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would honor the memory of the late chairman of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee who died last year. The measure passed 425 to 0. Finally, H.R. 2604 authorizes the establishment of a Wetlands Policy Center at the Port of Brownsville, Texas. The measure passed 360 to 64. Coalition To Ensure Strong U.S.-Flag Fleet Formed Recently the United States Mari- time Coalition met for the first time. The coalition, consisting of more than 100 shipping companies, mar- itime industry businesses, unions, shipyards, citizen groups and patri- otic organizations, was formed to maintain the U.S. stature as a vital maritime force in commerce, as well as on behalf of the nation's defense interests. The group has pledged to promote the U.S.-flag ocean-going and Great Lakes ships, as well as the American tug and tow fleet, which together employ more than 100,000 and generate billions of dol- lars for the U. S. economy. The group named James Henry, president of the Transportation Institute, to serve as its chairman. Senators Introduce Bill To Tighten Vessel Pollution Laws S. 1459 is a bill introduced by New Jersey Democrat Senators Frank R. Lautenberg and Bill Bradley which is geared to tighten vessel pollution statutes. Specifi- cally, the measure is designed to increase the U.S. Coast Guard's re- sponsibility under the Act to Pre- vention Pollution from Ships to in- clude more responsibility for such prevention mandated to port facili- ties and terminals. Maritime Security Fleet Program Tops Agenda The House of Representatives is expected to begin consideration of H.R. 2151 to establish the Maritime Security Fleet Program. It would create a fleet of vessels to maintain U.S. economic and na- tional security. It would also start the Series Transition Payment Program, a pro- gram which is devised to help the U.S. shipbuilders in the transition from navy to commercial work. Yim Calls For Cooperation, Advancement In Speech To Grain Association Emphasizing that the Maritime Administration is "open to new ideas and dialogue, all with the goal of making our system of delivering your commodities overseas work better," Joan B. Yim, deputy mar- itime administrator, recently ad- dressed the North American Export Grain Association. "President Clinton was elected to bring about change," Ms. Yim said. "Our new Maritime Adminis- trator, Adm. Albert Herberger, and I are committed to that as well. "The commitment to change has resulted in what I believe to be a very positive development, the cre- ation of a USDA/AID/MARAD work- ing group whose goal is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of cargo preference shipments." Ms. Yim also stressed the impor- tance of shipper's understanding the MarAd calculations in determining fair and reasonable rates. "The fair and reasonable guide- line rate...is not meant to be a deter- mination of what is 'fair' or what is 'reasonable' relative to a world rate," Ms. Yim said. "Rather, it is what is fair and reasonable relative to a particular vessel, based on the capital and op- erating costs of that individual ship." She went on to explain that the rates are adjusted according to fac- tors such as ship age and manning requirements (making them less cost efficient), and emphasized that a ma- jor MarAd objective is maritime re- vitalization, providing incentives for modernizing the fleet to bring about greater efficiency. 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