[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 145 (Friday, October 7, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 7, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
REQUEST FOR DISCHARGE OF COMMITTEE ON, AND IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION OF, 
  H.R. 5238, AUTHORIZING DOCUMENTATION OF THE VESSEL ``R/V ROSS SEAL''

  Mr. BROOKS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on Merchant Marine and Fisheries be discharged from further 
consideration of the bill (H.R. 5238) to authorize the vessel R/V Ross 
Seal to be documented under the laws of a foreign country during a 3-
year period, and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  Mr. FIELDS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, and 
I will not object, we have had an opportunity to review this matter, 
but I yield to the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Brooks] to have an 
opportunity to explain the legislation.
  Mr. BROOKS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, in a nutshell, this is a bill to allow seal craft 
operators, who are ship operators, to register their ship for a couple 
of years under some other registry, so they can do some work in the 
Caspian Sea.
  Mr. Speaker, at the conclusion of that, they want to come back into a 
U.S. Registry. Otherwise, if they do not have that opportunity, their 
business is in the United States, they are U.S.-registered now, and if 
they cannot get that assurance that they can come back into the 
American registry, then they cannot do that job, and that work will go 
to some other country and not to the United States. We will lose that 
business.
  Mr. FIELDS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, continuing my reservation of 
objection, I would like to clarify something the chairman of the 
committee has said. As I understand it, this ship is currently flagged 
American.
  Mr. BROOKS. If the gentleman will yield further, that is correct.
  Mr. FIELDS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, that is with all the demanding 
requirements and inspections required by the Coast Guard and other 
domestic laws. This is an opportunity for an American business to go 
abroad and bring dollars back home, jobs for Americans. If this is not 
done, Mr. Speaker, that opportunity is going to be lost.
  I would ask the gentleman if that is a correct statement.
  Mr. BROOKS. That is correct, Mr. Speaker. That is all it does.
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. FIELDS of Texas. I am glad to yield to the gentleman from 
Wisconsin.
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I would ask a question of either 
gentleman from Texas. If this bill came up in the regular order, would 
it be a private bill?
  Mr. BROOKS. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Fields] 
will continue to yield, possibly.
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I object.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair hears an objection.

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