Posted:
May 3, 2013
In a letter to Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) - chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies - and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), ranking member on the subcommittee, 10 senators requested that full funding for the Maritime Security Program be included in fiscal year 2014 appropriations legislation.
The senators expressed their support for $186 million in funding during the next fiscal year, "the Congressionally-authorized amount necessary to ensure that the U.S. Maritime Administration, in conjunction with the Department of Defense, has the necessary funds available to fully implement the MSP for FY 2014."
Among other things, the senators noted, "without funding the MSP and ensuring the continued operation of its maritime security fleet, America would either have to place the safety of our troops and the security of our nation in the hands of foreign shipping interests or be forced to spend billions of dollars more of the taxpayers' dollars to achieve the commercial sealift capability that will be lost if the requested funds for MSP are not appropriated.
"We again ask that you support this highly efficient and low-cost public-private partnership by including $186 million in your Subcommittee's FY 2014 appropriations legislation in order to fully implement the MSP," the senators wrote. "In so doing, you will be saving the American taxpayer billions of dollars because the Department of Defense will be able to utilize privately-owned U.S.-flag vessels to meet its commercial sealift requirements rather than buying and maintaining this capability on its own."
Signing the letter were Senators John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Ron Wyden (D-OR), David Vitter (R-LA), Mary L. Landrieu (D-LA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).
Senators support full MSP funding in fiscal year 2014
In a letter to Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) - chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies - and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), ranking member on the subcommittee, 10 senators requested that full funding for the Maritime Security Program be included in fiscal year 2014 appropriations legislation.
The senators expressed their support for $186 million in funding during the next fiscal year, "the Congressionally-authorized amount necessary to ensure that the U.S. Maritime Administration, in conjunction with the Department of Defense, has the necessary funds available to fully implement the MSP for FY 2014."
Among other things, the senators noted, "without funding the MSP and ensuring the continued operation of its maritime security fleet, America would either have to place the safety of our troops and the security of our nation in the hands of foreign shipping interests or be forced to spend billions of dollars more of the taxpayers' dollars to achieve the commercial sealift capability that will be lost if the requested funds for MSP are not appropriated.
"We again ask that you support this highly efficient and low-cost public-private partnership by including $186 million in your Subcommittee's FY 2014 appropriations legislation in order to fully implement the MSP," the senators wrote. "In so doing, you will be saving the American taxpayer billions of dollars because the Department of Defense will be able to utilize privately-owned U.S.-flag vessels to meet its commercial sealift requirements rather than buying and maintaining this capability on its own."
Signing the letter were Senators John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Ron Wyden (D-OR), David Vitter (R-LA), Mary L. Landrieu (D-LA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).