'Coast Guard Authorization Act' Would Leverage Promising New Opportunity On Eve Of Island Buildup

By Jeff Marchesseault

GUAM - If key legislation passed by the House today also survives the Senate, President Obama could soon be presented with another opportunity to spark up vital activity in the bustling new realm of the Guam Strategic Port. A section in the bill that could help keep work flowing through Guam's only ship repair facility and stimulate private sector job growth comes at a critical time in the island's pre-buildup phase -- a moment at the portal of an unprecedented $15 billion military expansion -- and could help round out the territory's best laid plans.

Thanks to the fighting spirit of Guam Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo and her watchful staff, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 includes "a provision that would require Coast Guard vessels homeported on Guam be repaired, maintained and overhauled in U.S. shipyards including Guam," according to a news release issued this morning by Bordallo's Washington, D.C. office.

Inclusion of this proposal for Guam would augment considerable benefits recently sought and secured by the Camacho Administration for the Port Authority of Guam's buildup efforts through active engagement of the Obama Administration's American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA).

The Port Authority has already been awarded $910,594 in federal ARRA funding through the Port Security Grant Program. This funding will be used to better prepare the agency for response during times of emergency and natural disasters through the construction of a new Maritime and Port Security Operations Center.

The new Maritime and Port Security Operations Center is intended to give the Port Authority of Guam a single nerve center that will ensure a timely, coordinated response by all port and maritime personnel who will then coordinate their efforts with the overall Guam Emergency Operations Center at Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense.

This designation comes in the midst of the Port's Modernization Program, which calls for more than $200 million in upgrades to the facility. Local lawmakers recently gave final approval to the Port's updated Master Plan and it was signed into law by Governor Felix P. Camacho. The Port has submitted an application for $49.7 million in ARRA Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) federal grants and $50 million in USDA funding for the first phase of the Modernization Program. Just prior to these submissions, the U.S. government granted the agency its request for Strategic Designation Status.

Here is the news release issued this morning by Bordallo's Washington, D.C. office:

House Passes Coast Guard Reauthorization Bill

October 23, 2009 - Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo today announced that the U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 3619, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010. The bill authorizes appropriations for the U.S. Coast Guard, reauthorizes key programs, and addresses policy regarding its operations and acquisition programs. H.R. 3619 was introduced by Congressman James Oberstar of Minnesota, Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. H.R. 3619 passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 385 to 11.

Chairman James Oberstar and Chairman Elijah Cummings of Maryland, at the urging of Congresswoman Bordallo, included a provision in the bill that would require Coast Guard vessels homeported on Guam be repaired, maintained and overhauled in U.S. shipyards including Guam. This provision was originally offered by Congresswoman Bordallo as an amendment to the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2007 during the 110th Congress and which was adopted by voice vote on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. The measure has been reintroduced this Congress due to inaction on the legislation by the U.S. Senate in the 110th Congress.

"This provision corrects yet another loophole in statute that did not treat Guam in a manner consistent with the rest of the United States," Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo said today. "Coast Guard vessels homeported on Guam should be maintained, overhauled or repaired on Guam or in another U.S. shipyard. The provision is similar to other efforts that I have taken to ensure "Repair American" mandates for Navy and MSC vessels. I thank Congressman Oberstar, Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Congressman Cummings, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation for their support of this provision."

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites

Comments

Add New Search

Write comment

Name: Email:  do not notifynotify Website: Title: UBBCode:         -color-aquablackbluefuchsiagraygreenlimemaroonnavyolivepurpleredsilvertealwhiteyellow -size-tinysmallmediumlargehuge     Please input the anti-spam code that you can read in the image.

Powered by !JoomlaComment 3.26

3.26 Copyright (C) 2008 Compojoom.com / Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."