[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 155 (Friday, October 23, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2619-E2620]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 COAST GUARD AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2010

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 22, 2009

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration of the bill (H.R. 3619) to 
     authorize appropriations for the Coast Guard for fiscal year 
     2010, and for other purposes:
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Chair, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 
3619, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010. In particular, I would 
like to express my support for Section 220, which requires that Coast 
Guard vessels homeported in Guam be repaired, overhauled and maintained 
at American facilities. This provision was included in H.R. 2830 the 
Coast Guard Reauthorization Act from the 110th Congress and which was 
included in a manager's amendment that was adopted on the floor. I 
appreciate Chairman Oberstar's and Chairman Cumming's continued support 
for including this provision in this bill.
  This section clarifies a current loophole in statute that will ensure 
that Coast Guard ships that protect the waterways of Guam and the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands as well as the Federated 
States of Micronesia will be repaired by American workers. Furthermore, 
the maintenance funds authorized and appropriated by this body will be 
re-invested in the American economy. This is a common sense provision 
that simply extends to Guam the same repair American provisions that 
already apply to the rest of the United States. Again, I would like to 
express my appreciation to Chairman Oberstar of the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure and to Chairman Cummings of the Coast 
Guard Subcommittee for their leadership on this bill and for including 
this provision.

[[Page E2620]]



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