(The letter referred to follows:) AMERICAN MERCHANT MARINE INSTITUTE, INC., Hon. EDWARD A. GARMATZ, DEAR MR. GARMATZ: The American Merchant Marine Institute, Inc., strongly supports enactment of H.R. 5781, a bill providing for the registration of professional nurses as staff officers in the U.S. merchant marine, which your subcommittee is now considering. This bill would correct an obvious deficiency existing in the present law which does not accord registered nurses on board U.S. merchant vessels the status to which their training and responsibilities entitle them. Apparently the problem arose after the revision of the merchant marine and Coast Guard regulations in 1961. Under the interpretation of the previous regulations the nurses were considered officers by tacit agreement, although they were not specifically given the status by law. At the present time registered nurses serving aboard U.S. merchant vessels are classified with stewards, oilers, wipers, etc., who are unlicensed personnel. It is incongruous that professional people, such as nurses, who are required to possess valid licenses from the various States and territories, should be placed in the same category with unlicensed seamen. Female assistant pursers are classified as staff officers. It is only fitting that professional nurses be given the same classification. Professional nurses who serve aboard American vessels are ordinarily assigned to passenger vessels where they assist the ship's surgeon in operating the equivalent of a fully equipped hospital and in tending to the medical needs of hundreds of passengers and crewmen. The importance of their duties clearly justifies and, indeed, requires their recognition as officers. The enactment of this bill would merely place them in the same status as nurses in the Armed Forces, who are commissioned officers, and as nurses employed in all other Federal agencies. In light of the foregoing, therefore, and in view of the fact that H.R. 5781 is a noncontroversial proposal which would eliminate an obvious defect in existing law, we urge favorable consideration of the bill. Yours very truly, ALVIN SHAPIRO, Vice President. Mr. MORTON. Is there anyone to testify against it? Mr. ZINCKE. None. Mr. GARMATZ. Mr. Shapiro, would you like to testify? STATEMENT OF ALVIN SHAPIRO, VICE PRESIDENT, AMERICAN MERCHANT MARINE INSTITUTE; ACCOMPANIED BY DR. THOMAS M. JACKOVICS, MEDICAL ADMINISTRATOR OF THE MCCORMACK LINES Mr. SHAPIRO. I am perfectly happy to submit my letter. I have brought with me Dr. Jackovics, medical administrator of the McCormack Lines, who has been in this busines for 25 years as a doctor of a steamship company. I asked him to come, thinking perhaps he could clarify some of the issues the committee might have. This is somewhat of a technical subject, and I know Dr. Jackovics, in light of his experience, might be able to clarify some of these issues. Dr. Jackovics has no testimony. There is no need, if you think not, for me to read my letter. It is a letter in support of the bill. Dr. Jackovics is here, and I would like for him to appear before you. Dr. JACKOVICS. Mr. Chairman, I overheard one of the gentlemen ask about the status of other women. On board our passenger ships, we have registered nurses. We have stewardesses, we have waitresses, we have purserettes. In the original bill, the staff officers bill, the pursers' department was included, and included were purserettes. They are now staff officers on board. When we started putting nurses on board, which was around 1938, the registered nurses had tacit agreement as officers. They were given officer status the same as they were in the military. After the war the various other governmental agencies, the Army, the Navy, the Civil Service, gave the nurses recognition, and the merchant marine was left out. As it is now, in the reclassification in 1961 they were forgotten. They are not carried on cargo ships. As a result, these ladies now have no official status and they are simply relegated as ordinary seamen. That is not quite consistent. Their duties are very, very technical. They are professional women. If the purserettes have the rating, if the Army nurses have the rating and the Navy nurses have it, we feel these should have it. It does not involve a change in salary, or any other prerequisite, or anything else. But to be included in the medical section where it says "Medical personnel," we would like to have the name "Registered Nurses" inserted. Mr. GROVER. What is the salary range of the seagoing