Waiting For Important Issues to be Addressed
Published: Sunday, June 24, 2012 7:00 am
By: Van Snider, MBIA
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Will Rogers was one of the best-known humorist of the 1920s and 30s. He died in 1935 at the young age of 55. He once said, “The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.” I recently read a number of his anecdotes and enjoyed everyone. He could poke fun at politicians and get away with it without offending anyone.
As I’ve gotten older, I seem to be less patient, not more. My impatience depends on the topic. Take the legislative process, as an example. Why does it take so long to solve a problem? From a boating perspective, there are a number of important federal issues to be addressed. Two high on my priority list are: Maintenance dredging of small recreational harbors and commercial harbors in the Great Lakes and protecting the Great Lakes from the invasion of the Asian Carp. Both of these topics are complex and politically charged and we seem to be waiting for these important issues to be addressed. It’s not that legislation hasn’t been introduced, it has; however, legislation doesn’t always move through the polical process quickly.
Senator Debbie Stagenow [MI] introduced S. 471, Stop Asian Carp Act of 2011, on March 3, 2011. Cosponsors include: Senators Sherrod Brown [OH], Richard Durbin [IL], Al Franken [MN], Kirsten Gillibrand [NY], Amy Klobuchar [MN], Herb Kohl [WI], Carl Levin [MI], and Charles Schumer [NY]. The last Senate action? S. 472 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on the day it was introduced, over a year and a half ago.
H.R. 892, the House version of S. 471, was introduced by Michigan Representative David Camp also on March 3, 2011. H.R 892 was referred to the House subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs that same day. Representative Camp has 36 House members as cosponsors; six from New York; 14 from Michigan; seven from Minnaosta and Ohio, and one from Kansas and Pennsylvania. Lots of support, yet no action.
I’m not bashing politicians; I have befriended a number of them over the years and, frankly, I like most of them. I don’t subscribe to the belief that “Under every stone lurks a politician” [Thesmophoriazusac (410 B.C.)]. As a group, however, it seems more difficult to reach concensus and that, accordingly, adds to my degree of impatience.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been inadequately funded for Great Lakes maintenance dredging for years; yet, the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund balance continues to grow. Michigan Senator Carl Levin introduced S. 412 on 2/17/11 and has 36 cosponsors. It requires the total budget resources for expenditures from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund for harbor maintenance programs to equal the level of receipts plus interest credited to such Fund for that fiscal year. It limits the use of such resources to such programs only. In addition, H.R. 104 was introduced on 2/12/11 by Louisiana’s Representative Bloustany and has 195 cosponors, no small number. It was introduced on 7/8/11 and referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrsatructure and the House Rules Committee. There have been hearings. The House passed H.R. 4348, the Highway Bill, in April which included amendment language from Bloustany’s bill. There is still no resolution.
It’s hard to believe these two important boating, sailing and fishing issues have not yet to be resolved, especially with the level of Congressional support. If you feel the way I do, I suggest you express your opinions to your federal legislative representatives. This web address will help you locate your federal legislators contact information: http://www.usa.gov/Contact/
