Ranking Members Larsen, Carbajal Statements from Hearing on Rising Conflicts in the Red Sea

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"Thank you, Chair Webster. Today's hearing is timely so we can better understand the ongoing situation in the Red Sea and the effect it has on the global economy.

About 12 percent or $1 trillion of global trade passes through the Red Sea every year. Ship operators have scrambled to account for the increased risk by taking extreme measures such as diverting vessels, paying increased insurance costs, hiring private security, and relying on the U.S. Navy led Operation Prosperity Guardian for protection in the region.

The U.S. and global economy will be affected by the crises in the Red Sea--the only question is how much.

I look forward learning more about the commercial and economic impacts, but I would like to use the rest of my time to focus on the human factor.

Life on a ship is not glamorous. Mariners are typically at sea for several months at a time, they have limited access to internet and their families, and they are on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For foreign mariners on foreign ships, it's worse. They're often required to work a year or more at a time, are paid unfair wages, and are often subjected to subpar health conditions and legal systems. Unfortunately, that's the result of the "flag of convenience" system where ship owners can register their vessels in low tax/low regulation countries and find mariners from anywhere in the world--so long as they'll tolerate the wages.

For all mariners though, the Houthi threat in the Red Sea is real. The U.S. Navy is doing incredible work protecting lives and commerce but living, sleeping, and working under constant threat of deadly attack is unacceptable and unsustainable.

Unfortunately, this is business as usual for American mariners. Through every emergency, conflict, and war, the U.S. merchant marine has shown up. They bravely sailed during World War II when ships were being sunk daily by torpedoes. They delivered military supplies to our troops during the Gulf war when foreign mariners and foreign companies refused. They routinely sail hospital ships to disaster-stricken regions.

Currently, American mariners are showing their bravery and dedication by sailing through the Red Sea to deliver military cargo and humanitarian aid to the region.

Congress must find new and innovative ways to bolster the U.S. merchant marine.

I'll close by expressing my appreciation for the U.S. Navy. Without them, vessel traffic in the Red Sea would have come to a halt in November.

I'd also like to remember the two Navy Seals who died during an operation in the Arabian Sea to intercept the delivery of Iranian weapons to Houthi terrorists. They are heroes and their sacrifice protected countless military and civilian lives.

Thank you Chair and I look forward to hearing from our witnesses. "

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