Last year our industry’s first broad-scale advocacy day on Capitol Hill was a resounding success. “The Sail-In was widely supported by the American maritime industry including international and domestic ocean carriers, terminal operators and labor unions. We had folks from 20 states, 48 congressional districts, 28 companies, 9 unions and labor organizations, and 10 related associations,”... [read more]

Last year our industry’s first broad-scale advocacy day on Capitol Hill was a resounding success. “The Sail-In was widely supported by the American maritime industry including international and domestic ocean carriers, terminal operators and labor unions. We had folks from 20 states, 48 congressional districts, 28 companies, 9 unions and labor organizations, and 10 related associations,” reported VADM Albert J. Herberger, a former U.S. Maritime Administrator and head of last year's volunteer organizing group. “That’s a powerful message to Congress,” he added. And we plan to build on that success in 2011.
But The Stakes Have Gone Up

The 2010 mid-term elections brought significant changes to the congressional committees that oversee maritime issues. As a result, a tremendous amount of institutional knowledge and support was lost. A few quick examples:
Three of the 4 most important House committee chairmen for maritime issues did not return to the 112th Congress.

There are 20 freshmen members now on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

More than a dozen members who were visited by our industry during last year’s Sail-In did not return to Congress.