Alice+&+Grace

=AFF:= =1ac=

=Inherency=

__Freight transportation has been and continues to be a major contributor to the U.S. economy. Estimates indicate that the volumes of freight are expected to double over the next two decades in the United Sta__
 * Freight volumes are expected to double in the next twenty years. Current infrastructure can’t support the expanding capacity and congestion.**
 * Morris et al, 2010** Director of Transportation, North Central Texas Council of Governments, Arlington (Michael R, Neil J. Pedersen, Robert E. Skinner Jr, National Cooperative Freight Research Program, “Identifying and Using Low-Cost and Quickly Implementable Ways to Address Freight-System Mobility Constraints,” 2010)//AS

**Status quo MTS infrastructure is failing in capacity and investment.**
However, because of much of the system's infrastructure is aging and constrained by capacity limitations, this projection raises the fundamental question: Will the MTS be able to meet these new demands and continue to provide a seamless, integrated multimodal transportation system. In response to the 2004 Ocean Action Plan, the Committee on the M arine T ransportation S ystem did release in 2008 a national strategy that offered 34 recommendations to maintain and enhance the MTS, especially the system's capacity, safety and security, environmental stewardship, resilience and reliability, and long-term financing.
 * Cox et al, 2011 -** Joseph J. is President and CEO of Chamber of Shipping of America; Matsuda, Hon. David T., Administrator, Maritime Administration; Mohr, John M., Executive Director, Port of Everett, Washington; Roberts, Michael G., Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Crowley Maritime Corporation, on behalf of American Maritime Partnership; Tellez, Augustin, Executive Vice President, Seafarers International Union (Joseph J., “Creating Jobs and Increasing U.S Exports By Enhancing The Marine Transportation System,” Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure House of Representatives, June 14, 2011. [])//AS

=Econ Advantage=

Contention 2 is the economy

 * Four internal links—**


 * a. Stimulus**

**The plan generates a massive economic stimulus– loan guarantees are the most effective catalyst for widespread investment**
Currently, the U nited S tates is experiencing //low levels of investment// in transportation,
 * Margaronis, 08** [Marine highway would ride wave of economic benefits, Stas, Guest Columnist Seattle Pi, [|http://www.seattlepi.com/local/opinion/article/Marine-highway-would-ride-wave-of-economic-1293286.php#ixzz1yY1CGarw]]

b. Competitiveness

 * A federal program is a vital internal link to US global competitiveness – current funding is insufficient**
 * Zimmer, 11** [ Nancy, August, “Progress on America’s Marine Highway” graduated from Smith College (B.A., cum laude, 1998), and City University of New York School of Law, (J.D., 2001). She is admitted to the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, and the First Circuit Court of Appeals, and is a trained mediator. She is also a former commercial fisherman and commercial fishing boat owner. She is a member of the Maritime Law Association of the United States. Nancy can be contacted on +1 508 432-2121 or by email at zimmer@sealaw.org, []]

For the U nited S tates **to compete in the global market** it is imperative that it have dependable, //efficient// ,

Traffic congestion is **costing billions every year****, ** further //threatening the nation’s economic recovery// and highlighting the need for a boost in infrastructure investment, a new report finds. Rush-hour delays are costing the nation more than $100 billion year, about $750 for every U.S. commuter, as commute times have more than doubled in 30 years, according to the Urban Mobility  Report released  Tuesday  by theTexas Transportation Institute. Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.), ranking member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said the report demonstrates the need for Congress to pass a robust surface transportation bill. “ The cost of congestion continues to cripple our nation’s economic competitiveness and “The solution mix may be different for each city, but the one thing they all share in common is urgency, Lomax said. “ If we want a strong economy, doing nothing is not a productive option .”
 * c. Congestion**
 * Congestion underlies a multibillion dollar drag on the economy – chokes any possible recovery**
 * Needham, 11** [Report: Traffic congestion costs billions, weighs on the economic recovery, Vicki, The Hill, []]

**The internal link is __linear__ – the plan is necessary and sufficient to relieve congestion**
3. Mitigating highway congestion. SSS can //alleviate// traffic //congestion//by shifting freight from the highways to inland and coastal waterways. Majorhighways, along the three US coasts (east coast, west coast and the Gulf of Mexico), suffer from congestion.
 * Perakis and Denisis,08** [A survey of short sea shipping and its prospects in the USA, ANASTASSIOS N. PERAKIS* and ATHANASIOS DENISIS Department of Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering, University of Michigan, 213 NAME Building, 2600 Draper Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2145, USA, []]

