Ed Pastor: “the bill we are considering funds an important national security program. The Maritime Security Program ensues that a…”

“the bill we are considering funds an important national security program. The Maritime Security Program ensues that a fleet of privately owned, commercially viable and militarily useful vessels are available to meet national defense and other security requirements. A critical new element of the MSP program as reauthorized in the Department of Defense FY04 Authorization Act is the construction and operation of militarily useful U.S.-flag product tankers, which are essential for the carriage of jet fuel and other refined petroleum products. To facilitate the construction of U.S.-flag tankers in American shipyards for the MSP program, the FY04 Defense Authorization Act created the National Defense Tank Vessel Construction Assistance Program. Implementation of this program has been underway for seven months, with seven proposals submitted to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) to construct tankers for the MSP program. Final proposals for the program are due very shortly--on October 22, 2004--with awards scheduled to occur in January 2005. However, a provision in the Transportation Appropriations Bill--sec. 187--would bring this vital program to a halt by prohibiting any funds from being expended by MARAD to administer or ward any of the contracts under the new program.”