Hearing on Piracy on the High Seas

On Feb. 4, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, will convene the Subcommittee to gather information on the causes and extent of piracy and to understand its effect on international shipping.

Although no U.S.-flagged vessels have been attacked or seized by pirates, the expansion of international piracy—particularly in the Horn of Africa region—threatens to raise the costs of transporting goods through a highly traveled region at a time of significant distress in the world economy.

For more information, or to receive a copy of the background memo, please email [email protected]

WHO: Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, Chairman
Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
WHAT: Hearing on International Piracy on the High Seas
WHEN: Wednesday, February 4th, 2009, 2pm
WHERE: Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2167
Independence Ave. at S. Capitol St., SW
Washington, D.C.

Live webcast of the hearing will be available at http://transportation.house.gov/

WITNESSES: 
Panel I
Rear Admiral William D. Baumgartner
Judge Advocate General
U.S. Coast Guard
Rear Admiral Ted Branch
Director of Information, Plans, and Security
Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
Mr. James Caponiti
Acting Administrator
U.S. Maritime Administration

Panel II
Mr. Peter Chalk
Senior Political Scientist
RAND Corporation
Captain Phil M. Davies
Director
Oil Companies International Marine Forum
Mr. Peter Swift
Managing Director
Intertanko
Mr. Giles Noakes
Chief Maritime Security Officer
Baltic International Maritime Council