Chuck Grassley: “This chart makes it crystal clear the overwhelming number of these ships were foreign flag and foreign crew. Out of the…”

“This chart makes it crystal clear the overwhelming number of these ships were foreign flag and foreign crew. Out of the defense control we only had one instance where the material did not get there--only one instance. I think the statement by the Senator from Alaska was questioning the reliability of foreign-owned flag ships and foreign crews, but they delivered. Only one did not deliver. U.S.-flag components, total, 17. The rest out of the 500 that made it into the zone were foreign. I have heard my colleague state U.S. flags charged less than foreign flags during the Persian Gulf war. I want to provide my colleagues with what the Department of the Navy reported to me on the cost of charter vessels: The cost of foreign voyage chartered ships is approximately 60 percent of U.S.-flag voyage charters. The Navy said: Only 41 of 283 vessels were U.S. flag. My amendment does not prohibit transfers of smaller feeder vessels to deliver war materiel in the war zone. My amendment simply says that these smaller feeders must be U.S. flag and U.S. crewed, not foreign flag. This is what we are led to believe this bill is all about. We are led to believe that if this bill passes, only U.S. flags and crews will deliver our goods into the war zone. Without my amendment, this will not be guaranteed. My amendment says U.S. flag and U.S. crews will deliver our goods into the war zone. This is what Senator Lott--and I quoted him twice--said 2 months ago that we need to assure.”