[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 77 (Wednesday, June 6, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1033]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       NATIONAL DEFENSE FEATURES PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2001

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. CURT WELDON

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 6, 2001

  Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my 
colleague from New Jersey, Mr. Frelinghuysen, in introducing the 
National Defense Features Program Enhancement Act of 2001, a bill we 
intend to push to enactment if the Government of Japan, the Japanese 
vehicle manufactures, and the Japanese carriers continue to undermine 
our efforts to breathe life into the National Defense Features program.
  We created the NDF program because we believed it would be the most 
cost-effective way to augment the substantial investment that is being 
made in new ships by the Navy. Having seen one very attractive proposal 
by which vessels would be built to carry cars from Japan to the United 
States and refrigerated products on the return leg, we authorized and 
appropriated funds in the mid-1990s to jump start the program. Since 
then, we have continued to look for ways to make the program as 
attractive as possible to companies to build ships in the United States 
for operation in the United States-Japan and other trades. Last year, 
for example, Congress approved as part of the National Defense 
Authorization Bill for FY 2001 a provision that would expand the 
Secretary of Defense's authority to finance appropriate projects under 
the NDF program.
  In authorizing this program, we had hoped that the Government of 
Japan in particular would find mutual defense benefits in promoting it. 
We have written the Prime Minister, we have met with the Ambassador, we 
have received expressions of support from the Vice President of the 
United States and our Secretary of Defense in the prior Administration, 
and yet nothing seems to have come of our efforts so far.
  Unfortunately, we have regularly heard the same response. The 
Government of Japan insists that the decision to employ NDF tonnage is 
strictly a matter for the vehicle manufacturers and shipping companies 
to make since it involves a commercial matter. They in turn have argued 
that, since the program focuses on mutual defense, the Government 
should take the lead. As so often happens, no one has been willing to 
step forward to take the initiative.
  As our colleagues can no doubt appreciate, our patience is beginning 
to wear thin. I understand our able Deputy Secretary of State, Rich 
Armitage, has recently indicated the importance of mutual defense 
burden sharing. Perhaps we will finally see some movement. If not, the 
time to legislate will have arrived.
  Our bill is designed to create the necessary incentives for the 
Government of Japan and the vehicle and shipping interests to promote 
the NDF program. If the Federal Maritime Commission finds that vessels 
that would be built in the United States under the NDF program are not 
employed in the particular sector of a trade route in the foreign 
commerce of the United States for which they are designed to operate 
and if that sector of the trade route has been dominated historically 
by citizens of an allied nation, then the Commission shall take action 
to counteract the restrictive trade practices that have led to this 
situation.
  We trust all concerned appreciate our determination to bring the NDF 
program to life.

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