Just read this on the Maritime Executive site: http://maritime-executive.com/article/cummings-landry-lead-effort-to-save-american-maritime-jobs
[I]“U.S. Representatives Elijah E. Cummings (D, MD-07) and Jeff Landry (R, LA-03) introduced the Saving Essential American Sailors (SEAS) Act, H.R. 6170, which would ensure American food aid is transported by American workers. The bill repeals Section 100124 of the highway bill, MAP-21.”[/I]
It is a good start but they need to take it much further and stop MARAD and DOD from using any foreign flag ship as long as there is a single American ship tied to the dock. This should particularly apply to MARAD owned RRF ships that are sitting at a dock ready to go. As long as a single one sits idle not one ton of American taxpayer purchased cargo should ever leave or enter this country on a foreign bottom.
Write a letter to each one of the SEAS bill sponsors and make it clear that while it is good news, it is not good enough.