Political Quotes

“I rise today to urge my colleagues to support the nomination of RADM Ann Phillips to be Administrator of the Maritime Administration. Rear Admiral Phillips served in the U.S. Navy for 31 years, served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and held leadership positions such as the Director of Surface Warfare for the Chief of Naval Operations. Most recently, she served as special assistant to former Governor of Virginia Ralph Northam, where she focused on coastal adaptation and protection. This nomination is so important to our maritime industry, especially as we are facing unprecedented challenges in the maritime supply chain. The Maritime Administration is responsible for supporting America's maritime transportation industry, including supporting the health of the U.S. merchant marine fleet, investing in port infrastructure, supporting American shipyards, and growing and training the maritime workforce. Never before have maritime and shipping issues been more important to the health of our economy and consumers. Our ports are handling record amounts of cargo as COVID-19 has caused consumers to shift their spending habits to e-commerce. The arrival of these imports has led to record volumes at our U.S. ports. In 2021, the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach moved 10 million containers for the first time ever. In my State, the State of Washington, the Northwest Seaport Alliance saw a 15-percent increase in container volumes over the last year.…”