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JARC Still A Threat To U.S. Fleet
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| Farm Group Chief Takes Helm, Vows Continued Battle | |||
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The Jones Act Reform Coalition will carry on despite the surprise departure
of its high-
profile president. In July, Bryan Little, government relations director of the American Farm Bureau Federation, was named interim president of the coalition. He succeeds Donald R. "Rob" Quartel, who stepped down to pursue an unspecified "unique personal opportunity." Organized by Quartel in April 1995, the Jones Act Reform Coalition represents U.S. and multinational agricultural, energy, chemical, mining, and manufacturing interests, many with extensive direct or circuitous links to foreign-flag merchant ships. Last year, the coalition abandoned its quest for outright repeal of the Jones Act and other cabotage laws that hold domestic maritime markets for vessels owned, built, flagged, and crewed in the U.S. The coalition now supports a Jones Act amendment to permit foreign- built bulk carriers and tankers to operate between domestic ports on U.S. coastlines and along the Great Lakes. Last year, the amendment was offered as legislation in the Senate by Kansas Republican Sam Brownback and in the House by Michigan Republican Rep. Nick Smith, but both bills languished with little support and virtually no official attention. In May, Sen. Brownback reintroduced his bill, which had yet to be considered in committee on Aug. 1. There was no House version as American Maritime Officer neared presstime. "This issue was around before Rob, and we will continue after he's gone," Little told The Journal Of Commerce in July. "This is important to my members." Meanwhile, Quartel hinted that he will remain active in maritime politics. "It would be fair to say that I have a continuing interest in how the maritime industry develops, and I intend over the long term to have some impact on that," he told Traffic World. | |||
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