[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 153 (Thursday, September 22, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4973-S4974]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 793--COMMENDING TALL SHIPS AMERICA FOR ADVANCING 
 CHARACTER-BUILDING EXPERIENCES AT SEA AND REPRESENTING THE TALL SHIPS 
   AND SAIL TRAINING COMMUNITY OF THE UNITED STATES IN NATIONAL AND 
                          INTERNATIONAL FORUMS

  Mr. REED (for himself and Mr. Whitehouse) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:
       Whereas the American Sail Training Association (doing 
     business as Tall Ships America), located in Rhode Island, is 
     an educational non-profit corporation whose declared mission 
     is ``to encourage character-building through sail training, 
     promote sail training to the North American public, and 
     support education under sail'';
       Whereas, since its founding in 1973, Tall Ships America has 
     promoted and supported character-building experiences aboard 
     traditional sail training vessels and supported a fleet of 
     more than 120 tall ships and sail training vessels, including 
     barques, barquentines, brigs, brigantines, schooners, sloops, 
     and full-rigged ships, which fly the flag of the United 
     States and bring life-changing adventures to thousands of 
     young trainees each year;
       Whereas April 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of Tall Ships 
     America, which--
       (1) continues to ably represent the United States as a 
     founding member of Sail Training International, the 
     recognized international body for the promotion of sail 
     training since the 1950s; and
       (2) as a member of the International Council of Sail 
     Training International, actively promotes international 
     fellowship of the sea through governance and events;
       Whereas Tall Ships America has established a program of 
     scholarship and grant funding to support onboard experiences 
     for young people and the professional training and 
     development of sailing ship crew members;
       Whereas Tall Ships America promotes safe and ethical 
     practices and supports the business efficiency of its member 
     vessels and programs;
       Whereas Tall Ships America has entered into a memorandum of 
     understanding with the Maritime Administration in support of 
     maritime workforce development;

[[Page S4974]]

       Whereas Tall Ships America collaborates extensively with 
     the Coast Guard with respect to--
       (1) the regulation of sail training vessels;
       (2) Marine Events of National Significance, including the 
     Tall Ships Challenge series;
       (3) the premier sail training vessel of the United States, 
     namely the square-rigged Coast Guard Cutter Barque Eagle ; 
     and
       (4) professional mariner training and development, 
     including through participation in the Annual Conference on 
     Sail Training and Tall Ships;
       Whereas Tall Ships America has a long history of arranging 
     and supporting tall ship races, rallies, and maritime 
     festivals dating as far back as 1976;
       Whereas, since 2001, Tall Ships America has organized 78 
     Tall Ships Challenge races and maritime festivals that have--
       (1) involved sail training ships, trainees, and crews from 
     around the world on all the coasts of the United States;
       (2) advanced the mission of Tall Ships America;
       (3) helped sustain the economic vitality of member vessels 
     of Tall Ships America; and
       (4) attracted more than 26,000,000 visitors and 
     $3,000,000,000 in economic impact to maritime communities; 
     and
       Whereas Tall Ships America has hosted the Annual Conference 
     on Sail Training and Tall Ships for 49 years in cities 
     throughout the United States and Canada, including the Safety 
     Under Sail Forum and the Education Under Sail Forum, to 
     enhance professionalism, historical skills of seamanship, 
     impactful approaches for education at sea, best-practices of 
     organizational collaboration, and cutting-edge non-profit and 
     business practices: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commends Tall Ships America for--
       (A) advancing character-building experiences at sea and on 
     inland waterways aboard traditional sail training vessels;
       (B) acting as the national sail training association of the 
     United States; and
       (C) representing the tall ships and sail training community 
     of the United States in national and international forums, 
     including in Sail Training International;
       (2) commends Tall Ships America and its member vessels and 
     programs for providing workforce training and development 
     opportunities for the maritime industry in the finest 
     traditions of the sea; and
       (3) encourages the people of the United States and the 
     world to join in celebration of the first 50 years of the 
     Adventure and Education Under Sail program of Tall Ships 
     America, which provides character-building, educational, and 
     work experiences for people of all nations.

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