[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 116 (Thursday, September 15, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1875]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    COAST GUARD YARD, BALTIMORE, MD

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                     HON. C.A. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 15, 2005

  Mr. RUPPERSBERGER. Mr. Speaker, It is my honor to rise today to call 
special attention to the United States Coast Guard and in particular 
the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore.
  I have always said that I considered the U.S. Coast Guard to be 
America's secret weapon. After their heroic efforts played before us in 
the wake of Hurricane Katrina, I believe the secret is out. For over 
two hundred years, our nation's Coast Guard has patrolled and protected 
our coast lines, which today totals over 95,000 miles. Fulfilling 
incredible missions including maritime security, search and rescue, 
drug interdiction, search and rescue, and recreational boater safety, 
all Americans are indebted to our Coasties for their dedication and 
service each and every day.
  And for over a century, Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore has served as 
the backbone of the Coast Guard providing its primary shipbuilding and 
major repair facility.
  I am proud to represent the Yard and the admirable people who work 
there. Their commitment to the quality of work, excellence, vision and 
ingenuity makes this Yard an invaluable asset to the Coast Guard. Ship 
building and repairs require special individuals with highly 
specialized skills. This is a vanishing art form, particularly for a 
working Yard and workers that continually live up to the motto of 
``Service to the Fleet.''
  For budgetary reasons, the Coast Guard and Yard are planning to cut 
50 full time employee positions from the Yard. While I understand our 
difficult economic times, I am concerned that such a decision would be 
made when we are fighting a war on terrorism both here at home and 
abroad. There should be no doubt about the abilities and capabilities 
of the Coast Guard, and the personnel at the Yard are a vital link in 
that chain.
  This week we will consider H.R. 889, the Coast Guard and Maritime 
Transportation Act of 2005. I offered an amendment to this legislation 
that would have restored $9 million in funding to the Coast Guard Yard 
FY06 Budget to safeguard those highly specialized jobs. I am concerned 
that the loss of these skills in the Yard will not only harm my 
district and the local economy, but it will have a negative impact on 
the Coast Guard's ability to fulfill its missions in the future. 
Shipbuilders are not a dime a dozen and you cannot simply call your 
local temp agency for a new one. These are skills that require 
apprenticeships and work over years to master. When these jobs leave 
the area, I worry if we will be able to get them back should we need 
them at a future date.
  Now is not the time to cut corners and jobs in this specialized 
workforce. Now is the time when we should fully fund the needs of the 
Coast Guard including the Yard to help them do their jobs and protect 
Americans.
  The Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore has played an enormous role in 
Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Reservists have 
provided port security in the Persian Gulf, allowing our troops and 
humanitarian aid to move in safely. They've been involved in 
telecommunications, boarding operations and search and rescue. The Yard 
also answered an urgent request from the U.S. Army and Marine Corps to 
quickly repair over a dozen old style bridge erection boats. These 
boats were refurbished and shipped to Iraq, allowing bridges to be 
built over the inland rivers permitting the transportation of personnel 
and supplies.
  I am so proud of the work that has been accomplished at the Yard and 
the contributions that have been made. It is vitally important that we 
give them the tools and the money that they need to operate effectively 
and efficiently. I regret that the House Committee on Rules failed to 
make my amendment in order to restore this critical funding and I would 
hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join me in this 
fight in the future to correct this mistake.

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