Congressional Record, Volume 150 Issue 100 (Monday, July 19, 2004)

[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 100 (Monday, July 19, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H5941-H5942]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

PROVIDING FOR CONVEYANCE TO GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO OF DECOMMISSIONED
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION SHIP

Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4158) to provide for the conveyance to the Government of
Mexico of a decommissioned National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration ship, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read as follows:

H.R. 4158

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE OF NOAA VESSEL WHITING.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of Commerce shall convey to
the Government of Mexico, without consideration, all right,
title, and interest of the United States in and to the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration vessel
WHITING--
(1) for use as a hydrographic survey platform in support of
activities of the United States-Mexico Charting Advisors
Committee; and
(2) to enhance coordination and cooperation between the
United States and Mexico regarding hydrographic surveying and
nautical charting activities in the border waters of both
countries in the Gulf of Mexico and in the Pacific Ocean.
(b) Operation and Maintenance.--The Government of the
United States shall not be responsible or liable for any
remediation, maintenance, or operation of a vessel conveyed
under this section after the date of the delivery of the
vessel to the Government of Mexico.
(c) Deadline.--The Secretary shall seek to complete the
conveyance by as soon as practicable after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
(d) Delivery of Vessel.--The Secretary shall deliver the
vessel WHITING pursuant to this section at the vessel's
homeport location of Norfolk, Virginia, at no additional cost
to the United States.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Arizona (Mr. Hayworth) and the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth).

General Leave

Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4158.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Arizona?
There was no objection.
Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4158 will transfer a decommissioned NOAA vessel,
the Whiting, to the Government of Mexico.
The United States is an active partner in the U.S.-Mexico Charting
Advisors Committee which addresses regional issues on charting,
research and data collection. As part of the cooperative activities of
this committee, the Government of Mexico contacted NOAA indicating an
interest in obtaining the vessel from the United States. The Government
of Mexico does not have a vessel dedicated to hydrographic surveys, and
the Whiting would be the first ship to fill that role.
The Whiting is 163 feet in length, draws 12 feet of water, has a
cruising speed of 12 knots and a cruising range of 5,700 nautical
miles. It was removed from service in 2002 after 40 years of conducting
hydrographic surveys in the Great Lakes and along the East and Gulf
Coasts of the United States.
Under the terms of H.R. 4158, all rights, title and interest in the
Whiting are transferred to the Government of Mexico. The vessel must be
used as a hydrographic platform in support of activities of the U.S.-
Mexico Charting Advisors Committee.
The ship will be delivered at the vessel's current home port of
Norfolk, Virginia, and the United States will not be responsible for
any remediation, maintenance or operation of the Whiting after
delivery. I urge an ``aye'' vote on H.R. 4158, and compliment the
author, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ortiz), for his leadership.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her
remarks.)
Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, as noted, H.R. 4158 is a noncontroversial
piece of legislation to convey to the Government of Mexico at no cost
to the U.S. taxpayer the decommissioned hydrographic survey vessel
Whiting from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
I want to go on record to commend the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Ortiz) for recognizing the value of conveying the vessel to help
strengthen the Mexican Government's civilian hydrographic survey
capabilities in the Gulf of Mexico and to participate in joint
hydrographic operations with the United States.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R.
4158, sponsored by Mr. Ortiz, which seeks to convey to the Government
of Mexico, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration vessel,
Whiting.
The NOAA and U.S. Navy are the main U.S. representatives of the
MesoAmerican-Caribbean Sea Hydrographic Commission that coordinates the
hydrographic surveys and charting activities of member nations. Since
1963, the Whiting had been in service for the NOAA, conducting
hydrographic surveys along the east and Gulf Coast of the United States
and the Great Lakes. In March 2003, NOAA replaced the Whiting with a
former U.S. Navy hydrographic survey vessel.
As of August 2003, Mexico did not have a vessel dedicated to
hydrographic surveys. The Whiting could fill that role, as it was
decommissioned by the NOAA in May 2003. By conveying the Whiting to the
Government of Mexico, Mexican dependence on NOAA and U.S. Navy assets
for hydrographic surveys would decrease. In addition to the lessened
dependence, the regional capacity would be strengthened. Such a
conveyance would foster the exchange of information in the Gulf Coast
and improve navigational safety for all vessels sailing in the Gulf of
Mexico.

NOAA possesses no authority to transfer ships to foreign governments,
and thus, this legislation would authorize such a transfer. With the
passage of this legislation, the United States would bear no
responsibility for any remediation, maintenance, or operation of the
Whiting after delivery.
This legislation is exemplary in its effort to contribute globally,
without putting a burden on the shoulders of the U.S. By conveying the
Whiting, a vessel decommissioned by NOAA, to Mexico, Mexico would gain
valuable and necessary infrastructure, without cost to the United
States, and it would allow it to contribute to the NOAA efforts, for
which the

[[Page H5942]]

United States bears an enormous amount of energy. The United States
would gain safer waters in the Gulf Coast, which is central to our
national security. In addition, the transfer of the Whiting to the
Government of Mexico would act to balance the level of responsibility
of the countries who are bordered by the waters of the Gulf Coast.
I congratulate Mr. Ortiz on his leadership in this matter.
Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 4158.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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