USAID Outsourcing Maritime Jobs with Taxpayer Dollars by Denise Krepp Jobs
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Organized 1885 Official Organ of the Sailors’ Union of the Pacific Volume LXXVIII No. 4 SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA Friday, April 24, 2015 Congressman John Garamendi seeks to strengthen American Four-star general is ardent Merchant Marine by exporting supporter of Jones Act eaders of the U.S. mili- Jones Act. [The Act] supports what the merchant mariners LNG in U.S.-flag vessels tary, Congress, and the a viable ship building industry, bring to the nation ... if we can here is an opportunity to create thousands of U.S. jobs by revi- maritime industry ap- cuts cost and produces 2500 find a congressional solution to Ttalizing the country’s shipbuilding industry, Congressman John Lpeared together on April 14, at qualified mariners. Why would build that manpower, I am all Garamendi (D-California), said in a speech on April 9, in Oakland. the Navy League’s annual Sea- we tamper with that?” Selva, a for it. My concern is that we still The Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation Air-Space Exposition in Balti- four star general, has repeatedly need to meet the requirements of and Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on the Coast Guard and Mari- more. The discussion was hosted emphasized his support for the an economically viable militarily time Transportation told the Bay Planning Coalition’s 2015 Decision by U.S. Department of Transpor- Jones Act in the past several useful pool of ships and experi- Makers Conference “export of liquefied natural gas (LNG), when and tation Maritime Administrator months in Congressional testi- enced mariners who are proven. where deemed appropriate, provides us with a unique opportunity Paul “Chip” Jaenichen. mony and other speeches. That will make us successful in to rebuild the American shipbuilding industry and strengthen our Those participating in the General Selva also was asked wartime. So as we commit as Merchant Marine. When we export LNG, we need to make sure meeting included, among oth- about the importance of a strong a nation to put our forces into that the export of this natural asset is being conducted by American ers, Congressman Joe Courtney merchant marine to the sover- harm’s way we better be ready to sailors on American ships. In doing so, we will revitalize America’s (D-Connecticut), Congressman eignty of the United States in deploy and sustain them with the shipbuilding industry in a big way. We’re not building big ships in the John Garamendi (D-California), wartime so that the United States tools of war that will make them United States except for the U.S. Navy. These are strategic national Crowley Maritime Corporation does not have to rely on foreign successful. The men and women assets,” Congressman Garamendi said. “We have an opportunity to CEO Tom Crowley and U.S. shipbuilders and mariners to that do that are largely the men make sure that a very significant part of the American economy has Air Force General Paul J. Selva, advance its objectives. Gener- and women who volunteer to be an opportunity to blossom and grow – not just the shipyards – but the Commander, U.S. Transporta- al Selva stated the following: part of our merchant marine. So entire supply chain: electronics, engines, and more,” he added. “Can tion Command (TRANSCOM). “When we get to the issue of we have got to find a solution. That gets to the education on it be done? Well, it turns out that a lot of shipyards are represented During a robust discussion, national sovereignty [and] the national sovereignty.” by my Republican friends.” General Selva, who as head of capacity to use the national de- fense capabilities of the nation The purpose of the discussion He asked the audience for support of his effort in “building the TRANSCOM oversees a vast to impose our will as necessary was to elevate awareness of the American shipbuilding industry.” network of aircraft, ships, vehi- cles and trains that move weap- on an enemy, that demands that importance of the merchant ma- Garamendi also argued that harbor maintenance funds should ons and equipment in wartime, we have access to a viable pool rine to U.S. security and for the not be siphoned off to projects unrelated to improving America’s was asked about his support of of merchant mariners who can different leaders to work togeth- harbors. “California is disproportionately harmed by this practice. the Jones Act. Selva responded: crew those ships, who will make er to counteract the troubling Harbor maintenance fund money should be used for what is one “If asked about the Jones Act – us successful. So finding a way decline of the militarily available of the principal economic opportunities this nation