Maritime Administration Act for Fiscal Year 2009
Key claim: This Senate bill would update Maritime Administration programs, including temporary hiring and a sexual-harassment policy at the Merchant Marine Academy, small-shipyard grants and training aid, higher student incentive payments at state maritime academies, an extension of war-risk insurance through 2015, and a tighter test before waiving U.S. navigation laws for national defense.
Abstract
(S2997 · 110th Congress) Maritime Administration Act for Fiscal Year 2009 - (Sec. 2) Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation, subject to limitation and sunset, to execute personal service contracts with adjunct professors to meet a United States Merchant Marine Academy temporary need. Requires the Secretary, if the Secretary executes one or more such contracts, to report to specified congressional committees, explaining the need for each contract and the duties to be performed. (Sec. 3) Requires the Academy’s superintendent to prescribe a sexual harassment and sexual violence policy applicable to Academy cadets and other personnel. (Sec. 4) Amends the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 to revise provisions concerning riding gang member requirements on vessels under Department of Defense (DOD) contracts. (Sec. 5) Requires, subject to appropriations, grants, loans, and loan guarantees to small shipyards for capital improvements and assistance for training programs to foster technical skills and operational productivity in communities with economies related to or dependent on the maritime industry. (Sec. 6) Allows state maritime academy student incentive payments to be made to the academy or the student. Doubles the level of payments, removes a requirement that the student be attending the academy when payments are made, allows the payments to be used for tuition, and requires recipients to accept midshipman and enlisted reserve (currently, enlisted reserve) status in the U.S. Navy Reserve (including the Merchant Marine Reserve). (Sec. 7) Extends to December 31, 2015, the expiration of the authority of the Secretary to provide war risk insurance and reinsurance. (Sec. 8) Conditions the waiver of navigation and inspection laws in the interest of national defense on a determination by the Maritime Administrator that qualified U.S. flag capacity is unavailable to meet national defense requirements. (Sec. 9) Requires the Coast Guard commandant, acting through th Latest action (2008-09-11): Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 955.
Why this matters
Maritime Administration authorization vehicles are the recurring channel through which Congress adjusts the rules that shape U.S.-flag shipping capacity, shipyard competitiveness, and cabotage-waiver discipline — all of which flow through to importer and exporter costs on domestic waterborne trade. Even when a bill like the FY2009 version fails to pass, its language (war-risk insurance extension, waiver test) often reappears in later maritime packages and signals the policy direction on U.S.-flag protection.