,,iv  #aai? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,h4 ,,res4 #dfc  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,june #c1 #bjbe,mr4   
,moylan 7= himself1 ,ms4 ,tokuda1 ,mr4  
,case1 ,mr4 ,huffman1 ,mr4 ,g>am5di1 &  
,mrs4 ,radewag57 submitt$ ! foll[+      
resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee
 on ,=eign ,affairs1 & 9 addition to !  
,committee on ,transportation &         
,infra/ructure1 = a p]iod to be         
subsequ5tly det]m9$ by ! ,speak]1 9 ea* 
case = consid]ation ( su* provisions z  
fall )9 ! jurisdiction ( ! committee    
conc]n$  ,,resolution  ,condemn+ !      
illegal1 int]national use (             
flag-(-conv5i5ce practices4  ,:]eas _m  
flag-(-conv5i5ce %ips are n "u a b9d+   
contractual obligation to s]ve ,unit$   
,/ates ne$s 9 em]g5cies1 & ?is practice 
und]m9es ! ,unit$ ,/ates m]*ant m>9e    
fleet = ! purposes ( ,unit$ ,/ates      
comm]ce & milit>y auxili>y 9 "t ( w> or 
national em]g5cy2 ,:]eas _m             
flag-(-conv5i5ce %ips may n be readily  
available or compliant dur+ crises1     

despite be+ ,unit$ ,/ates-own$1 leav+ ! 
,unit$ ,/ates n fully prep>$ = future   
?reats1 & moreov]1 flag-(-conv5i5ce %ips
 may be caught betwe5 conflict+ national
 int]e/s1 mak+ _! reliability 9         
em]g5cies unc]ta92 ,:]eas               
flag-(-conv5i5ce %ips are (t5 us$ to    
avoid t>iffs1 sanctions1 & o!r economic 
policies1 & fur!rmore1 x is unlikely t  
flag-(-conv5i5ce %ips w transition back 
to ! ,unit$ ,/ates flag because ( a lack
 ( int]national ov]sight capacities &   
crim9al opportunity2 ,:]eas ! lack (    
transp>5cy 9 ! global fi%+ sector1 su* z
 flag ( conv5i5ce1 is a key enabl] (    
illegal1 unreport$1 & unregulat$ fi%+2  
,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,coa/ ,gu>d has  
id5tifi$ illegal1 unreport$1 &          
unregulat$ fi%+ z a ma9 contributor to !
 collapse or decl9e ( fi%]ies t are     
critical to ! economic gr[?1 food       
sy/ems1 & ecosy/ems ( num]\s c\ntries   
ar\nd ! _w2 ,:]eas flag-(-conv5i5ce     
practices ?reat5 ,am]ican m>itime-relat$
 indu/ries1 l support+ illegal1         

unreport$1 & unregulat$ fi%+1 :i* has   
co/ ! global seafood indu/ry            
approximately #ej1jjj1jjj1jjj annually2 
,:]eas ! use ( flag ( conv5i5ce by fi%+ 
vessels impairs detection capabilities 9
 ! fi%+ sector1 imp$+ ef=ts to id5tify1 
track1 & sanction all b5efici>ies ( !   
illegal1 unreport$1 & unregulat$ fi%+   
activities2 ,:]eas flag-(-conv5i5ce     
practices enable crimes su* z illicit   
traffick+1 =c$ labor1 & t]rori/ f9anc+1 
demon/rat+ h[ ! lack ( int]national     
ov]sight has promot$ m>itime crime &    
smuggl+2 ,:]eas a #bjjb congressional   
panel det]m9$ t al-,qaida 0 op]at+ %ips 
"u flag-(-conv5i5ce practices1          
exemplify+ h[ lax %ipp+ ov]sight all[s  
crim9als & t]rori/s to move arms1 money1
 or ev5 weapons ( mass de/ruction2      
,:]eas ! use ( flag ( conv5i5ce r$uces  
employm5t opportunities = ,am]ican      
seaf>]s by bypass+ ,unit$ ,/ates labor  
/&>ds1 & fur!rmore1 %ips t op]ate "u    
,unit$ ,/ates labor laws may be sold to 
=eign own]s to ma9ta9 co/ competitiv5ess

