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House, Senate Conference Agrees On Naval Support Vessel Leasing Bill
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House and Senate conferees have agreed on legislation to permit the Navy to
lease its
replacement support ships from the private sector. Leasing rights are provided in a fiscal 2000 Department of Defense authorization bill completed by the lawmakers early in August. The compromise bill must now go to floor votes in each chamber. The pertinent section of the legislation would allow long-term leasing of combat logistics vessels, sealift ships, and "other auxiliary support vessels." The ships would be built in private sector U.S. shipyards and leased "from the shipyard or other private person." Leases would extend for 20 years or longer, and the ships would be operated by commercial U.S.-flag companies. The Navy would have the option to buy one or more of the vessels during or after the lease period. Crewing the vessels with civil service mariners would be permitted only if a detailed, objective cost analysis found that Navy employees cost less than civilian complements tapped from the private sector, and only if additional study showed no harmful effect on "the private sector manpower pool" required for sealift service in national defense emergencies. The initiative is seen by many in the public and private sectors as a practical and efficient way to replace aging support ships and prepositioned sealift ships. | |||
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