[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 158 (Monday, November 10, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S12483]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       JONES ACT WAIVER--S. 1349

 Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, today the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation agreed to be discharged from further 
consideration of S. 1349. The bill would waive the U.S. build and prior 
U.S. ownership requirements of the coastwise trade laws and allow the 
ferry Prince Nova to be employed in the coastwise trade.
  Usually, Jones Act waiver bills such as S. 1349 are first considered 
by the Commerce Committee, and subsequently included in Coast Guard 
authorization legislation for final passage. In this case, the Commerce 
Committee did not have an opportunity to consider S. 1349 during the 
Committee's last executive session of this year. The Senator from 
Connecticut, however, requested the opportunity to have the Senate 
adopt the bill before the end of the first session.
  Mr. President, the bill meets the Commerce Committee's usual criteria 
for adopting such waivers. Senator Hollings, the ranking member of the 
Commerce Committee, and I agreed to request the Commerce Committee be 
discharged from further consideration of the bill so that the Senator 
from Connecticut's request could be accommodated.

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