**And, the externalities act as a multiplier – congestion decreases the underlying foundation of US economic leadership**
Apart from a handful of places around the country, there are no roadway prices to signal consumers about the real economic cost of their decisions to travel during congested times of day. It should be no surprise, therefore, that we witness an apparent shortage of road space yet little use of public transit. In deciding when and how to travel, people cer­tainly take into account their private costs, such as gas, oil, insurance, and so on. They also consider the congestion they expect to encounter. Travelers do not, however, consider the costs their trips impose on others when they add to the congestion (Mohring 1999). These costs are external to people’s
 * Lewis, 08** [David, Senior Vice President with HDR where he serves as the firm’s Chief Economist and Direc­tor for Economics and Financial Services, He served previously as President and CEO of HLB Decision Economics, prior to which he was a Principal Economist of the U.S. Congressional Budget Office. Brookings Institution, America’s Traffic Congestion Problem: Toward a Framework for Nationwide Reform, []]

**d. MTS—an effective MTS is vital to growth – capacity limitations act as a deadly stranglehold**
In order to remain **competitive** **in a global economy**, improving domestic infrastructure as well is a sound strategy to **promote growth** and efficiency , support increased manufacturing , feed the
 * Lobiondo, et al 11** [Congressional Testimony, Frank A. LoBiondo is the U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 2nd congressional district, serving since 1995. He is a member of the Republican Party, CREATING JOBS AND INCREASING U.S. EXPORTS BY ENHANCING THE MARINE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 2011 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON COAST GUARD AND MARITIME TRANSPORTATION, COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE, []]

** And, the impact to an economic collapse is great power nuclear war **
Austin ‘09 (Michael, Resident Scholar – American Enterprise Institute, and Desmond Lachman, Resident Fellow – American Enterprise Institute, “The Global Economy Unravels”, Forbes, 3-6, http://www.aei.org/article/100187) Conversely, global policymakers do not seem to have grasped the downside risks to the global economy posed by a deteriorating domestic and international political environment. If the past is any guide, the souring of the political environment must be expected tofan the corrosive protectionist tendencies and nationalistic economic policy responses that are already all too much in evidence. After spending much of 2008 cheerleading the global economy,

Today, economic and fiscal trends pose the most severe long-term threat to the U nited S tates’ position as global leader. While the United States suffers from fiscal imbalances and low economic growth, the economies of rival powers are developing rapidly
 * Boosting economic competitiveness is vital to preventing military retrenchment – risks great power wars**
 * Khalilzad, ’11** – Bush’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq, and the UN and former director policy planning at the DOD (Zalmay, “The Economy and National Security”, National Review, 2-8-11, [])

Economic recovery is fragile now – the risk of catastrophic economic failure is high

 * Wiseman, 6-4-12—**economics writer from “Associated Press”(Paul, “Global Economy at Risk as US, Europe and Asia Slow”, Bloomberg Business Week- Associated Press, June 4, 2012, http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-06/D9V6BG0G0.htm)//JL

__The global economy's foundations are weakening, one by one__. Already hobbled by Europe's debt crisis, __the world now risks being hurt by slowdowns in its economic powerhouses.__ __The U.S. economy__, the __world's largest__, __had a third straight month of feeble job growth in May__. __High-flying economies in China, India and Brazil are slowing, too.__ Fears of a global economic downturn have sent investors rushing toward the safest possible investments: U.S. and German government bonds. As a result, __the interest rate on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note has hit a record-low__ 1.46 percent. __The rate on the German 10-year bond is even lower__: 1.17 percent. "Treasurys are at 1.46 because people are freaking out," says Mark Vitner, senior economist at Wells Fargo Economics. The gravest fear is Europe. The most urgent threat is that in mid-June, __Greek__ voters will reject the __terms of a $170 billion bailout__ -- which called for painful budget cuts -- and abandon the euro. The move __could ignite economic and financial chaos as Greek debts shift from denominations in euros to Greek drachmas of uncertain value. Yet the global economy's troubles go well beyond Greece.__

