KF27 1983 H.R. 3289, A BILL TO ESTABLISH A COMMISSION HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES, SEAPOWER AND STRATEGIC AND CRITICAL MATERIALS SUBCOMMITTEE, Washington, D.C., Thursday, September 15, 1983 The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10 a.m., in room 2212, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Charles E. Bennett (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. CHARLES E. BENNETT, A REPRE- STRATEGIC AND CRITICAL MATERIALS SUBCOMMITTEE Mr. BENNETT. The subcommittee will come to order. This morning the subcommittee will consider H.R. 3289, a bill to establish a commission to study defense-related aspects of the U.S. merchant marine. During hearings held in the spring, the committee heard testimony detailing the continuing decline of the U.S. merchant marine and the contraction of the commercial shipbuilding and repair industry. The concept of a commission grew out of these hearings. The purpose of H.R. 3289 is to create a mechanism whereby informed and interested representatives of the maritime community can come together to develop specific proposals that the Congress can act upon to maintain a merchant marine capable of satisfying national requirements during war or national emergency. The substance of H.R. 3289 was included in the fiscal year 1983 defense authorization bill as reported by the committee, but was subsequently deleted during floor consideration as a result of an agreement with Chairman Jones of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee that the matters contained within H.R. 3289 should be addressed through separate legislation. [H.R. 3289 is as follows:] (1) To establish a commission to study defense-related aspects of the United States merchant marine. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JUNE 14, 1983 Mr. BENNETT introduced the following bill; which was referred jointly to the Committees on Armed Services and Merchant Marine and Fisheries I A BILL To establish a commission to study defense-related aspects of the United States merchant marine. 1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 3 4 ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION SECTION 1. There is hereby established a commission to 5 be known as the Commission on Merchant Marine and De 6 fense (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the "Commis 7 sion"). 1 2 2 PURPOSE OF COMMISSION SEC. 2. The Commission shall study problems relating 3 to transportation of cargo for national defense purposes in 4 time of war or national emergency and the capability of the 5 United States merchant marine to meet the need for such 6 transportation. Based on the results of the study, the Com7 mission shall make such specific recommendations, including 8 recommendations for legislative action, action by the execu9 tive branch, and action by the private sector, as the Commis10 sion considers appropriate to foster and maintain a United 11 States merchant marine capable of meeting national security 12 requirements. The recommendations of the Commission shall 13 be included in the report of the Commission under section 7. 14 15 MEMBERSHIP SEC. 3. (a) The Commission shall be composed of five 16 members, as follows: (1) The Secretary of the Navy (or his delegate), who shall be the chairman of the Commission. (2) The Administrator of the Maritime Administration (or his delegate). (3) Three members appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, one of whom shall represent operators of United States merchant ships, one of whom shall represent shipbuilders, HR 3289 IH |