WASHINGTON—The House of Representatives today overwhelmingly passed a $9.5 billion authorization for U.S. Coast Guard operations for Fiscal Years 2000 and 2001. During floor debate, Rep. James L. Oberstar, Ranking Democratic Member on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, spoke out in strong support of the legislation. 

"The Coast Guard is America's best return on investment," Oberstar said. "The men and women who wear that special color blue deserve our total support and this bill provides it." 

The bill authorizes $4.6 billion in FY2000 and $4.9 in FY2001. The funds will be used for operations such as search and rescue, icebreaking, safety inspection and enforcement, and drug interdiction. 

Oberstar praised the bill for funding the design and construction of a ship to replace the 55-year-old icebreaker Mackinaw on the Great Lakes. 

"The Great Lakes contain 20 percent of the world's fresh water. One of every five industrial jobs in America is located along the Great Lakes," Oberstar said. "The Great Lakes states generate 45 percent of the nation's agriculture and produce over a third of the nation's exports." 

"To move the 58 million tons of iron ore that move from Northern Minnesota and Northern Michigan to the lower lakes' steel mills, the 23 million tons of stone that are used in the nation's highway construction projects, the 20 million tons of low-sulfur coal that fuel the power plants in Illinois, Michigan and Ohio to keep their industries going, we have to keep those shipping lanes open in late fall and early spring," Oberstar said. "Water-borne transportation is the lowest cost, lowest energy-consuming means of transportation for these commodities." 

Replacing the Mackinaw with a modern, multi-purpose vessel will greatly benefit the entire national economy, Oberstar said. 

Oberstar also pointed to the funding in the authorization for the Deepwater project, which will replace all Coast Guard vessels and aircraft that operate more than 50 miles from the U.S. coastline. The bill provides $44 million to continue design development for the new ships and equipment.