[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16138]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  PROVIDING FOR CONVEYANCE TO GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO OF DECOMMISSIONED 
          NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION SHIP

  Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4158) to provide for the conveyance to the Government of 
Mexico of a decommissioned National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration ship, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 4158

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. CONVEYANCE OF NOAA VESSEL WHITING.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Commerce shall convey to 
     the Government of Mexico, without consideration, all right, 
     title, and interest of the United States in and to the 
     National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration vessel 
     WHITING--
       (1) for use as a hydrographic survey platform in support of 
     activities of the United States-Mexico Charting Advisors 
     Committee; and
       (2) to enhance coordination and cooperation between the 
     United States and Mexico regarding hydrographic surveying and 
     nautical charting activities in the border waters of both 
     countries in the Gulf of Mexico and in the Pacific Ocean.
       (b) Operation and Maintenance.--The Government of the 
     United States shall not be responsible or liable for any 
     remediation, maintenance, or operation of a vessel conveyed 
     under this section after the date of the delivery of the 
     vessel to the Government of Mexico.
       (c) Deadline.--The Secretary shall seek to complete the 
     conveyance by as soon as practicable after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.
       (d) Delivery of Vessel.--The Secretary shall deliver the 
     vessel WHITING pursuant to this section at the vessel's 
     homeport location of Norfolk, Virginia, at no additional cost 
     to the United States.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Hayworth) and the gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth).


                             General Leave

  Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4158.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4158 will transfer a decommissioned NOAA vessel, 
the Whiting, to the Government of Mexico.
  The United States is an active partner in the U.S.-Mexico Charting 
Advisors Committee which addresses regional issues on charting, 
research and data collection. As part of the cooperative activities of 
this committee, the Government of Mexico contacted NOAA indicating an 
interest in obtaining the vessel from the United States. The Government 
of Mexico does not have a vessel dedicated to hydrographic surveys, and 
the Whiting would be the first ship to fill that role.
  The Whiting is 163 feet in length, draws 12 feet of water, has a 
cruising speed of 12 knots and a cruising range of 5,700 nautical 
miles. It was removed from service in 2002 after 40 years of conducting 
hydrographic surveys in the Great Lakes and along the East and Gulf 
Coasts of the United States.
  Under the terms of H.R. 4158, all rights, title and interest in the 
Whiting are transferred to the Government of Mexico. The vessel must be 
used as a hydrographic platform in support of activities of the U.S.-
Mexico Charting Advisors Committee.
  The ship will be delivered at the vessel's current home port of 
Norfolk, Virginia, and the United States will not be responsible for 
any remediation, maintenance or operation of the Whiting after 
delivery. I urge an ``aye'' vote on H.R. 4158, and compliment the 
author, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ortiz), for his leadership.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as noted, H.R. 4158 is a noncontroversial piece of 
legislation to convey to the Government of Mexico at no cost to the 
U.S. taxpayer the decommissioned hydrographic survey vessel Whiting 
from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
  I want to go on record to commend the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Ortiz) for recognizing the value of conveying the vessel to help 
strengthen the Mexican Government's civilian hydrographic survey 
capabilities in the Gulf of Mexico and to participate in joint 
hydrographic operations with the United States.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 
4158, sponsored by Mr. Ortiz, which seeks to convey to the Government 
of Mexico, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration vessel, 
Whiting.
  The NOAA and U.S. Navy are the main U.S. representatives of the 
MesoAmerican-Caribbean Sea Hydrographic Commission that coordinates the 
hydrographic surveys and charting activities of member nations. Since 
1963, the Whiting had been in service for the NOAA, conducting 
hydrographic surveys along the east and Gulf Coast of the United States 
and the Great Lakes. In March 2003, NOAA replaced the Whiting with a 
former U.S. Navy hydrographic survey vessel.
  As of August 2003, Mexico did not have a vessel dedicated to 
hydrographic surveys. The Whiting could fill that role, as it was 
decommissioned by the NOAA in May 2003. By conveying the Whiting to the 
Government of Mexico, Mexican dependence on NOAA and U.S. Navy assets 
for hydrographic surveys would decrease. In addition to the lessened 
dependence, the regional capacity would be strengthened. Such a 
conveyance would foster the exchange of information in the Gulf Coast 
and improve navigational safety for all vessels sailing in the Gulf of 
Mexico.
  NOAA possesses no authority to transfer ships to foreign governments, 
and thus, this legislation would authorize such a transfer. With the 
passage of this legislation, the United States would bear no 
responsibility for any remediation, maintenance, or operation of the 
Whiting after delivery.
  This legislation is exemplary in its effort to contribute globally, 
without putting a burden on the shoulders of the U.S. By conveying the 
Whiting, a vessel decommissioned by NOAA, to Mexico, Mexico would gain 
valuable and necessary infrastructure, without cost to the United 
States, and it would allow it to contribute to the NOAA efforts, for 
which the United States bears an enormous amount of energy. The United 
States would gain safer waters in the Gulf Coast, which is central to 
our national security. In addition, the transfer of the Whiting to the 
Government of Mexico would act to balance the level of responsibility 
of the countries who are bordered by the waters of the Gulf Coast.
  I congratulate Mr. Ortiz on his leadership in this matter.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 4158.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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