III 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 332 

Commemorating the 140th anniversary of the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial 

Association. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 9, 2015 

Ms. MIKULSKI submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

RESOLUTION 

Commemorating the 140th anniversary of the Marine 

Engineers’ Beneficial Association. 

Whereas the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (in 

this preamble referred to as the ‘‘M.E.B.A.’’) was founded in 1875 and is the oldest maritime union in the 

United States; 

Whereas, soon after the founding of the M.E.B.A., the 

M.E.B.A. battled for beneficial legislation to certify, license, and protect waterborne engineers; 

Whereas the M.E.B.A. prevailed in securing deck and engine 

officers of the United States aboard flagships of the 

United States, displacing foreign seamen; 

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•SRES 332 IS 

Whereas, since 1875, the M.E.B.A. has been the premier 

maritime labor union for the officers of the United States 

Merchant Marine; 

Whereas the members of the M.E.B.A., including thousands 

of marine engine and deck officers, are unparalleled in 

maritime training and experience; 

Whereas M.E.B.A. members crew the most technologically 

advanced ships in the flag fleet of the United States, including container ships, tankers, Great Lakes and liquefied natural gas vessels, and a cruise ship; 

Whereas M.E.B.A. members sail aboard Government-contracted ships of the Military Sealift Command of the 

United States Navy and the Ready Reserve Force of the 

Maritime Administration, on tugs and ferry fleets around 

the United States, and in various capacities in shoreside 

industries; 

Whereas M.E.B.A. members provide critical support to the 

United States by carrying cargo to aid the Armed Forces 

of the United States in overseas conflicts; 

Whereas, during Operation Iraqi Freedom, the commercial, 

privately owned fleet, crewed by civilians of the United 

States, carried more than 85 percent of the materials and 

equipment needed by the United States and the allies of 

the United States to achieve victory; 

Whereas, since 1875, M.E.B.A. members have served in every 

conflict and war in which the United States has been involved, including the Spanish-American War, World Wars 

I and II, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation 

Iraqi Freedom; 

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•SRES 332 IS 

Whereas the M.E.B.A. brings critical food aid to starving 

people in Ethiopia, Somalia, and dozens of other countries around the world; 

Whereas, as the people of the United States watched the 

tragedy of September 11, 2001, unfold, members of the 

M.E.B.A. ferried thousands of people to safety in New 

York; 

Whereas, during the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and 

Rita, the tsunami in Southeast Asia, and countless other 

disasters, the M.E.B.A. was there with the professionalism, pride, and patriotism that has long been the 

hallmark of mariners of the United States; 

Whereas the M.E.B.A. has its own maritime training center, 

the Calhoon M.E.B.A. Engineering School in Easton, 

Maryland, which keeps seafaring members on the cutting 

edge of the industry; and 

Whereas the Calhoon M.E.B.A. Engineering School was originally located in Baltimore because of the rich maritime 

tradition in that city but later moved to the Eastern 

Shore of Maryland when the school needed to expand: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate commemorates the 140th 

2 anniversary of the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Associa3 tion. 

Æ 

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