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MARITIME AUTHORIZATION AND OVERSIGHT—

1980

THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 1979

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

COMMITTEE ON MERCHANT Marine and FISHERIES,

SUBCOMMITTEE ON MERCHANT MARINE,

Washington, D.C.

The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:08 a.m., in room 1334, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. John M. Murphy, chairman, presiding.

Present: Representatives Murphy, Mikulski, Donnelly, McCloskey, Snyder, and Evans.

Staff present: Carl L. Perian, chief of staff; Ernest J. Corrado, chief counsel; Larry O'Brien, deputy chief counsel; Len Sutter, counsel; Jack E. Sands, chief minority counsel; Ronald K. Losch, minority counsel; and Elizabeth Coker, subcommittee clerk.

The CHAIRMAN. The subcommittee will come to order.

This morning the Subcommittee on Merchant Marine commences hearings on MarAd oversight and the fiscal year 1980 authorization to authorize appropriations for certain maritime programs for the coming fiscal year.

66* * *

We begin work on this important legislation at a critical time for America's maritime interests. President Carter stated the issue well in his state of the Union message on January 25, 1979, when he observed that changes in our national maritime policy are overdue, and emphasized, and I quote: we must improve the ability of our merchant marine to win a fair share of our cargo Improvement of our merchant marine is the principal concern of this subcommittee, and the full committee as well, and I welcome the opportunity to focus on that objective in these proceedings.

As a casual reading of the daily press makes all too obvious, these are perilous times. Instability in the Middle East, outright war in Southeast Asia, renewed debate on the limitation of strategic weaponry, diminishing supplies of fuel, and other precious resources, and the place and role of Third World nations in Latin America and Africa raise profound questions.

In some cases, these events cast lengthening shadows, touching the international economic order and influencing our decisionmaking.

At the heart of these issues lies the central question of the American mission and role after the tumultuous events of the past decade and recent months. Are we, as some suggest, waning as an international power?

I think not: Not, that is, if we maintain our economic vitality, a vitality dependent upon our lifelines of international commerce,

and determined by our capacity to do what must be done. In that respect, it is clear that we must retain and enhance our ability to transit international waters as worldwide traders in first-rate vessels in a competitive posture.

During the last 2 years as the chairman of this committee, I have often stated my goals for the American merchant marine. I can restate them today in one sentence: To see America once again ascend to uncontested maritime preeminence in the world, ready and able to lead the way. To that end, I pledge the best efforts of this committee.

[The bill and departmental report follow:]

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