Support of the U.S. Flag Maritime Fleet

Floor Speech

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Mrs. LURIA. Madam Speaker, today I want to highlight the importance of the U.S. flag maritime fleet to our economic and national security. While only two percent of our country's imports and exports move on U.S. ships, the U.S. shipping industry supports, over 650,000 U.S. jobs, has over $150 billion in annual U.S. economic impact, and plays a critical role in supporting our military's ability to project power and meet wartime requirements.

Shipping is the most energy efficient way to move cargo, and we heavily rely on the U.S. flag fleet for trade security, diplomatic and maritime strength, and our readiness to defend and support American interests overseas.

The U.S. has only 84 international deep sea trading vessels, but the rest of the world has over 50,000. China alone has nearly 7,000.

The United States needs a robust U.S. flag maritime industry and a trained and qualified mariner workforce to support our surge sealift capabilities in responding to crises and military operations around the world when called upon. Further, the U.S. flag fleet routinely responds to disasters and emergencies, moves critical government and military cargo around the world, and carries American farm products in support of U.S. international development programs to help developing countries in need.

The shipping industry is facing unprecedented challenges today, but one thing we know all too well is that a strong commercial maritime capability enhances our national security. The Maritime Security Program which has broad bipartisan support in Congress is the single most important program to assist U.S. flag ships in foreign trade and helps ensure that we retain this important military capacity.

While the U.S. is the largest trading nation in the world based on exports and imports of goods and services, without strong sustained support, the U.S. flag fleet faces difficult challenges which have significant potential to negatively impact America's national security. I want to thank the U.S. flag fleet and the U.S. merchant mariners who work every day to support our military and our Nation.

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