security interests and will cost the American taxpayer significantly more than the amount requested for FY 2013 for the MSP," the senators wrote. "Without having the MSP and its maritime security fleet to rely on, the options available to the Department of Defense and to our country to meet America's commercial sealift capability requirements are totally unacceptable."
The senators pointed out that replacing the sealift, intermodal and manpower capabilities provided by the MSP would be a "tremendous" cost to the Department of Defense. More likely, the Department of Defense would be forced to charter foreign-flagged vessels manned by foreign nationals - "interests who may not share America's goals, objectives and values ... These foreign flag shipping services will have to be paid for by the United States and it means our country will be encouraging the outsourcing of American maritime jobs as we spend taxpayer dollars on foreign flag ships and their foreign crews."
Legislators seek full funding for Maritime Security Program in FY 2013
In March, a bipartisan group of 17 senators sent a letter to Senate Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-WA) and ranking member Susan Collins (R-ME) to request full funding for the Maritime Security Program in fiscal year 2013. The letter was signed by Senators John Rockefeller IV (D-WV), Roger Wicker (R-MI), Frank Lautenberg (R-NJ), David Vitter (R-LA), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mark Begich (D-AK), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).
Earlier in March, 33 Congressional representatives sent a similar letter to House Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Chairman Tom Latham (R-IA) and ranking member John Olver (D-MA) requesting full funding for the MSP in fiscal year 2013. Signing the letter with House Committee on Armed Services Chairman Buck McKeon (R-CA) and ranking member Adam Smith (D-WA) were Representatives John "Jimmy" Duncan (R-TN), Don Young (R-AK), Brian Higgins (D-NY), Norm Dicks (D-WA), Corrine Brown (D-FL), Allen West (R-FL), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), Duncan Hunter (R-CA), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Jim Langevin (D-RI), Scott Rigell (R-VA), Timothy Bishop (D-NY), Michael Grimm (R-NY), Mike McIntyre (D-NC), Nick Rahall (D-WV), Howard Coble (R-NC), Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Albio Sires (D-NJ), Bob Filner (D-CA), C.A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger (D-MD), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU), Daniel Lipinski (D-IL), Michael Michaud (D-ME), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Laura Richardson (D-CA), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Cedric Richmond (D-LA) and Janice Hahn (D-CA).
"The Maritime Security Program and the uninterrupted operation of its maritime security fleet of 60 U.S.-flag militarily-useful commercial vessels ensures that America will in fact be able to support and supply our troops overseas," the senators wrote. "It guarantees that American flag vessels and American crews will continue to be available to transport the supplies and equipment our troops need to do their job in behalf of our nation."
The senators requested full funding for the program of $186 million, the same amount authorized by Congress and proposed by the administration.
"It is extremely important to note that the failure to approve the requested funding for the Maritime Security Program will not only put American troops at risk, but will weaken America's overall security interests and will cost the American taxpayer significantly more than the amount requested for FY 2013 for the MSP," the senators wrote. "Without having the MSP and its maritime security fleet to rely on, the options available to the Department of Defense and to our country to meet America's commercial sealift capability requirements are totally unacceptable."
The senators pointed out that replacing the sealift, intermodal and manpower capabilities provided by the MSP would be a "tremendous" cost to the Department of Defense. More likely, the Department of Defense would be forced to charter foreign-flagged vessels manned by foreign nationals - "interests who may not share America's goals, objectives and values ... These foreign flag shipping services will have to be paid for by the United States and it means our country will be encouraging the outsourcing of American maritime jobs as we spend taxpayer dollars on foreign flag ships and their foreign crews."