Testing the statutory coherence hypothesis : the implementation of the Maritime Security Act of 1996
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Authors
Dibble, Mark P.
Subjects
Maritime security
Merchant marine
Strategic sealift
U.S. maritime policy
Public policy implementation
National security
Merchant marine
Strategic sealift
U.S. maritime policy
Public policy implementation
National security
Advisors
Doyle, Richard
Lewis, Ira
Date of Issue
2002-03
Date
March 2002
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
Federal maritime policy has evolved as an accumulation of statutes and administrative programs intended to respond to global and domestic issues and trends within the maritime industry. The Maritime Security Act of 1996 (MSA) amended the Merchant Marine Act of 1936 in an attempt to revitalize the U.S.-flag merchant marine. The cornerstone of the MSA is the Maritime Security Program, which replaced the legacy Operating Differential Subsidy by compensating U.S. carriers for the higher costs of operating ships under a U.S.-flag compared to those of foreign-flag competitors. This thesis analyzes the MSA using a policy analysis framework developed by Sabatier and Mazmanian. The analysis identifies and evaluates critical variables affecting the achievement of statutory objectives. The absence of clearly defined objectives gives rise to inherent difficulty when attempting to measure what specifically constitutes attainment of MSA statutory success. The principle causal linkage between government intervention and the attainment of the legislative objective is through the provision of monetary subsidies. The study concludes that the MSA is a short-term policy that represents the continuation of a "bandage" solution to the hemorrhaging of U.S.-flag vessels to more profitable foreign registries and is not achieving its objective of revitalizing the U.S. merchant marine.
Type
Thesis
Description
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Format
xiv, 43 p. : ill. ;
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
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This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.