ments of the American transportation system. For this and other basic reasons, the arguments for inter-modal coordination advanced by the administration just do not apply. Both H.R. 13200 and S. 3010 constitute legislation substantially deficient in several key maritime provisions. A. It withdraws authority from the President of the United States to appoint key agency officials and denies to the Congress the normal responsibilities of advise and consent. Relegating appointment authority to the administrative processes of the Executive branch of government downgrades the American Merchant Marine. It is a clear indication of a lack of appreciation of its importance to the nation. B. It fails to lodge conclusive authority with either the Maritime Administrator or the Maritime Subsidy Board. Rather it makes their decisions subject to unnecessary higher echelons of review and appeal thus relegating such decisions to the status of primary actions devoid of essential finality. C. It proposes (through Section 7) to lodge in the Secretary of Transportation broad and unfettered authority to develop and revise standards and criteria for the formulation and evaluation of all proposals for Federal fund investment. This, in effect, is an invasion of authority normally encompassed within the legislative responsibilities of the Congress and is of doubtful constitutionality. D. It places (through Section 5) almost sole responsibility for Coast Guard duties and obligations in the area of safety under a National Transportation Safety Board which is to determine the cause or probable cause of accidents in all transportation media. Such a wide diffusion of the time and effort of only five members cannot possibly produce the excellency of service now provided by the U.S. Coast Guard. Actually, the current proposals may well be legislating out of existence a large part of the maritime safety functions and responsibilities of the Coast Guard itself. E. It materially divests the Corps of Army Engineers of substantive functions performed in connection with waterways, harbors and other navigation projects, leaving to it only the engineering functions. The Corps should not be so divested as the functions can best be performed where presently lodged. F. Finally, the Executive branch of government conveniently omits any reference to itself as a major user of transportation; does not clarify whether it will even adhere to such standards and criteria as are provided under section 7; and leaves its own functioning status undescribed. If the Congress is to give serious consideration to the proposed legislation, it should in all logic be amended to provide for 1. A Maritime Administrator presidentially appointed with the advice and consent of the United States Senate. 2. Reporting by the Maritime Administrator directly to the Secretary of Transportation under such clear language as to avoid delegation of supervisory responsibility to intervening echelons of authority. 3. Clear lodging of responsibility for the health and welfare of the American Merchant Marine with the Maritime Administration. 4. The establishment of a Maritime Subsidy Board to function as a quasijudicial body whose rulings would not be subject to review by the Secretary of Transportation or other officials in the Executive branch of government; such Board to be composed of the Maritime Administrator and two other members appointed directly by the President, likewise subject to confirmation by the United States Senate. 5. Adequate safeguards against impairing the present authorities of the U.S. Coast Guard and the Corps of Army Engineers in their respective areas of service. 6. Substantial modification or even elimination of Section 7 to avoid a surrender of normal Congressional function to the Executive. Such provisions and safeguards represent the necessary minimum maritime modifications of the pending legislation. Even with such modifications, H.R. 13200 and S. 3010 fall far short of creating the optimum type of governmental organization needed to support and maintain our national maritime strength. Only an Independent Maritime Board-Administration can best achieve the objectives of our national maritime policy. POSITION The Propeller Club of the United States believes the establishment of a new Independent Maritime Agency consisting of a Maritime Administrator and a Maritime Subsidy Board would best serve the cause of achieving a strong American Merchant Marine. It is strongly urged that such organizational structure as is ultimately adopted by the Congress provide for (1) a Maritime Administrator appointed by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the United States Senate, and (2) a Maritime Subsidy Board of three members, including the Maritime Administrator as Chairman and two additional members, likewise appointed by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate; both of which would have the same responsibilities and authorities as now vested in each of them, but whose decisions would not be subject to appeal to any other executive authority. It is further urged that such organizational structure leave unimpaired the authorities of the U.S. Coast Guard and the Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, in their respective areas of operation. WASHINGTON STATE LABOR COUNCIL, AFL-CIO, Congressman EDWARD GARMATZ, Chairman, House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR CONGRESSMAN GARMATZ: Currently pending in the United States House of Representatives is legislation titled the "Federal Maritime Act of 1966” encompassed in HR15567 which would establish the Federal Maritime Administration as a separate independent Federal Agency. Passage of this legislation would be of immense value in the economic growth of our Nation and be of tremendous importance to this Region. Therefore, we urgently request that you lend your assistance in scheduling of immediate hearings by the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee on HR15567 and support the passage of this worthwhile legislation. With kind personal regards, I remain Sincerely, MARVIN