In this issue...
TWIC update...T-AKE progress...AOTOS award...We put on our boogie shoes, get our groove on and keep you on your toes with a promenade of industry articles in a maritime hoedown. The jig is up for out-of-step competitors with two left feet that give you the same old song and dance. We hold sway over them, throw them into a spin and have them shaking in their shoes. Grab a partner and take a twirl with the Telex Times - we've got all the right moves!

TWIC UPDATE
As previously reported, the TSA has commenced the application and issuance process for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC). A Transportation Security Administration website www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/twic/index.shtm has the latest information regarding enrollment centers and instruction on how to obtain a TWIC.

Members should visit the website, register by creating a username and password, and then pre-enroll. Once your information is entered online you need to schedule an appointment at one of the enrollment centers. This can be accomplished by calling the TWIC helpline at 866-347-8942. It should be noted that the enrollment centers are still being established and there may not be one in your area at this time. The TSA website has a deployment schedule for centers that is updated daily. Once your appointment has been scheduled, you will need to bring identification to the enrollment center and a form of payment. Your valid U.S. passport or MMD can be used for a single qualifying piece of identification. However, it would be prudent to bring both.

For a full list of acceptable documents to be utilized at the center for I.D. consult the TSA website. The centers will accept credit cards for payment, but no personal checks. Holders of an MMD are eligible for the discounted issuance fee of $105.25. However, if you take advantage of this discount, your TWIC will expire on the same day as your MMD. If you opt to pay the full fee of $132.50 you will receive a five-year TWIC card regardless of the expiration date of your MMD. The process at the enrollment center is quick and straight forward and requires the applicant to have your photograph and fingerprints taken by digital/electronic means. Please note that you will be required to visit the enrollment center twice - once for processing and again within 10-30 days for card issuance and activation. The M.E.B.A.'s Baltimore Branch Agent received his TWIC in six days (from application to issuance) in the Port of Wilmington, DE.

HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE LOOKS AT TWIC
On Wednesday, October 31 the full House Homeland Security Committee held a hearing on "Homeland Security Failures: TWIC Examined" with witnesses including the head of the Transportation Security Administration Kip Hawley, and Coast Guard Inspection and Compliance Director Admiral Brian Salerno. Witnesses from organized labor included MM&P Vice President George A. Quick.

Quick stressed federal preemption for TWIC saying, "Specifically, we believe that the federally issued TWIC must take precedence over all other state, local and private identification card requirements for maritime workers. It is, in our opinion, critical that state and local and private entities no longer be able to subject our nation's U.S. citizen maritime workforce to additional application requirements, background checks and fees or to demand that our nation's workforce obtain multiple and duplicative maritime port and vessel access control credentials."

PROGRESS ON T-AKEs AT NASSCO
San Diego's NASSCO shipyard has laid the keel for the seventh dry cargo-ammunition ship in the U.S. Navy's T-AKE program and started construction on the eighth ship. Both ships will be delivered to the Navy in 2009, turned over to the Military Sealift Command and crewed with M.E.B.A. engineers. The keel of T-AKE 7 was laid on November 2, while construction of T-AKE 8 began on October 31.

The MSC will bring in 16 new T-AKEs if all options are exercised at the yard. The first three ships in the program, the USNS LEWIS AND CLARK, USNS SACAGAWEA and USNS ALAN SHEPARD are already in service. The MSC is set to take over the fourth - the USNS RICHARD E. BYRD which just completed sea trials. NASSCO just launched the USNS ROBERT E. PEARY (T-AKE 5). M.E.B.A. will crew all the MSC T-AKEs.

Designed by NASSCO, the T-AKE class incorporates international marine technologies and commercial ship-design features, including an integrated electric-drive propulsion system, to minimize operating costs over its projected 40-year service life. The T-AKEs will deliver food, ammunition, fuel and other provisions to combat ships at sea.

CONGRESS OVERRIDES BUSH VETO OF WATER PROJECTS BILL
Lawmakers overrode President Bush's veto of the Water Resources Development Act this week enabling a slew of planned dredging and restoration projects to go forward. Pres. Bush had decried the cost of the $23 billion measure but couldn't convince Congress which needed a two-thirds majority for the override. The Senate voted 79-14 with the House voting 361-54 in favor thus evaporating the President's veto. The American Association of Port Authorities, which represents 150 of the leading public ports in the hemisphere, hailed the override saying, "This is a crucial and long-delayed bill that will begin the process of addressing America's water resources infrastructure needs, ranging from navigation system and flood control improvements to restoring wetlands and repairing the damage wrought by the 2005 hurricanes."

The WRDA addresses seven years of accumulated U.S. Army Corps of Engineers programs, including navigation projects, policies and procedures necessary to keep pace with today's burgeoning trade. Although the legislation is supposed to be biennial, the last WRDA bill was signed into law in 2000. Included are projects for navigation channel improvements, dredged material disposal and storage facilities, and policy provisions to improve the Corps of Engineers project implementation process.

CONTRACTED COMPANY LEADERS NET AOTOS AWARDS
The leaders of three M.E.B.A.-contracted companies were honored with the prestigious Admiral of the Ocean Sea (AOTOS) award last week, an award that recognizes a lifetime of contributions to the maritime industry. The 2007 AOTOS Awards were presented by United Seamen's Service (USS) to James S. Andrasick, President & CEO of Matson Navigation Company, Inc., Morten Arntzen, President & CEO of Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. and John F. Reinhart, President & CEO of Maersk Line, Limited. The ceremony took place a week ago in New York City.