nurses? Dr. JACKOVICS. The steamship company sets it. It runs anywhere from $420 down to $390. Mr. GROVER. Monthly? Dr. JACKOVICS. Monthly. Mr. GROVER. Is this on a par with some of the junior officers aboard? Dr. JACKOVICS. Yes. The ship surgeon is generally attached to the first officer's salary. The chief purser runs in the same rating. They run about the same scale with very little difference. Mr. GROVER. How many professional nurses will this affect? she Dr. JACKOVICS. Right now, sir, to spell it out to you, on the east coast we have about 20, the west coast has about 20. They are active. These girls have to take vacation time. Vacation time is obligatory for everyone from the master down. When they go on vacation other nurses have to be hired. For a nurse to be assigned and sign on, has to have the qualifications, a Coast Guard certificate, and so forth. To get this certification, she has to be licensed in some States in the Union. So roughly, I would say there are about 70 to 75 nurses actively engaged and ready on call, and about 200 or 300 that have served on board and are willing to come back if the opportunity avails itself, either as a relief nurse Mr. GROVER. This is in the entire merchant marine? Dr. JACKOVICs. The American merchant marine; yes. Mr. GOODLING. How can they be classified as a seaman and receive officer's pay? Dr. JACKOVICS. Everyone is a seaman except the captain. Basically, a chief officer is a seaman. You see, they have had no classification, Mr. Goodling. They have just been added, and that is why we want to get them classified. They have enjoyed officer privileges. They have had quarters similar to officers. They have had the same food allowance as officers, but they have never been rated with officers' privileges. In the purser's department, the purserettes have that privilege and they are licensed. They are licensed as staff officers. Mr. GOODLING. Is the classification in the merchant marine different from that of the Navy? Dr. JACKOVICS. Yes, sir. In the Navy they have ratings of lieutenant commanders. Mr. GOODLING. I am thinking of the seamen. Dr. JACKOVICS. No, sir. This is just a little different. In the Navy, sir, you have radio operators and in the merchant marine you have radio officers. Mr. GOODLING. That is all, Mr. Chairman. Mr. GARMATZ. Mr. Morton? Mr. MORTON. No questions. Mr. GARMATZ. Thank you very much. Dr. JACKOVICs. Thank you, sir. Mr. GARMATZ. Are there any other witnesses here? (No response.) Does the Coast Guard want to add anything? (No response.) Mr. GARMATZ. If not, that will close the hearings. (The following letter was received for the record:) Representative HERBERT BONNER, MATSON NAVIGATION Co., DEAR SIR: Through the American Nurses Association and the California Nurses Association, I have heard of your active participation as chairman of the full committee, regarding bill H.R. 5781. As cochairman and representative of the registered nurses of Matson Navigation Co., I wish to thank you for your efforts in our behalf. It has been our feeling for a number of years that the registered nurses of the merchant marine should have known officer status as do the registered nurses of the Army, Navy, and the U.S. Air Force. We feel that a certificate of registry under the U.S. Coast Guard for qualified registered nurses would clarify once and for all our position as ships' nurses and officers. As a former Army Air Force registered nurse during World War II, I keenly feel and readily see the need for similar officer status of the professional nurse in the merchant marine. This clarification of our position aboard merchant vessels would in many ways aid us in our care of the sick, both passengers and crew. We, as registered nurses of the merchant marine and of Matson Navigation Co., are grateful to you for all you do to further the passing of this bill, and with you, we look forward to the day when the bill becomes law. Gratefully, ANN M. MCCABE, R.N., Cochairman, Professional Performance Committee, Matson Navigation Co., Registered Nurses. (Thereupon, the hearing was adjourned at 11:02 a.m.) MISCELLANEOUS COAST GUARD HEARINGS REVIEW OF COAST GUARD ACTIVITIES TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1963 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON COAST GUARD, COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY, AND NAVIGATION OF THE COMMITTEE ON MERCHANT MARINE AND FISHERIES, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met at 10 a.m., pursuant to call, in room 219, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. Edward