=Shipbuilding Advantage=

**a. Short sea shipping—increased support for SSS sustains the shipbuilding industry **
http://www.inboundlogistics.com/cms/article/short-sea-shipping-long-on-benefits/ To help meet the current congestion crisis on U.S. highway systems and rail networks, the Department of Transportation and the U.S. Maritime Administration are promoting short sea shipping as an environmentally friendly, timely, and cost-effective way to expand freight capacity. The practice uses existing vessels and infrastructure to move freight betweencoastal ports, and between coastal ports and inland ports.
 * Raymond, 05** [Charles, President and CEO Horizon Inc. “Short Sea Shipping: Long On Benefits”,

**b. Shipyard closings—the plan reverses tidal waves of closings which decimate the industry **
As President Obama announced his robust infrastructure investment program touting an immediate infusion of $50 billion for improvements to the nation’s infrastructure, images of a newly revitalized U.S. maritime industry swirled around me in a twilight zone moment. The six-year plan is estimated to cost about $350 billion to fix 150,000 miles of broken roadways, 233,000 miles of dilapidated railroad track, and 150 miles of aging airline runways. ====**c. Expansion—the plan is the easiest means of infrastructure expansion and revitalizes the maritime sector; inland waterways are virtually limitless **==== In addition to the above environmental and societal benefits, SSS has also the following advantages : 1. Expansion of the transportation network capacity. SSScan add more capacity to the stressed freight transportation network
 * Munoz, 11** [January 11, The Obama Infrastructure Plan, and Another Shipyard Closes, OP-ED by Tony Munoz, Editor-in-Chief of the Maritime ExecutiveMagazine and the MarEx Newsletter, []]
 * Perakis and Denisis,08** [A survey of short sea shipping and its prospects in the USA, ANASTASSIOS N. PERAKIS* and ATHANASIOS DENISIS Department of Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering, University of Michigan, 213 NAME Building, 2600 Draper Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2145, USA, []]

**And, a strong maritime and shipbuilding industry is a vital pre requisite to credible naval capabilities **
In conclusion, our study found that the tremendous advantage the US enjoys in naval power directly supports our national security
 * Alberto, et al., 5** (Lieutenant Colonel Ronald P., U.S. Army, Colonel Michael G. Archuleta, U.S. Air Force, Lieutenant Colonel Steven H. Bills, U.S. Air Force, Commander William A. Bransom, U.S. Navy, Mr. Kenneth Cohen, Department of State, Commander William A. Ebbs, U.S. Navy, George Manjgaladze, Ministry of Defense, Republic of Georgia, Commander Elizabeth B. Myhre, U.S. Navy, Audrea M. Nelson, DA, Robert L. Riddick, Department of Defense, Colonel Christopher M. Ross, U.S. Army, Julia N. Ruhnke, DA, Lieutenant Colonel Gregory M. Ryan, U.S. Marine Corps, Colonel David D. Thompson, U.S. Air Force, Commander Hugh D. Wetherald, U.S. Navy, Dr. Mark Montroll, faculty at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Dr. Michael Farbman, USAID, faculty at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Captain David B. Hill, U.S. Coast Guard, faculty at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, “SHIPBUILDING”, The Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, 2005, http://www.ndu.edu/icaf/programs/academic/industry/reports/2005/pdf/icaf-is-report-shipbuilding-2005.pdf, Deech)

NLUS, 12 – a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating our citizens about the importance of sea power to U.S. national security and supporting the men and women of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and U.S.-flag Merchant Marine and their families (Navy League of the United States, “Maritime Primacy & Economic Prosperity: Maritime Policy 2012-13”, Navy League of the United States, 1/21/12, [] | AK) Global engagement is critical to the U.S. economy, world trade and the protection of democratic freedoms that so many take for granted. The guarantors of these vital elements are hulls in the water, embarked forward amphibious forces and aircraft overhead. The Navy League of the United States’ Maritime Policy for 2012-13 provides recommendations for strategy, policy and the allocation of national resources in support of our sea services and
 * Naval power deters every transnational threat – the ship building industry is key**

