On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) and our affiliated maritime unions whose members crew U.S.-flag seagoing vessels, we call on you to include emergency supplemental funding for the Maritime Security Program (MSP) and to amend cargo preference requirements in the next COVID-19 aid package. These proposals will help protect the jobs, wages, and benefits of U.S. mariners and support a critical sector of the economy.
The Maritime Security Program is an indispensable component of the nation’s military sealift capability and ensures that trained U.S. citizen mariners will be available in times of peace, war, or national emergency. By providing a modest stipend to the operator of each vessel enrolled in MSP, Congress is able to support military readiness, the continued health of a U.S. flagged commercial fleet, and an active pool of trained and experienced U.S. citizen mariners. Read more (
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