A. Garmatz (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Mr. GARMATZ. The meeting will come to order. We have a list of witnesses here. I do not know whether they will all have something to say as the pictures progress. Mr. Secretary, do you want to say a word before we start? STATEMENT OF HON. JAMES A. REED, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY; ACCOMPANIED BY VICE ADM. DONALD MCG. MORRISON, ASSISTANT COMMANDANT; REAR ADM. JAMES A. ALGER, JR., CHIEF OF STAFF; CAPT. WILLIAM F. CASE, CHIEF, SEARCH AND RESCUE DIVISION; CAPT. WARNER K. THOMPSON, CHIEF, PUBLIC INFORMATION DIVISION; CAPT. WILLIAM L. MORRISON, CONGRESSIONAL LIAISON OFFICER; COMDR. RICHARD L. FULLER, CHIEF, WAR PLANS; AND LT. COMDR. JOHN B. HAYES, CHIEF, PLANNING AND OPERATIONS RESEARCH BRANCH, U.S. COAST GUARD Mr. REED. Mr. Chairman, this presentation today, I think, will be quite interesting to you and all the other members of the committee. I have not seen it myself, but it is a graphic presentation of the various activities in which the Coast Guard is engaged. It has been worked on long and hard. It has been the culmination of many hours of hard work putting this film together and it was really prompted by the fact that one of the members of this committee said, which I think had a certain amount of merit, that many members of the committee dealing with Coast Guard affairs were not really fully aware of all the activities in which the Coast Guard is engaged. So, prompted by that, we put together this film. As I say, it is a preliminary, once-over-lightly treatment of what the Coast Guard does. I think it will be very helpful to all of you to realize just what the Coast Guard does. Later on, as you know, Mr. Chairman, we are going to come up before you and have our presentation of the long-range programs. I think in a preliminary way this will orient all of you to some of the activities of the Coast Guard. We will be happy to answer any questions that any one of you might have at any time during the film or subsequent to the film. Admiral Morrison is here with me and Admiral Alger and other men of the staff. They will be doing the narrating during the course of the film. That is all I have to say. I will be happy to answer any questions that anyone might have. Mr. GARMATZ. Admiral, do you have something to say? Admiral MORRISON. Yes, sir. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I wish to express the appreciation of the Coast Guard for the opportunity of making this presentation today. As Secretary Reed has said, this is a visual presentation by the Coast Guard, what does it do, where does it do it, how, and with what facilities and equipment. As a firm believer in the old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words, our presentation will be on film with a running commentary by members of my staff. A cross section of typical everyday activities in the various mission areas has been chosen with the objective of conveying the nature, complexity, and broad scope of Coast Guard operations. As a prelude to each mission area to be discussed, you will observe a world chart. The flashing colored lights indicate locations under discussion. It should be readily apparent that our scope of operations is in fact worldwide, extending to Pusan, Korea, in the west to Kara Barun, Turkey, in the east, and from the Arctic to the Antarctic. At the conclusion of the presentation which, incidentally, will take just about an hour, we would be pleased to answer any questions which may arise. Lieutenant Commander Hayes will lead off and discuss "icebreaking." Mr. GARMATZ. Admiral, may I ask one question? If a member has some particular question at some particular point in the field, is it all right if the member asks the question at that time? Admiral MORRISON. I think it would be better if we wait until the presentation is over because it is all on film and there are really no breaks in it. I think it would really be better if it could be arranged that way. Mr. MORTON. I have one question, Admiral. Was there not a couple of years ago a study made, a very comprehensive study, as to the adequacy of the Coast Guard to perform its mission? Admiral MORRISON. Yes, sir. This was a study which was directed by the Secretary of the Treasury on Coast Guard roles and missions. That study has been completed and this presentation which you see here today is based on the roles and missions study. It is a visual presentation of that same study which covers the various mission areas. |