WASHINGTON, May 5 (UPI) -- U.S. lawmakers want to cut the Pentagon's use of foreign shipping, but the Senate may block the move.
Rep. Jo Ann Davis, R-Va., again received overwhelming support from the Projection Forces Subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday for an amendment that would severely curb the Department of Defense's ability to lease foreign-flag cargo and transport ships.
Under the amendment, the DOD could lease these ships for only two years, compared with the five years allowed under current law. That could make the leases less attractive to foreign companies, forcing the military to buy new U.S. ships at a much higher cost, CongressDaily reported Thursday.
However, despite the Projection Forces Subcommittee's strong support for the ship leasing issue, the Senate has twice stonewalled House-passed language that would limit the length of leases.
"This is a feel-good amendment," said Projection Forces Subcommittee Chairman Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md. But he ultimately supported the language after publicly doubting its chance of making it through conference committee.
Davis vowed to work with the Senate on the matter, CongressDaily said.
