Defense bill includes piracy protection

Defense bill includes piracy protection    An amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act will help protect U.S.-flag ships from pirates, said Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, D-Md., chairman of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
   The House approved the bill, H.R. 2647, last week, which includes an amendment that would require the Defense Department to protect U.S.-flagged ships at risk of being boarded by pirates.
   Cummings office said according to U.S. Maritime Administration estimates, about 54 U.S.-flagged vessels transit the Horn of Africa region during the course of a year, with only a handful at serious risk of pirate attacks due to their operating characteristics. The Cummings amendment would require the Defense Department to embark military security personnel on these vessels as they travel through areas with a known presence of pirates.
   'We would never leave the U.S. homeland unguarded if it were at risk of an attack, and we should apply this same standard to our ships instead of leaving them to fend for themselves,' Cummings said. 'We anticipate that embarking military security personnel on these vessels will require far less manpower than patrolling the region with multiple Navy vessels and be much more efficient and effective in keeping our mariners safe.' ' Chris Dupin