[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 174 (Tuesday, November 15, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2047-E2048]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          COAST GUARD AND MARITIME TRANSPORTATION ACT OF 2011

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. JOHN L. MICA

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, November 4, 2011

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2838) to 
     authorize appropriations for the Coast Guard for fiscal years 
     2012 through 2015, and for other purposes:

  Mr. MICA. Mr. Chair, attached are exchange of letters between the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committees on 
Judiciary and Homeland Security regarding provisions included in H.R. 
2838 for inclusion in the Congressional Record.

         U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on 
           Transportation and Infrastructure,
                               Washington, DC, September 27, 2011.
     Hon. Peter T. King,
     Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, Ford House Office 
         Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 
     2838, the ``Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 
     2011.'' I acknowledge that by forgoing a sequential referral 
     on this legislation, your Committee is not diminishing or 
     altering its jurisdiction.
       I also concur with you that forgoing action on this bill 
     does not in any way prejudice the

[[Page E2048]]

     Committee on Homeland Security with respect to its 
     jurisdictional prerogatives on this bill or similar 
     legislation in the future, and I would support your effort to 
     seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any 
     House-Senate conference involving this legislation.
       I will include our letters on H.R. 2838 in the 
     Congressional Record during House floor consideration of the 
     bill. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this 
     legislation, and I look forward to working with the Committee 
     on Homeland Security as the bill moves through the 
     legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                                     John L. Mica,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                    U.S. House of Representatives,


                               Committee on Homeland Security,

                               Washington, DC, September 14, 2011.
     Hon. John Mica,
     Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 
         Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Mica: I am writing regarding the 
     jurisdictional interest of the Committee on Homeland Security 
     over provisions in H.R. 2838, the Coast Guard and Maritime 
     Transportation Act of 2011, which the Committee on 
     Transportation and Infrastructure ordered to be reported on 
     September 8, 2011.
       I understand the importance of advancing this legislation 
     to the House floor in an expeditious manner. Therefore, the 
     Committee on Homeland Security will not assert its 
     jurisdictional claim over this bill by seeking a sequential 
     referral. This action is conditional on our mutual 
     understanding and agreement that doing so will in no way 
     diminish or alter the jurisdiction of the Committee on 
     Homeland Security over the subject matter included in this or 
     similar legislation. I request that you urge the Speaker to 
     appoint members of this Committee to any conference committee 
     for consideration of any provisions that fall within the 
     jurisdiction of the Committee on Homeland Security in the 
     House-Senate conference on this bill or similar legislation.
       I also request that this letter and your response be 
     included in the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee 
     report to H.R. 2838 and in the Congressional Record during 
     consideration of this measure on the House floor. Thank you 
     for your consideration of this matter.
           Sincerely,


                                                Peter T. King,

     Chairman.
                                  ____

         U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on 
           Transportation and Infrastructure,
                               Washington, DC, September 27, 2011.
     Hon. Lamar Smith,
     Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, Rayburn House Office 
         Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 
     2838, the ``Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 
     2011.'' I acknowledge that by forgoing action on this 
     legislation, your Committee is not diminishing or altering 
     its jurisdiction.
       I also concur with you that forgoing action on this bill 
     does not in any way prejudice the Committee on the Judiciary 
     with respect to its jurisdictional prerogatives on this bill 
     or similar legislation in the future, and I would support 
     your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate number of 
     conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this 
     legislation.
       I will include our letters on H.R. 2838 in the 
     Congressional Record during House floor consideration of the 
     bill. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this 
     legislation, and I look forward to working with the Committee 
     on the Judiciary as the bill moves through the legislative 
     process.
           Sincerely,
                                                     John L. Mica,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                    U.S. House of Representatives,


                                   Committee on the Judiciary,

                               Washington, DC, September 27, 2011.
     Hon. John Mica,
     Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 
         Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Mica: I am writing concerning H.R. 2838, the 
     ``Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2011,'' 
     which was reported favorably by your committee on September 
     8. As a result of your having consulted with us on provisions 
     in H.R. 2838 that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the 
     Committee on the Judiciary, we are able to agree to forego 
     action on this bill in order that it may proceed 
     expeditiously to the House floor for consideration.
       The Judiciary Committee takes this action with our mutual 
     understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 2838 at 
     this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over subject 
     matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that our 
     Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as the 
     bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may 
     address any remaining issues in our jurisdiction. Our 
     Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an 
     appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate 
     conference involving this or similar legislation, and 
     requests your support for any such request.
       I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming 
     this understanding with respect to H.R. 2838, and would ask 
     that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be 
     included in the Congressional Record during floor 
     consideration.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Lamar Smith,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                    U.S. House of Representatives,


                                   Committee on the Judiciary,

                                 Washington, DC, October 20, 2011.
     Hon. John Mica,
     Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 
         Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Mica: I am writing concerning H.R. 2839, the 
     ``Piracy Suppression Act of 2011,'' which was reported 
     favorably by your committee on September 8, 2011. As a result 
     of your having consulted with us on provisions in H.R. 2839 
     that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on 
     the Judiciary, we are able to agree to forego a formal 
     referral on this bill.
       The Judiciary Committee takes this action with our mutual 
     understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 2839 at 
     this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over subject 
     matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that our 
     Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as the 
     bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may 
     address any remaining issues in our jurisdiction. Our 
     Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an 
     appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate 
     conference involving this or similar legislation, and 
     requests your support for any such request.
       I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming 
     this understanding with respect to H.R. 2839, and would ask 
     that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be 
     included in the Congressional Record during floor 
     consideration.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Lamar Smith,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

         U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on 
           Transportation and Infrastructure,
                                 Washington, DC, October 21, 2011.
     Hon. Lamar Smith,
     Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, Rayburn House Office 
         Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 
     2839, the ``Piracy Suppression Act of 2011.'' I acknowledge 
     that by forgoing a formal referral request on this 
     legislation, your Committee is not waiving any jurisdiction 
     over the subject matter contained in this or similar 
     legislation and that your Committee will be appropriately 
     consulted and involved as the bill or similar legislation 
     moves forward.
       Further, I would fully support your effort to seek 
     appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any 
     House-Senate conference involving this or similar 
     legislation.
       I will include our letters on H.R. 2839 in the 
     Congressional Record during House floor consideration of the 
     bill. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this 
     legislation, and I look forward to working with the Committee 
     on the Judiciary as the bill moves through the legislative 
     process.
           Sincerely,
                                                     John L. Mica,
                                                         Chairman.

     

                          ____________________