Political Quotes

“I support the amendment that you have offered, and I thank you again for your leadership on the Coast Guard authorization and all of the transportation issues that our Nation faces. The manager's amendment includes provisions offered by several of our colleagues that would make a number of important improvements to H.R. 2830. Among other provisions, the manager's amendment would implement recommendations recently made by the Government Accountability Office to require the Commandant of the Coast Guard to prescribe a policy to combat sexual assault and sexual harassment at the Coast Guard Academy. And I do commend my colleague, Ms. Sanchez, for her hard work on this issue. As a member of the Naval Academy Board of Visitors, this is an issue that I have worked on very hard, not only there, but with regard to our Coast Guard Academy. The amendment would also allow the Coast Guard to delegate some regulatory functions, including facility inspections regarding offshore facilities, to classifications societies. Further, the amendment would authorize the Coast Guard to issue regulations to require a pilot to carry on board the vessel he or she is operating a computer equipped with electronic charts of the navigation areas the vessel will transit. I would strongly support this amendment, and I thank the sponsors and thank the chairman for sponsoring it.”