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Congressman Garamendi Holds Hearing to Reinvigorate the American Maritime Industry.

May 21, 2013

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, CA), the Ranking Member of the House Transportation Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, championed the American maritime industry and workers at a subcommittee hearing. Tomorrow at 10 AM ET, the Congressman will speak at the U.S. Department of Transportation along with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood for observance of National Maritime Day and a wreath laying ceremony. Congressman Garamendi promoted Maritime Day in a joint op-ed with Rear Admiral Thomas Cropper, President of California State University’s Maritime Academy, who served as U.S. Navy Commander for Strike Force Training in the Pacific.

At this morning’s Subcommittee Hearing, “Maritime Transportation: The Role of U.S. Ships and Mariners,” Ranking Member Garamendi and Chairman Duncan Hunter asked expert witnesses about the best path forward for the industry. Click here to read Congressman Garamendi’s opening statement.

“From colonial times to the present, the maritime sector has been vital to the defense of our nation and to the strength of our economy,” said Congressman John Garamendi. “90 percent of global trade moves by ships and 95 percent of American military cargo is transported by ships. Tomorrow, on National Maritime Day, we will honor the work of mariners and the sacrifice of American military servicemembers who served and continue to serve our nation on the high seas.”

Garamendi added, “Today’s hearing pointed out the challenges and potential fixes for maritime transportation – as well as demonstrating its importance. We should take steps to enhance and grow cargo for American ships. We can do that by enforcing the Jones Act and other Buy American and cargo preference requirements. Additionally, by lifting sequestration, we can remove budget uncertainty and restore funding for valuable maritime business and defense operations, especially the Maritime Security Program which provides invaluable sealift capability to support our troops deployed overseas. I will continue to advocate for a better environment for maritime transportation to succeed and, from the bottom of my heart, I thank our mariners for their work.”

Congressman Garamendi’s op-ed on National Maritime Day follows:

The Golden State’s Golden Opportunity

The Hill’s Congress Blog
By Rear Admiral Thomas Cropper and Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA)

“Go west young man, go west.” These words by author Horace Greeley in the mid-1800s helped spur the American westward movement that ultimately created the State of California. Today marks National Maritime Day and Mr. Greeley’s words resonate all the more strongly for the citizens of our maritime state as we embark upon the American Pacific century. We need only look west once more to find golden opportunities on our Pacific doorstep.

California’s gross domestic product last year was nearly two trillion dollars. Our state is the world’s twelfth largest economy. California’s prosperity, and the economic recovery of our nation depend heavily upon trade – Asian trade – a condition that is likely to accelerate in the decades ahead. Eight of our top ten global trading partners are in Asia, and – due to the immutable laws of geography – these crucial players in our economic destiny cannot be reached by train or truck. They can only be reached efficiently by sea. California’s position, astride sea lanes running east-west or north-south in the Pacific, has given coastal cities like Los Angeles, Long Beach and San Francisco a distinct financial advantage. Looking west – to the “Far East” – we will find incredible opportunity.

It is staggering that 90% of global trade moves by ship and that 95% of the total value in goods traded worldwide moves over the sea. Californians benefit not only by geography, but also in the number of well-paying jobs in maritime industries. Whether they work as merchant mariners, longshoremen, fishermen, cruise line operators, maritime security personnel or commercial shipyard workers, California’s maritime professionals are working almost unnoticed behind the scenes to propel our economy forward. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 20% growth in maritime transportation worker jobs throughout this decade. Opportunity is knocking – and California is the nation’s door to the Pacific.

California’s maritime industries comprise a profession that is, perhaps counterintuitively, the greenest of all the transportation modes – and these same industries continue to become greener. Maritime movement of goods, whether across the Pacific or to inland ports such as Stockton and Sacramento, produces less than one-third of the carbon footprint of highway vehicles while consuming only one-quarter of the fuel that such vehicles require to move the same amount of cargo. California state universities, in partnership with the maritime profession, are actively conducting research to further reduce environmental impacts and to improve environmental stewardship of our marine “highway.” Maritime professionals and researchers deliver significant comparative advantage economically and environmentally and, again, California stands to benefit - by looking west.

The maritime profession routinely fuels our state economy through international services including maritime law, marine insurance underwriting, port industrial safety and security, and international fuel and maintenance services. The influence of fortunate geography – simply living in a maritime state – boosts our prosperity through global tourism, recreational boating including America’s Cup, and the sheer diversity of visitors conducting business with California’s maritime-related businesses.

Today our nation celebrates National Maritime Day. We encourage you to pause to appreciate both the blessings of our maritime geography and the superb contributions that our state’s maritime professions make to our nation’s economic strength. Golden opportunities await the Golden State in the American Pacific century. Look west!

Cropper served as commander, Strike Force Training Pacific for the U.S. Navy, and is the current President of California State University’s Maritime Academy. Garamendi sits on the House Armed Services Committee and is the ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.