possesses: our I am an ardent supporter of the to a strategy that says we value merchant marine fleet and crew. ports,” he said. USAID outsourcing maritime jobs with taxpayer dollars by Denise Krepp jobs. Thousands of dollars will Food aid is the support US- that year, USAID spent another the Administration wanted to his year, as in the past seven be spent by the U.S. Agency for AID provides to starving people $30,000 “to produce the services “reform” food aid and make it Tyears, your tax dollars will International Development (US- around the world. This aid, based of a contractor to provide speech more “agile.” He defined agile as be used to outsource maritime AID) to lobby Congress about on its name, comes in the form coaching to the Administrator.” the ability to ship food aid on in- the evils of the U.S. maritime of food – soy, corn, wheat, etc. Your tax dollars. ternational ships or simply write shipping industry. In addition, These crops are grown in the In February 2011, USAID checks; therein bypassing U.S. hundreds of thousands of dollars U.S. by our farmers and then hired a speechwriter for $14,000 farmers and shipping companies. more will be used to produce shipped to those in need. Prior to develop “a major speech that Administrator Shah reiterated promotional materials and web- to the Obama Administration, could give form and direction in the 2013 speech that, “reform- sites highlighting the alleged USAID fought MarAd over its to those goals.” Administrator ing food aid remains a core part inefficiencies of the current Food interpretation of the cargo pref- Shah used the $63,000 in speech of our vision to end hunger and for Peace (PL480). It doesn’t erence rules. It didn’t want them coaching to announce at the extreme poverty. People will matter that thousands of U.S. to apply to USAID programs, May 24, 2011 Chicago Council always say that the politics are mariners will lose their jobs if and they knew that once MarAd on Global Affairs’ Symposium tough, but as the plaque on Pres- USAID is successful. American finalized the rules that USAID on Global Agriculture and Food ident Obama’s desk says: ‘Hard jobs is not something the agency would be subject to them. Security that the Obama Admin- things are hard’.” There was no worries about. Starting at the beginning of the istration intended on spending mention of the thousands of mar- When I first joined the Mar- Obama Administration, USAID $1.15 billion on food security iners who would lose their jobs itime Administration (MarAd) began plotting how to stop the as part of the Feed the Future and the hardships they would as Chief Counsel, I was told MarAd rulemaking. Rajiv Shah program. incur if this plan was successful. that one of the Administration’s became USAID Administrator Don’t be fooled – the Admin- So what was MarAd doing Periodicals’ postage paid at San Francisco, CA (USPS 675-180) postage paid at San Francisco, CA Periodicals’ priorities was to finalize the car- in January 2010. Three months go preference rulemaking. The istration wasn’t going to spend while USAID was busy spending later, in April 2010, the agen- cargo preference laws mandate the $1.15 billion on shipping millions of taxpayer dollars de- cy paid a contractor $33,000 the use of U.S.-flag vessels to U.S. food aid to starving peo- veloping its strategy to outsource for “speechwriting and speech transport government impelled ple. Rather, as Administrator maritime jobs? Well, between cargo – the most well-known of coaching and media training Shah announced at the 2013 continued on page 10 these is food aid. for the Administrator.” Later Chicago Council Symposium, ESU News: Page 7 Page 2 WEST COAST SAILORS Friday, April 24, 2015 SUP Honor Roll Lee Kuan Yew, founding father of Voluntary contributions from the membership to the following funds: Singapore’s maritime might, dies Even after he stepped down from faster than automation can cut down total premiership, Lee Kuan Yew, who died wage costs. So the building of standard Organization/ Political Fund on March 23, at age 91, firmly believed vessels will move to those countries, like Abe Acosta . 20 .00 the city-state had to remain a major hub South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore, General Fund port to retain its leading position in the where wages are lower than those of the Billy Bell . 50 .00 Abe Acosta . 20 .00 maritime world. industrialized countries and where the William Berger . 100 .00 workers are diligent and can be trained Benjamin Braceros . 50 .00 As Singapore’s first prime minister Robert Bourne . 100 .00 from 1959 to 1990, Lee led a period that to high skills.” Thor Erikson . 40 .00 Benjamin Braceros . 50 .00 saw the city-state enter the shipbuilding It was a proud moment for Singapore Ariel Odion . 20 .00 Reynaldo Clores .