[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 190 (Wednesday, December 12, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2546]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 6, 2007

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the 
Energy Independence and Security Act and the long-overdue measures it 
contains--including reasonable increases in CAFE standards--to help our 
Nation conserve energy and to lower the energy costs that weigh so 
heavily on our citizens.
  I applaud Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Oberstar, and all of the Members 
who have worked on this measure for their foresighted leadership on 
this Act and for their dedication to completing the hard work necessary 
to bring this Act to the floor today.
  As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime 
Transportation, I will draw particular attention to the Short Sea 
Shipping Initiative created in this Act.
  This Initiative will support the expansion of short sea shipping--
which is simply the alliterative name of shipping voyages between two 
points in the United States or between Canada and the United States.
  At the present time, trucks carry nearly 70 percent of the freight 
tonnage transported in the United States. By contrast, the most highly 
developed water freight transportation routes in the U.S.--those 
running on the Mississippi River, the Great Lakes, and the St. Lawrence 
Seaway--carry just 13 percent of freight tonnage in the United States.
  The Short Sea Shipping Initiative seeks to make water a mode 
competitive with roads and rails by supporting the development of the 
vessels used in short sea shipping voyages as well as of the port and 
landside infrastructure needed to load and unload those vessels.
  Specifically, the Act will make vessels built under the Jones Act in 
the United States eligible for assistance from the Capital Construction 
Fund administered by the United States Maritime Administration, MARAD.
  As I know there has been debate on this point, I emphasize that MARAD 
shall exercise sole authority to determine issues relating to operation 
of a qualified program vessel in the short sea trade.
  We further expect that to ensure this program is initiated right 
away, the Secretary of Transportation shall work to revise current 
regulations to conform to this legislation while also approving Fund 
contributions and withdrawals related to eligible short sea shipping 
transportation projects immediately.
  As I close, I want to note that additional measures can still be 
taken to promote the development of short sea shipping. Perhaps the 
most important among them is to exempt these voyages from the Harbor 
Maintenance Tax. H.R. 1499, which I authored, would achieve that 
exemption and I thank Chairman Charlie Rangel for continuing to work 
with me to advance this legislation.
  I again commend Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Oberstar, and all who have 
worked so diligently to help reduce our dependence on foreign and non-
renewable energy sources.
  With that, I urge adoption of the Energy Independence and Security 
Act.

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