Special Delivery
Just in time for the holidays, our union and our industry got some of the best news we could imagine.
On November 24, President Bush signed the Defense Department Appropriations bill which, among many other provisions, contains a 10-year extension and substantial expansion of the U.S. Maritime Security Program, better known as the MSP. That means lots of new shipboard job opportunities for Seafarers.
I won’t describe it as an early Christmas present, because too many people worked too hard for the MSP’s passage to call it a gift. But the timing certainly makes for a more enjoyable holiday season, a period when we typically count our blessings. That’s because the reauthorized MSP is a tremendous victory — not just for the U.S. Merchant Marine, but truly for the entire nation.
The new program is a significant boost to the U.S.-flag fleet and seagoing labor. It increases the MSP fleet from 47 ships to 60 commercial vessels that are capable of supporting military sealift operations. It also offers greater incentives for ship operators to apply for enrollment in the program.
It’s worth noting that both the existing program and the reauthorized MSP have received overwhelming support from the highest levels of government and industry, including the White House, the House and Senate, the Department of Defense and the Department of Transportation, among others. The MSP’s backers understand that a competitive, privately owned commercial fleet will help ensure that our country continues to have trained U.S. mariners and other assets available to support military sealift.
Without question, the new MSP stands to help America improve the nation’s commercial sealift capabilities and provide jobs for our dedicated, well-trained U.S. mariners. That is a winning formula, one that helps improve national security.
From the SIU’s perspective, of course, the most important thing about the new MSP is that it represents an opportunity for additional shipboard jobs and continued job security for the membership. And on that note, I must say to my fellow Seafarers that your consistent, outstanding work on the vessels helped make the new MSP possible. Your courage and reliability during Operation Iraqi Freedom also helped deliver the new program for the president’s signature, although efforts to pass a reauthorized MSP started long before the war.
As often happens at moments like this one, it’s practically impossible to acknowledge everyone who supported the expanded MSP. But I do want to thank President Bush, Congressmen Duncan Hunter and Ike Skelton and U.S. General John Handy (commander of TRANSCOM) for expressing their solid backing of both the MSP and the U.S. Merchant Marine in general.
I also thank our rank-and-file Seafarers for understanding the importance of political action, for continuing their voluntary support of SPAD, and for living up to the tradition of the nation’s “Fourth Arm of Defense.”
Now, we look forward to moving on to the new MSP and expanding job opportunities for our members on new, modern U.S.-flag ships.
Season’s Greetings
To all SIU members and retirees and their families, I extend my warmest wishes this holiday season and throughout the New Year. I know it has been said before, but the SIU really is one big family, and this is a time of year when spending time with loved ones is extra meaningful. When it comes to the SIU family, I’m proud to be a part of it and I’m truly grateful for your solid support.
I also offer my respect and prayers to our armed forces still serving in Iraq, as well as to the Seafarers who continue sailing in support of U.S. military operations around the world. May you all return home safe and sound.
Happy holidays!
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