[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 151 (Friday, August 27, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E929]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                     FEDERAL SHIP FINANCING PROGRAM

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                          HON. JOHN GARAMENDI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, August 27, 2021

  Mr. GARAMENDI. Madam Speaker, today I introduce legislation expanding 
the Maritime Administration's (MARAD) federal ship financing program--
commonly referred to as ``Title XI'' of the Merchant Marine Act of 
1936--to include re-flagging, repair, or conversions of US-flagged 
civilian vessels for commercial and military purposes.
  Currently, MARAD's Title XI program only provides federal loan 
guarantees for the construction of new civilian vessels in U.S.-based 
commercial shipyards or facility and equipment upgrades at those 
shipyards. My legislation would allow MARAD to also provide loan 
guarantees for corrective or preventative maintenance or re-flagging 
work at US-based shipyards, including to convert a commercial vessel to 
a more useful military configuration to carry out federal contracts.
  As chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and 
the former ranking member of the Transportation and Infrastructure 
Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, I have long 
supported our domestic shipbuilding and U.S.-flagged international 
fleet.
  The legislation I introduced today builds upon my work in the William 
M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2021 (Public Law 116-283), in which I helped to secure Congressional 
authorization for the new tanker security fleet and strengthened the 
military's U.S.-flagged preference for seaborne cargo contracts. It 
also complements my work with U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) in the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 
116-92), in which we implemented ``Buy America'' requirements for 
MARAD's small shipyard grant program.
  Madam Speaker, American shipyards are ready, willing, and able to 
take on this additional work. Expanding MARAD's Title XI loan guarantee 
program to support that work means more well-paying jobs for American 
workers and better maintained vessels flagged in the United States, 
useful for military and commercial purposes.

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