Landry Delivers for Louisiana Workers -- U.S. House Passes Landry Provisions in Coast Guard Re-Authorization

Press Release

After working for nearly a year to increase the safety and viability of Louisiana's oil and gas and maritime industries, Congressman Jeff Landry (R, LA-03) applauded his colleagues in passing H.R. 2838 -- the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act. The bill -- which authorizes Coast Guard funding for the next 4 years -- was filled with language from Landry that increases the safety of offshore workers, reduces the unnecessary burdens on American companies, and increases much-needed government transparency.

"As South Louisiana's representative, I understand that our nation's most valuable natural resource is not the oil and gas underneath our waters; it is the men and women who risk their lives to deliver the energy we need to create jobs and fuel our economy," declared Landry. "It is for that reason, I am thankful the House of Representatives, in a strong bi-partisan manner, passed the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act."

"Today's bill will enhance the safety of our hard-working men and women working off our shores to extract the energy our nation needs," continued Landry. "My standby vessel provision applies the lessons of the Deepwater Horizon tragedy and guarantees our offshore workers will have a vessel nearby ready to act if another accident occurs. I am thankful that my colleagues supported me voted to give our hard-working men and women another asset to ensure they return home safely to their spouses and children."

"I am also proud to have lead the efforts to remove the onerous Notice of Arrival regulations on our domestic supply vessels. With nearly 15 million Americans out of work and looking for jobs, we must not burden American businesses with more excessive regulations. Furthermore, I am grateful the House voted to grant medical certificates for mariners in a timely manner and provide transparency for Jones Act waivers," concluded Landry.

In addition to the Standby Vessel provision (Section 608) of the bill, which was added by Landry with the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Considered the bill, the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act also included four other provisions Landry helped to pass:

* Section 603 of the bill includes language Landry helped draft which ensures needless Notice of Arrival regulations are not placed on domestic offshore supply vessels. Congress had previously instructed the Coast Guard to enact regulations requiring foreign vessels provide notice to the Coast Guard when they arrive in U.S. waters. The Coast Guard subsequently enforced this regulation onto domestic vessels serving rigs on the Outer Continental Shelf, thus causing the offshore supply industry to comply with an unnecessary paperwork requirement.
* The Managers Amendment -- offered by Chairman Frank LoBiondo (R, NJ-02) -- grants the Coast Guard the authority to allow mariners to continue to work while their medical certificates are being renewed, ensuring that bureaucratic delays do not prevent a mariner from earning a paycheck. This Amendment passed the House by voice vote.
* The House also passed by voice vote the Cummings-Landry Amendment, sponsored by Representative Elijah Cummings (D, MD-07) and Landry. This amendment increases the transparency for Jones Act waivers, thereby helping to ensure U.S. workers do not unfairly lose contracts to foreign mariners. This amendment mirrors language Cummings and Landry had previously introduced as a free standing bill, H.R. 3202 the American Mariners Job Protection Act.
* H.R. 2838 also includes the text of H.R. 2840, the Commercial Vessel Discharge Reform Act of 2011, which Landry was one of only 7 cosponsors. This important legislation ensures that inland vessels have to comply with only one nationwide standard for ballast water discharges, instead of 50 differing standards. The bill also ensures that the U.S. standard is the same as the international standard.

Source