The three recipients led the field of nominees for the award, a silver statuette of Christopher Columbus, the first Admiral of the Ocean Sea, sharing first place among a group that was solicited by USS from more than 200 maritime management, labor, and government officials. All proceeds from the event benefit USS community services for the U.S. merchant marine and seafarers of the world. USS also presented Honored Seafarer awards to heroic merchant mariners in a ceremony narrated by Maritime Administrator Sean Connaughton. Four of these awards were handed out to officers and crew aboard M.E.B.A.-crewed vessels. They included the HORIZON FALCON (Horizon Lines) in which the crew worked together to rescue Chinese seafarers from a sinking ship near Guam, the OVERSEAS JOYCE (OSG) in which the crew rescued a fishing boat survivor in extreme conditions near the Aleutian Islands, the MAERSK MARYLAND (Maersk) where the crew, and especially Third Mate Victor Manoli, helped put out a raging fire in one of the rooms, and the USNS KANAWHA where the crew helped rescue 16 members of a disabled North Korean ship in the Arabian Sea.

One of our members, Ross Wilkinson, who serves aboard the HORIZON FALCON as 1st A/E, attended the ceremony to help accept the award for his ship.

HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE REVIEWS THE SAFE PORT ACT
On Tuesday, October 30, 2007 the House Homeland Security Committee's  Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism held a hearing on "The SAFE Port Act: Status of Implementation One Year Later" with witnesses including TSA TWIC Program Director Maurine Fanguy and Coast Guard Captain Frank Sturm. Witnesses from organized labor included ILWU Legislative Director Lindsay McLaughlin, and Teamsters Port Representative Robert F. Blanchet.

McLaughlin said, "We remain adamant that felony convictions for past crimes are not necessarily an indication of a terrorism security risk. We urge TSA to utilize the waiver procedures included in the Act. The Coast Guard must adequately staff independent Administrative Law Judges to hear appeals from individuals denied a waiver. And as with the appeals process, workers should be permitted to keep their jobs while they are exhausting the waiver
process."

FINAL PUSH NEEDED FOR AL CASTRO BENCH
The Houston Union hall has collected donations from members each month in an attempt to purchase a memorial bench at the Calhoon School to honor departed brother Al Castro. The New Orleans hall and various members across the country have also contributed to the cause, but at this point, we are just short of the ultimate goal. If you knew Al and would like to see a suitable tribute to him at the M.E.B.A. Merchant Marine Memorial on School grounds please consider making a small donation in his honor. Al was a longtime
member before he put in many years serving as our Representative in Corpus Christi. You can contact our Dispatcher at the Houston Hall, Erin Bertram, for more information or just send the donation to either her or to the 4MF at the School making sure to indicate that your donation is meant for the Al Castro Memorial Bench. Erin can be contacted at the Houston hall at (713) 923-9424. Jessica Milligan who handles many aspects of the Memorial can be reached at (410) 822-9600 ext. 306.

DATE EXTENDED FOR MEMORIAL BRICK ORDER; MAY FUNDRAISER ANNOUNCED
The M.E.B.A. Merchant Marine Memorial Foundation has extended the date for placing the next order of memorial bricks. That order was due to go in today but 4MF principals decided to push the date until December 17th to allow more members to get in on the action. Memorial bricks can be engraved with names of loved ones and are part of the retreat at the Merchant Marine Memorial Park located on School grounds in Easton, MD. The park is a tribute to fallen mariners.

In addition, you might be interested in purchasing a memorial bench in honor of a departed loved one. A bench is a perfect vantage point to gaze around the park and reflect upon the contributions of mariners who have sailed into the sunset.

Anyone wishing to purchase a brick or bench must complete and return a donation form and monies before the next order date. Please continue to help the cause - donations are greatly needed for the maintenance of the park!

Just announced: A Bike and Car Show will take place at the School in the spring - set for May 24th - to benefit the Memorial Fund and the Park. Further details will be available as the event is shored up.

For more information and to obtain the form please visit the School's website at www.mebaschool.org and click on "What's New" or contact Jessica Milligan at (410) 822-9600 ext. 306. The e-mail address is memorial@mebaschool.org.

DAMAGE CONTROL BEGINS AFTER OIL SPILL IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
A South Korean-built Chinese ship has fouled miles of coastline in the San Francisco Bay area after smacking into a tower supporting the Oakland San Francisco Bay Bridge on Thursday spilling oil. The ship, the COSCO BUSAN, was said to have opened up a 50-foot gash to its forward left side after it struck the bridge in dense fog. Authorities are saying that 58,000 gallons of oil got away. The Coast Guard is being criticized for initially underreporting the amount of spilled oil. They had originally announced that only 140 gallons spilled and later claimed that the lower figure was propagated by the vessel's owners. But with oil drifting up to 20 miles away affecting birds and wildlife it soon became apparent that there was a bigger problem at hand. The ship is being chartered to Hanjin Shipping.

Meanwhile, the Mayor of San Francisco, Gavin Newsom, is furious saying that the response to the spill would have been more intense and effective if the extent of the pollution were known sooner. About eight beaches were closed.

The Coast Guard tested the BUSAN crew for drugs and alcohol. Alcohol was not a factor they say - the drug test results will take a few more days. There are at least eight skimmers in the Bay and three skimmers outside the Golden Gate Bridge working to recover oil. Reports indicated that almost 10,000 gallons had been recovered so far. 18,000 feet of boom is staged around the Bay Area to protect the Beaches and wildlife and almost 30 live oiled birds have been recovered.

NEXT REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS
Monday, December 3 - Boston, Seattle;
Tuesday, December 4 - Baltimore, Houston, Jacksonville; San Francisco
Wednesday, December 5 - Calhoon School, Charleston, New Orleans, Portland;
Thursday, December 6 - L.A., New York, Norfolk, Tampa;
Friday, December 7 - Honolulu.