Ed Royce: “I want to recognize the efforts of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Its leadership should be commended…”

“I want to recognize the efforts of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Its leadership should be commended for this bipartisan effort to strengthen the Coast Guard in a time of heightened security threats to the United States. The Foreign Affairs Committee has been working in a bipartisan way to reform international food assistance, so I particularly appreciate the fact that this legislation does not include a provision that would have raised the cargo preference requirements for these programs from 50 percent to 75 percent. A provision like this would cost U.S. taxpayers millions more and slow lifesaving assistance by months. Lives are at stake, and I appreciate that the committee heard our view, and I also appreciate the assurances provided by the Transportation Committee that nothing in section 321 will drastically alter the existing consultation requirements for enforcement of cargo preference. I also understand that nothing in the bill will have the effect of raising cargo preference above an annual global threshold of 50 percent, particularly for the Food for Peace program. Again, congratulations to Chairman Hunter and his colleagues for crafting this important legislation and also Mr. Coble and Mr. Rahall for their work.”