 ?r\gh flag-(-conv5i5ce practices2      
,:]eas %ip[n]s use flag ( conv5i5ce to  
avoid & und]m9e exi/+ ,unit$ ,/ates     
laws1 includ+ fair wages1 up-to-date    
onbo>d safety conditions1 adequate food 
& clean dr9k+ wat]1 & reasonable work+  
h\rs2 ,:]eas1 accord+ to ! ,int]national
 ,transport ,work]s' ,f$]ation1 work]s  
onbo>d flag-(-conv5i5ce vessels are m   
likely to exp]i5ce l[ wages1 poor onbo>d
 conditions1 insuffici5t food & clean   
dr9k+ wat]1 & long p]iods ( "w )\t prop]
 re/2 ,:]eas nations t (f]              
flag-(-conv5i5ce practices may lack !   
capacity to en=ce m>itime labor & safety
 regulations effectively1 &             
additionally1 ^! nations may n h !      
capabilities to det]m9e if vessels ho/  
sub/&>d conditions & a crew t suff]s f  
inadequate work+ & liv+ conditions2     
,:]eas "s regi/ry nations b5efit f      
int]national /atus & fees b may         
purposefully n ensure compliance )      
int]national /&>ds1 & "s l&lock$ nations
 (f] op5 %ip regi/ries ) m9imal ov]sight

 = co/ sav+ & crim9al usage2 & ,:]eas ! 
flag-(-conv5i5ce practices und]m9e      
,presid5t ,trump's ,re/or+ ,am]ica's    
,m>itime ,dom9ance initiative by        
attract+ ,unit$ ,/ates-built %ips to    
reflag to ano!r nation1 & moreov]1      
,am]ica's %ipbuild+ & %ip repair        
indu/ries are put at a disadvantage     
because ( o!r nations' l[] %ip /&>ds3   
,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t ! ,h\se (           
,repres5tatives--  7#a7 recognizes ! ne$
 = m fund+1 employm5t opportunities1 &  
protections = ! ,unit$ ,/ates m>itime   
indu/ry2  7#b7 supports initiatives t   
seek to address critical %ortfalls 9 !  
,unit$ ,/ates %ipbuild+ & %ip repair    
indu/ries :ile reit]at+ ! ne$ = a       
capable1 reliable ,unit$ ,/ates m>itime 
auxili>y2  7#c7 reaffirms !             
congressional support = ,unit$ ,/ates   
bus9esses t rely on robu/ & reliable    
m>itime %ipp+1 %ipbuild+1 fi%+1 & t\rism
 indu/ries2  7#d7 condemns !            
int]national use ( flag ( conv5i5ce to  
avoid t>iffs1 sanctions1 workplace      

rights1 & basic safety /&>ds1 z well z  
support+ crim9al opportunity1 illegal1  
unreport$1 & unregulat$ fi%+1 & t]rori/ 
op]ations2  7#e7 reit]ates ! mission ( !
 ,unit$ ,/ates ,coa/ ,gu>d & enc\rages  
fur!r int]national m>itime              
collaborations ?r\gh vital %iprid]      
agreem5ts2  7#f7 /rongly condemns       
c\ntries t purposefully ignore m>itime  
safety /&>ds & m>9]s' workplace rights2 
7#g7 emphasizes ! importance ( ,port    
,/ate ,control ,agreem5t1 includ+ !     
,abuja ,memor&um ( ,und]/&+1 ! ,black   
,sea ,memor&um ( ,und]/&+1 ! ,c>ibbean  
,memor&um ( ,und]/&+1 ! ,indian ,ocean  
,memor&um ( ,und]/&+1 ! ,m$it]ranean    
,memor&um ( ,und]/&+1 ! ,p>is ,memor&um 
( ,und]/&+1 ! ,riyadh ,memor&um (       
,und]/&+1 ! ,tokyo ,memor&um ( ,und]/&+1
 & ! ,via del ,m> ,agreem5t2  7#h7      
/rongly supports ! ef=ts ( !            
,int]national ,transport ,work]s'       
,f$]ation to prev5t & mitigate ! effects
 ( flag-(-conv5i5ce practices2 &  7#i7  
calls on ! ,unit$ ,nations1 !           

,int]national ,m>itime ,organization1 & 
! ,int]national ,lab\r ,organization to 
condemn flag-(-conv5i5ce practices      
globally & assi/ memb] nations 9 uphold+
 global m>itime /&>ds4