L. WILLIAMS, Secretary-Treasurer. BALTIMORE REGIONAL JOINT BOARD, AMALGAMATED CLOTHING WORKERS OF AMERICA, Congressman EDWARD A. GARMATZ, Washington, D.C. DEAR CONGRESSMAN: The Baltimore Regional Joint Board, Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America joins our brothers in the maritime unions in preventing the death of the American Merchant Marine since we are vitally interested in the Port of Baltimore and the economy of the State of Maryland in which the Merchant Marine plays a vital role. To counteract this move there has been introduced in both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives a measure (H.R. 15567 and S. 3530) entitled "Federal Maritime Act of 1966". This bill will help the American Merchant Marine to regain its prominent place in the World Trade Market. We therefore urge you to use your good offices in securing immediate hearings of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee. Sincerely yours, SAM NOCELLA, Manager. GREATER NEW ORLEANS AFL-CIO, Hon. JAMES H. MORRISON, Washington, D.C. DEAR CONGRESSMAN MORRISON: The American Merchant Marine is dying on the vine. One of the reasons for this Government neglect is the fact that the Federal Maritime Administration is buried in the dusty recesses of the Department of Commerce. Now a new proposal before Congress would inter this vital agency even deeper by absorbing it into a new "Department of Transportation," where first attention would be paid to air, rail and rapid transit problems. To counteract this move, there has been introduced in both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives a measure (H.R. 15567 and S. 3530) entitled the "Federal Maritime Act of 1966." This would establish the Federal Maritime Administration as an independent Federal Agency free from departmental domination and suppression. Such action was unanimously supported by the last AFL-CIO Convention in Resolution 217. It is backed by all maritime unions affiliated with the AFL-CIO. It also is being supported by the AFL-CIO Legislative Committee. We ask that you urge immediate hearings by the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, whose chairman is Congressman Edward Garmatz, on this We, the captain, officers, and crew of the SS President Johnson express our strongest opposition to anything less than independent, undominated new maritime agency in the interest of Nation's waterborne defense trade and travel. [Telegram] RIVER ROUGE, MICH., August 9, 1966. Hon. EDWARD A. GARMATZ, As secretary-treasurer of the Seafarers International Union, Great Lakes District, representing 5,000 seamen. I strongly urge your support of efforts to establish an independent Federal maritime agency. A department of transportation would mean the end of true representation for sailors and their families on the Great Lakes. FRED J. FARNEN, Secretary-Treasurer, Seafarers' International Union, Great Lakes District. [Telegram] BALTIMORE, MD., August 3, 1966. Congressman EDWARD GARMATZ, Washington, D.C.: Request that you support an amendment to remove the Maritime Administration Maritime Subsidy Board from the bill creating the Department of Transportation. THOMAS MARTINEZ, Agent, National Maritime Union. Congressman EDWARD GARMATZ, [Telegram] BALTIMORE, MD., August 3, 1966. House Office Building, Washington D.C.: Request you support an amendment to remove the Maritime Administration Maritime Subsidy Board from the bill creating the Department of Transportation. LOUIS AVERELLA. [Telegram] Hon. EDWARD A. GARMATZ, House Office Building, Washington, D.C.: RIVER ROUGE, MICH, August 9, 1966. The crewmembers of the SS J. Boland, strongly urge your support of efforts to establish an independent Federal maritime agency. Don't let them bury us in the proposed Department of Transportation. SHIP'S DELEGATE, Seafarers' International Union. [Telegram] Hon. EDWARD A. GARMATZ, House Office Building, Washington, D.C.: RIVER ROUGE, MICH., August 9, 1966. Crewmembers on the MV Diamond Alkali urge your vote against legislation that would destroy our merchant marine by putting it under Department of Transportation. We need an independent Federal maritime agency. Your support of legislation to keep the Maritime Administration out of the new Department of Transportation is vitally needed. Our merchant marine can only survive if given status through an independent agency. CREW, SS "A. E. CORNELIUS," [Telegram] RIVER ROUGE, MICH., August 9, 1966. Hon. EDWARD A. GARMATZ, Washington, D.C.: Help our merchant marine survive by joining fight against putting the Maritime Administration in the proposed Department of Transportation. The crew of the SS Alpena urges your support of an independent agency for the U.S. merchant marine. SHIP'S DELEGATE, Seafarers' International Union. Hon. EDWARD A. GARMATZ, [Telegram] DETROIT, MICH., August 9, 1966. Washington, D.C.: The SS Ben W. Calvin is one of less than 900 ships left in the U.S. merchant marine. Protect our industry and jobs by voting down proposals to bury the maritime administration in a new Department of Transportation. We need an independent agency in order for the merchant marine to survive. SHIP'S DELEGATE, Seafarers' International Union. [Telegram] BALTIMORE, MD., August 6, 1966. Congressman EDWARD A. GARMATZ, House Office Building, Washington, D.C.: I wholeheartedly urge you to support an amendment to remove the Maritime JOHN A. SCHAEFER, [Telegram] SAN DIEGO, CALIF., July 21, 1966. Congressman EDWARD A. Garmatz, Rayburn Office Building, Washington, D.C.: We urge that you expedite the hearing on H.R. 15567 and S. 3530. This is ED ALLENSWORTH, President, Cab Drivers Local 101, T.S. & A.W., SIUNA AFL-CIO. [Telegram] RIVER ROUGE, MICH., August 9, 1966. Hon. EDWARD A. GARMATZ, Washington, D.C.: Crew of the SS F. A. Manske in the port of Toledo urges your support of legis- The Mobile District Labor Council urgently request your support of bill H.R. W. O. MozZINGO. [Telegram] SAN DIEGO, CALIF., July 13, 1966. Representative EDWARD A. GARMATZ, Washington, D.C.: Urge you do everything possible to see immediate hearings are held by House R. R. RICHARDSON, |