Adaptation to Changing Crude Oil Markets

Floor Speech

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Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Chairman, we have before us a very, very important issue. It is a national security issue. My good friend from San Diego spoke to one part of our Nation's security, and that is the ability of this Nation to move its interests around the world not just with airplanes, but with ships.

Unfortunately, this is a very narrowly constructed piece of legislation that speaks to the interests of the petroleum industry and the many thousands of people who work there. We concede that. But this bill could also be a boon to another part of our Nation's security, and that is our maritime industry. Unfortunately, the bill does not do that.

While it does deal with the Maritime Security Program--and that is good--it does not deal in full potential with what we can do, and that is to require that this strategic asset, oil, be shipped on American-built ships with American mariners. That is not in the bill. It should be. It could be.

If it were, our shipyards and our mariners all around this Nation would have tens of thousands of jobs, and we would secure yet not only the interest of our petroleum industry but, also, the interest of our maritime industry as well as the shipyards upon which this Nation's national defense depends. Put it in the bill. Then let's see how many votes you can get.

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