Posted:
July 3, 2012
Congressman Rick Larsen (D-WA), ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, sent the following letter dated June 29 to Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and Rep. John Mica (R-FL), chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
I am writing to express my disappointment in a provision that was included in the final transportation bill conference report that would have a disastrous impact on the U. S. maritime industry.
The Food for Peace Program, which ships U.S. agricultural exports overseas to address starvation and food insecurity, supports over 44,000 American farmers, shippers, processors, port workers, and merchant mariners. As you know, under the Cargo Preference Act of 1954 (P.L. 83-664), 75 percent of this humanitarian assistance is required to be shipped on U.S. flagged vessels crewed by U.S. seafarers. Last year, General Duncan McNabb, then Commanding General of the U.S. Transportation Command, stated that the availability of food aid cargoes is essential to maintaining the U.S. Merchant Fleet, and therefore essential to maintaining our national defense sealift capability.
Unfortunately, Section 100124 of the conference report would reduce by one-third Food for Peace cargoes required to be transported on U.S. vessels. Under this new provision, only 50 percent of these agricultural exports would be reserved for shipment on U.S. vessels. In addition, the Maritime Administration's authority to cover the differential in costs between the uses of U.S. vessels versus foreign-flagged vessels would be repealed further, thus further limiting the ability of the federal government to use the Cargo Preference Act to support our domestic maritime industry and protect our sealift capability.
It is imperative that the maritime industries of the United States remain vibrant contributors to both our national security and economy. This harmful provision does nothing to advance that mission. Thank you for your consideration on how to move forward for our maritime workers. I look forward to working with you to change this new language.
Congressman Larsen: reduction of U.S.-flag share under Food for Peace would limit nation's ability to protect defense sealift capability
Congressman Rick Larsen (D-WA), ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, sent the following letter dated June 29 to Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and Rep. John Mica (R-FL), chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
I am writing to express my disappointment in a provision that was included in the final transportation bill conference report that would have a disastrous impact on the U. S. maritime industry.
The Food for Peace Program, which ships U.S. agricultural exports overseas to address starvation and food insecurity, supports over 44,000 American farmers, shippers, processors, port workers, and merchant mariners. As you know, under the Cargo Preference Act of 1954 (P.L. 83-664), 75 percent of this humanitarian assistance is required to be shipped on U.S. flagged vessels crewed by U.S. seafarers. Last year, General Duncan McNabb, then Commanding General of the U.S. Transportation Command, stated that the availability of food aid cargoes is essential to maintaining the U.S. Merchant Fleet, and therefore essential to maintaining our national defense sealift capability.
Unfortunately, Section 100124 of the conference report would reduce by one-third Food for Peace cargoes required to be transported on U.S. vessels. Under this new provision, only 50 percent of these agricultural exports would be reserved for shipment on U.S. vessels. In addition, the Maritime Administration's authority to cover the differential in costs between the uses of U.S. vessels versus foreign-flagged vessels would be repealed further, thus further limiting the ability of the federal government to use the Cargo Preference Act to support our domestic maritime industry and protect our sealift capability.
It is imperative that the maritime industries of the United States remain vibrant contributors to both our national security and economy. This harmful provision does nothing to advance that mission. Thank you for your consideration on how to move forward for our maritime workers. I look forward to working with you to change this new language.