S 1041 EMPLOYEE
FREE CHOICE ACT INTRODUCED IN THE SENATE
Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy introduced the Senate version of the
Employee Free Choice Act – S 1041 - on March 29, 2007. Kennedy is
chairman of the Senate Committee for Health, Education, Labor and
Pensions. Introducing the bill Kennedy said, “The best way to see that
employees receive their fair share of America’s prosperity is to give
them a stronger voice in the workplace. Unions were fundamental in
building America’s middle class, and they have a vital role today in
preserving the American dream for working families.”
The U.S. House of Representatives passed an identical version of the
Employee Free Choice Act – HR 800 – last month. President Bush has
indicated he will veto HR 800 should it pass in the Senate.
MEBA PRESIDENT RON DAVIS
TESTIFIED AT HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY HEARING ON LNG
MEBA President Ron Davis testified before the House Homeland Security
Committee on March 21, 2007, concerning LNG tanker security. The
hearing, called by Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) focused on
both the crewing and the scientific questions regarding safety and
security of LNG transportation into the United States. The hearing,
which included testimony regarding a recently released study by the
Government Accountability Office regarding the projected effects of an
LNG incident caused by terrorism, also focused on the crew aspects,
particularly the Maritime Administration's efforts to persuade energy
companies to use U.S. merchant mariners onboard their tankers entering
U.S. ports. President Davis focused on the concerns raised by a
perceived shortage of qualified LNG officers and crews anticipated over
the next few years, as well as the lack of vetting foreign crews.
"My solution to these problems is a simple one," he said. "Use U.S.
crews on LNG vessels calling on U.S. ports.Americans are available, well
trained, economical and thoroughly vetted. Putting Americans onboard
these ships will go a long way to ensuring the safety and security of
these vessels both at home and abroad."
M.E.B.A.'s comments were well received by the members present, and
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX) praised M.E.B.A. on its
groundbreaking contract with Excelerate Energy.
HR 1605 MERCHANT MARINER
CREDENTIALS IMPROVEMENT ACT INTRODUCED
On March 20, 2007, Congressman Steven LaTourette (R-OH) introduced the
Merchant Mariner Credentials Improvement Act of 2007 (HR 1605). Rep.
LaTourette is the top Republican on the House Coast Guard and Surface
Transportation Subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
HR 1605 aims to remove problematic and redundant procedures in the US
Coast Guard credentialing process. Many of these unnecessary procedures
were identified by MEBA President Ron Davis who testified on behalf of
maritime labor at a July 20, 2006 hearing in the last session of
Congress.
At
that hearing President Davis stated, "Maritime labor believes that it is
critical that we not add an expensive and unnecessary duplication of
effort between the Coast Guard and the TSA when it comes to
credentialing for Merchant Mariners."
"It is apparent that the evaluation process for mariner credential
applications has become unnecessarily elaborate and time-consuming for
all involved," said LaTourette in a press release. "This bill will
streamline the existing credentialing process to minimize procedural
errors that prevent merchant mariners from carrying on their important
work and allow the Coast Guard to improve its capabilities to manage the
program."
CONGRESSIONAL FIELD
HEARING IN BALTIMORE ON SAFETY & SECURITY OF LNG
Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) of the Coast Guard and Maritime
Transportation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee announced he will hold a field hearing on
safety and security of liquefied natural gas and its impact on port
operations in Baltimore, MD on April 23, 2007.
