The AMO Voluntary Political Action Fund

We have recently reported on a flurry of activity in the nation's capital, where Congress has revised and voted upon several crucial pieces of legislation that will directly impact the U.S. maritime industry, and the jobs and job security of American mariners.

Among the recent legislative highlights are:

Approval in both houses of Congress for full funding of the Maritime Security Program in fiscal year 2008--Congress voted to restore the funding level to $156 million after the administration sought to cut it by 1 percent, a cut that could have eliminated an allotment for one of the ships in the fleet.
Overwhelming votes in both houses of Congress to override the President's veto of the Water Resources Development Act--legislation authorizing badly needed dredging projects for the Great Lakes and other waterways, and the construction of a second Poe-sized lock at federal expense to accommodate larger vessels at Sault Ste. Marie.
Approval of a farm bill in both Houses of Congress that did not include a proposed cut in funding for food-aid shipments in U.S.-flagged vessels--the administration had sought to divert up to 25 percent of the funding for Food for Peace cargoes to a cash grant program.

Such support for programs so critical to the U.S. merchant marine cannot be taken for granted. In this time of fiscal belt-tightening, legislators could easily focus their attention and advocacy on more politically visible issues.

Our legislative staff works to secure a place on the Congressional agenda for the programs and statutes that form the backbone of U.S. maritime policy, and to ensure the vital roles of the U.S. merchant marine in the nation's commerce and security are not taken for granted.

Through the AMO Voluntary Political Action Fund, our legislative staff contributes to the campaigns of elected representatives and new candidates for office. This process allows our staff to establish supportive relationships with key representatives. These relationships provide a basis to educate newly elected representatives in the important roles of U.S.-flag shipping, as well as the ability to work with incumbent leaders on issues vital to the merchant fleet.

A contribution to the AMO Voluntary Political Action Fund is an investment in job and benefit security for American mariners and in the future of our industry. The success of our legislative staff depends upon your support of the VPAF.

The cornerstones of U.S. maritime policy our legislative staff works to promote and protect are:

U.S. cabotage laws: the Jones Act, Passenger Vessel Services Act and the Towing and Dredging Act-these statutes reserve waterborne shipping between domestic ports and U.S. territories for vessels built in the U.S., manned by U.S. citizens and operated by U.S. companies. The cabotage laws govern domestic deep-sea, Great Lakes and inland waters shipping trades and maritime operations.
Cargo preference laws: these laws reserve shares of U.S. government cargoes, including shipments of military equipment and humanitarian food-aid, for U.S.-flagged commercial vessels operated by American companies.
The Maritime Security Program: this program supports a fleet of 60 U.S.-flagged vessels operating in commercial trades. In exchange for an annual allotment, the vessels are made available to the Defense Department for sealift operations in times of war and national crisis.
Title XI: this program provides federal loan guarantees for private sector financing of the construction of ships and maritime infrastructure components at American shipyards.
Dredging and Harbor Maintenance: these operations regularly require authorization and funding from the federal government to maintain U.S. harbors and channels to project depths for commercial shipping.

Contributions to the AMO Voluntary Political Fund are used expressly for direct contributions to the campaigns of elected representatives and candidates for office in the Senate and House of Representatives. Contributions to the VPAF are held in an account separate from other union and plans funds.

Nearly 100 percent of every dollar contributed to the Voluntary Political Action Fund is used for direct campaign contributions. The remaining portion pays for banking and auditing services to ensure the fund's compliance with federal regulations.

Complete contribution disclosure reports for the AMO Voluntary Political Action Fund are available on the Federal Elections Commission's Web site. Visit the FEC search page at this address: fec.gov/finance/disclosure/srssea.shtml. On the search page, select an election cycle and enter "American Maritime Officers" in the search field.

For more information about the AMO Voluntary Political Action Fund, call (800) 816-1734 ext. 7003 or e-mail pac@amo-union.org.