[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 160 (Thursday, November 13, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S12572]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    STATUS OF OCEAN SHIPPING REFORM AND OECD SHIPBUILDING AGREEMENT 
                              LEGISLATION

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I rise today to address the status of the 
Ocean Shipping bill and the implementation of the OECD Shipbuilding 
Agreement in the Senate. These are very important bills which are badly 
needed to reform America's maritime industry.
  A number of my Senate colleagues joined me in working very hard this 
year, in a bipartisan way, to get these two bills done. The legislation 
and amendments reflected a balance among the concerns of all affected 
parties. However, I must report that a few Senators have held up each 
bill. This minority of Senators wants more than most of us believe is 
do-able. Given the waning hours of this session, the Senate will not be 
able to consider and pass either of these bills this year. I am deeply 
disappointed.
  Mr. President, maritime issues are very important to me. I grew up in 
the port town of Pascagoula. I still live there. My father worked in 
the shipyard. I have spent my entire adult life working on maritime 
issues. So I am very concerned by the Senate's inaction on these two 
pieces of legislation.
  The Ocean Shipping Act is D.I.W.--``dead in the water'', at least for 
this year. The incremental Shipping Act reforms have been stopped 
because some want to inject new issues into the legislation. Issues 
that should be resolved at the labor-management negotiating table. 
Issues not directly related to making America's container ships more 
competitive in the international marketplace.
  Mr. President, the bill's sponsors have made it clear on several 
occasions that we are not trying to undo or inject the Senate into the 
collective-bargaining process for port labor agreements. These concerns 
can and should be addressed in a fair and even-handed manner at the 
bargaining table.
  Despite my efforts to work through this issue this past weekend, some 
Senators on the other side of the aisle have chosen to stop the Ocean 
Shipping Reform bill.
  Mr. President, the Ocean Shipping Reform bill is necessary.
  Mr. President, the Ocean Shipping Reform bill helps U.S. exporters in 
every State of this nation compete with their foreign competitors.
  Without Ocean Shipping Reform, the Senate keeps 50 states D.I.W. for 
a small organized group.
  Mr. President, the Ocean Shipping Reform bill helps America's 
container ships and exporters.
  When we take up this bill early next year, each Senator will be asked 
to choose between helping the thousands of workers in his or her State 
or harming them.
  Mr. President, the second piece of important maritime legislation I 
would like to see passed is the implementation of the OECD Shipbuilding 
Agreement, signed nearly 3 years ago. This legislation, I am 
disappointed to report, is also D.I.W.
  Senators on two committees worked very hard this session, in a 
bipartisan manner, to address the legitimate concerns of our nation's 
largest shipyards. U.S. participation in this agreement is essential, 
but it must be based on the firm understanding that the Jones Act and 
national security requirements regarding vessel construction will not 
be restricted by other countries. What America desires is a level 
playing field, without compromising our national security interests.
  I believe that S. 1216, with the Lott-Breaux amendment, addresses 
these principles in a good faith effort to resolve the issues 
identified by Representative Bateman. I would not support any 
legislation that didn't respect these principles.
  Let me be clear. I am a Jones Act supporter, period. And I believe 
the amendment protects the integrity of the Jones Act.
  But once again, a few Senators have stopped this vital legislation in 
mid-ocean. Another D.I.W. bill.
  This minority of Senators wants to include additional exceptions to 
the OECD Agreement's limitations on commercial vessel construction 
subsidies and credits. I am concerned that this attempt will scuttle 
the entire Agreement. This is counter-productive. This would force U.S. 
shipbuilders back into a subsidy race that the U.S. cannot afford to 
win. This small minority of Senators are not just stopping this 
legislation in mid-ocean, but scuttling it--sinking it. And I believe 
that, no matter how well-meaning they may be, they will eventually 
jeopardize the very U.S. commercial shipbuilding industry they are 
trying to protect. Our commercial shipbuilding industry needs a 
worldwide, level playing field. We need it now.
  Mr. President, it is time for these few Senators to set aside narrow 
regional and partisan interests and take up an oar and start rowing 
with the rest of the Senate. The Senate needs to get the Ocean Shipping 
and OECD bills moving. I intend to put these bills to a Senate vote 
early next year.
  In the meantime, the Senate has left two vital pieces of maritime 
legislation stranded in the middle of the ocean, for a long winter. 
D.I.W. Dead in the water. This is not good for America's maritime 
world. This is not good for America.

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