Page 20: of Marine News Magazine (November 2022)

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Column

Washington Watch

U.S. Congressman Peter DeFazio U.S. Senator Roger Wicker

Majority Whip. Sen. Wicker also previously chaired the ria Cantwell (D-Wash.), who is likely to stay on as the top

SASC Seapower Subcommittee, overseeing Navy and Ma- Democrat on Senate Commerce, may be challenging. Ac- rine Corps planning and operations policy and programs, cordingly, regardless of November’s election outcomes, the as well as the National Defense Sealift Fund, which pro- maritime industry should monitor this relationship closely, vides funding for MARAD’s National Defense Reserve as partisan stalemates could lead to a slowdown in critical

Fleet and Ready Reserve Force. maritime legislation, such as the USCG and MARAD au-

In both his Senate Commerce and SASC leadership thorization bills, that are critical to support the U.S. mari- roles, Sen. Wicker has been a constant champion of the time workforce.

maritime industry, introducing numerous bipartisan bills

Busy lame duck to directly assist the maritime industry. As Senate Com- merce Chair and Ranking Member, Sen. Wicker led the Following the mid-term elections, Congress is likely to growth of MARAD, including authorizing billions of have to plenty to do prior to committee leadership gavels dollars for the NSMV program, PIDP grants, and the trading hands in January 2023. The government is cur-

Maritime Security Program and Tanker Security Program. rently funded only through December 16, 2022. Congress

During the current legislative session, Sen. Wicker also will likely look to pass a massive omnibus spending bill, co-sponsored the Maritime Technological Advancement which may include the Water Resources Development Act

Act along with Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), which would (WRDA) of 2022, which would authorize 36 new USACE establish a $40 million per-year grant program to develop, feasibility studies and authorizes or modi? es 21 projects offer, or improve educational or career training programs for construction. In addition, while the Senate held lim- for American workers in the maritime workforce. ited debates on the National Defense Authorization Act

Sen. Wicker is likely to be replaced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R- (which includes both the USCG and MARAD authoriza-

Texas) as either Ranking Member or Chair of Senate Com- tion bills) in October, ? nal passage will not occur until merce, depending on whether the Republicans take con- after the mid-term elections. Accordingly, while maritime trol of the Senate. Sen. Wicker’s tenure has been marked stakeholders should be focused on family and friends dur- by bi-partisan collegiality. Sen. Cruz tends to reach across ing the holiday season, it may be worth occasionally check- the aisle less frequently, and his relationship with Sen. Ma- ing C-SPAN to see how these critical bills develop.

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