09/14/2011
https://congress.gov...
"We are in complete agreement with the need for a strong U.S. merchant fleet sailed by highly qualified mariners."
"The average age of the Ready Reserve fleet is 44 years old."
"The strategy that we tried to put in place 5 years ago now was to give work to the private shipyards."
"The committee required that the U.S. military use the commercial fleet with minimal or very little exception."