On the recordJune 19, 2013
I thank the chairman for yielding. While I support efforts to make our foreign food aid programs as efficient and effective as possible, I cannot support the amendment by the gentlemen from California and New York, Mr. Royce and Mr. Engel. However well-intentioned the sponsors might be, the effect of this amendment would be to undermine the integrity of the U.S. merchant marine and U.S. flag fleet, which serve our Nation in times of war and peace. The effect of this amendment would be to reduce the volume of U.S. Government-impelled cargoes shipped overseas under the Food for Peace program. No one disputes that fact. However, many of the militarily useful vessels that provide this needed sealift capacity for our military also participate in the food aid programs under cargo preference. For example, all 19 vessels owned by Maersk Line, Limited and enrolled in the Maritime Security Program also carry foreign food aid. And for that matter, the U.S. mariners that serve on these vessels come from the same common pool that serves both needs. You cannot cut one without also harming the other. And once these jobs are gone, they're gone forever. Plain and simple, this amendment will mean fewer voyages for U.S. carriers and fewer jobs for our U.S. merchant seafarers at a time when our military is reducing the sealift demand as it draws down from its deployment in Afghanistan.
