Howard Coble Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014
Floor Speech
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Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me
this time, and I rise in strong support of H.R. 5769, the Howard Coble
Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act.
As explained by previous speakers, this bill is bipartisan,
bicameral, and is noncontroversial. It reauthorizes the Coast Guard and
the Coast Guard Reserve and the Federal Maritime Commission. The
legislation includes many important provisions that were contained in
H.R. 4005, the Coast Guard authorization legislation that was passed
and reported by voice vote from the committee, as well as overwhelming
support here on the floor on April 1 of this year.
Maintaining a safe, reliable, and efficient maritime commerce that
enables our foreign and domestic trade to fuel the U.S. economy remains
as important today as it was in 1790, when former Treasury Secretary
Alexander Hamilton established the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, the
predecessor to the U.S. Coast Guard.
This new legislation will provide our Coast Guard with the resources
and policy tools they need to meet the challenges presented by an ever-
evolving economy and security demands of our Nation.
First, let me explain. A sincere gratitude to my colleague, Duncan
Hunter, the chair of the subcommittee, for the work that he and his
extraordinary staff have done in putting together this bill. Working
together, I think we have accomplished something useful.
Mr. Rahall's leadership on our side was exemplary. He gave us the
resources, the time, and the encouragement to get this job done, and
that was repeated by Mr. Shuster on the other side. We have a great
team, and I am proud to be part of it.
This is a compromise to be sure, but it is a good one. First and
foremost, the bill includes several noncontroversial administrative and
management directives to better align the Coast Guard missions and
needs with the long-term capital planning and annual budget requests.
Additionally, the bill would grant the Coast Guard with greater
flexibility to augment Active Duty forces and provide explicit
cooperative agreement authority to enhance the Coast Guard's ability to
develop beneficial partnerships with other maritime stakeholders. The
bill provides new guidance to the Coast Guard as it continues to
rebuild its fleet of offshore cutters.
I am particularly pleased this legislation would advance several
positive initiatives to reinvigorate the U.S. merchant marine and
improve maritime transportation. Most noteworthy, this legislation
would advance several positive policy initiatives, among them the
enforcement of cargo preference laws and regulations, a move that is
long overdue.
Additionally, the legislation requires the Department of
Transportation to develop a new maritime strategy and direct the
Government Accountability Office to conduct an assessment of how future
export trade can be augmented.
I welcome the opportunities to chart new courses forward to improve
the competitiveness of the U.S. flag fleet on the high seas, to
increase opportunities for short sea shipping, and to expand our
commercial shipbuilding industrial base.
I am pleased that this legislation will advance significant new
policies already discussed by Mr. Hunter to finally force the Federal
Government and the Coast Guard especially to take constructive actions
to address the implications of the thawing of the Arctic Ocean and the
imminent demands for commercial maritime transportation and resource
development across that vast region. A particular shout-out to Mr.
Hunter for leading the charge on this very important effort.
In closing, this bill is responsible legislation that would provide
budget stability for the Coast Guard, advance sensible policy reforms,
and promote our merchant marine. The bill deserves support from Members
from both sides of the aisle.
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