**Existing naval decline arguments are irrelevant- the Navy is now being asked to do more with less— investment is key**
** Eaglen ’12 ** [3 February 2012, MacKenzie Eaglen, Research Fellow for National Security in the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies, a division of the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies, at The Heritage Foundation, American Enterprise Institute, “U.S. Navy readiness continues its decline amid the ‘pivot’ to Asia,” http://www.aei-ideas.org/2012/02/u-s-navy-readiness-continues-its-decline-amidst-the-pivot-to-asia/, AZhang] At the same time as the Obama administration is heralding a strategic “pivot” towards Asia and the =Plan=
 * Thus the plan: the United States federal government should expand United States Maritime Administration Title 11 loan guarantee funding for short sea transportation in the United States.**

=Solvency=

**Government subsidies & loan guarantees will create affordable marine highways**
Institute Effective Subsidies and Grants. __ Some __ interviewees __ expressed support for government to help __
 * Kruse and Hutson 2010** – Texas Transport Institute, Center for Transportation Research (C., James, Nathan, “North American Marine Highways” NCFRP Report 5, July 2010, onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/**ncfrp**/**ncfrp**_rpt_005.pdf)//aberg

**Government oversight is key to effective fund distribution**
__Improving the efficiency of the nation’s surface transportation system__ is a particularly complex challenge because it __encompasses many modes__ — ====**A comprehensive federal expansion of Title 11 loan guarantees mitigates congestion and creates conditions favorable for private investment – the plan reverse the only barrier to short sea transportation **==== For more than a decade, Europe and the U.S. have witnessed increasing highway traffic congestion and considered the possible use of water transport as a highway supplement and alternative. The European Community has moved to embrace water transport for its
 * GAO 2005** – Government Accountability Office (“Freight Transportation: Short Sea Shipping Option Shows Importance of Systematic Approach to Public Investment Decisions” July 2005, [|www.**gao**.gov/new.items/d**05768**.pdf] )//aberg
 * Cook, 11** — former General Counsel of the Maritime Administration, Counsel to Seward and Kissel LLP (H. Clayton, “Dead in the Water”, Maritime Executive, 7/8/2012, http://www.maritime-executive.com/article/dead-in-the-water, Deech)
 * Note: SST = short sea transportation, CCF = capital construction fund

**The plan solves the economy**

 * Abbott, 08** – Staff writer, American Journal of Transportation (Scott, “Timing Appears to be Right for Short-Sea Shipping Push”, American Journal of Transportation, 12/15/08, http://www.maritimeadvisors.com/pdf/Timing%20appears%20to%20be%20right%20for%20SSS%20-%20AJOT.pdf)//RM

Deaver said TOTE executives have examined the feasibility of short-sea shipping along

**The plan solves the shipbuilding industry**
A less well recognized candidate for increased government investment that would create jobs, improve infrastructure , remove impediments
 * Goure, 11** [Lexington Institute, Obama Could Create Jobs And Support Defense, Daniel, PhD, []]

**No link uniqueness – modest federal assistance key **
The Dual-Use Vessel Program and Americas Marine Highway Next Steps, []] “Short Sea Shipping” and AMH
 * Cook, 12** [H. Clayton Cook, Esq. has been involved with Jones Act issues for more than 40 years and served as General Counsel of the Maritime Administration from 1970-1973. He is currently Counsel to Seward & Kissel LLP in Washington, DC.

A MarAdand Department of Transportation ( DOT ) “ //short sea shipping // " //program //was //announced // by Maritime

**And, the plan reduces risk and creates the financial backing necessary for short sea shipping **
A loan guarantee is not the same as a federal grant. Rather, it means the federal government will assign a loan-loss reserve
 * Margaronis, 08** [Green Ships Can Fight Global Warming, president of California-based Santa Maria Shipowning & Trading Inc, p. online document retrieved via a google download, full text email alexanderdpappas@gmail.com]

As our road and rail networks have become **increasingly congested** and near **maximum capacity**, we must look to the inland waterway system as a solution.12 The inland waterway system provides
 * And, marine infrastructure is key – other networks have reached maximum capacity – ineffective coordination precipitates wider congestion**
 * Jackson, 07** [LEVERAGING THE STRATEGIC VALUE OF THE U.S. INLAND WATERWAY SYSTEM, Colonel Donald E. Jackson, Jr. United States Army Professor John F. Troxell Project Adviser, http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:0K7n92gvqk0J:www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD%3DADA469583+&hl=en&gl=us]

2nrs: jackson vanik/states x 2 t-not maintenance x 2 jackson vanik x1 elections/states x2 elections x 1 Cap x 2