[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 73 (Thursday, May 15, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S6569]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




PROTOCOL OF 1997 AMENDING MARPOL CONVENTION (TREATY DOCUMENT NO. 108-7)

  Mr. President, as in executive session, I ask unanimous consent that 
the injunction of secrecy be removed from the following treaty 
transmitted to the Senate on May 15, 2003, by the President of the 
United States: Protocol of 1997 Amending MARPOL Convention (Treaty 
Document No. 108-7);
  I further ask that the treaty be considered as having been read the 
first time; that it be referred, with accompanying papers, to the 
Committee on Foreign Relations and ordered to be printed; and that the 
President's message be printed in the Record.
  The message of the President is as follows:

To the Senate of the United States:
  I transmit herewith, for the advice and consent of the Senate to its 
ratification, the Protocol of 1997 to Amend the International 
Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as 
Modified by the Protocol of 1978 thereto (hereinafter the ``Protocol of 
1997''). The Protocol of 1997, which would add Annex VI, Regulations 
for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships, to the International 
Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as 
Modified by the Protocol of 1978 (hereinafter the ``MARPOL 
Convention''), was signed by the United States on December 22, 1998. I 
also enclose, for the information of the Senate, the report of the 
Department of State and its attached analysis of the Protocol of 1997, 
as well as Resolution 2 of the 1997 MARPOL Conference with its annexed 
Technical Code on Control of Emission of Nitrogen Oxides from Marine 
Diesel Engines.
  The MARPOL Convention is the global agreement to control pollution 
from ships. MARPOL Annex VI regulates the emission into the atmosphere 
of specified pollutants from ships. It complements the other annexes to 
the MARPOL Convention, which relate to the transport of oil (Annex I), 
harmful substances carried in bulk (Annex II), harmful substances in 
packaged form (Annex III), ship-generated sewage (Annex IV) and garbage 
(Annex V). The United States is a party to all of these annexes with 
the exception of Annex IV.
  MARPOL Annex VI regulates the prevention of air pollution from ships 
by limiting the discharge of nitrogen oxides from large marine diesel 
engines, governing the sulfur content of marine diesel fuel, 
prohibiting the emission of ozone-depleting substances, regulating the 
emission of volatile organic compounds during the transfer of cargoes 
between tankers and terminals, setting standards for shipboard 
incinerators and fuel oil quality, and establishing requirements for 
platforms and drilling rigs at sea.
  MARPOL Annex VI is an important step toward controlling and 
preventing emissions of harmful air pollutants from ships. U.S. 
ratification of the Protocol of 1997 will demonstrate U.S. commitment 
to an international solution and should hasten the entry into force of 
the Protocol of 1997. Ratification will also enhance our ability to 
work within the treaty framework to obtain subsequent amendments that 
will require further reductions in emissions of nitrogen oxides that 
are now achievable through the use of modern control technologies which 
the United States strongly supports.
  I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to 
the Protocol of 1997 and give its advice and consent to ratification, 
subject to the declarations and understanding set out in the 
accompanying report of the Secretary of State.
                                                        George W. Bush,
The White House, May 15, 2003.

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