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As many of you know from years of sending clients on this grand steamboat, the Delta Queen was built in 1926 and in 1970 was registered as an historic treasure by the Department of Interior and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Although the vessel’s hull is made of steel, its superstructure is constructed of wood. As such, it must have a statutory exemption from the Coast Guard’s fire retardant materials regulations for its operations on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers to continue. That is the reason we are writing you today, to help us extend her operating license beyond the current exemption, which expires in November, 2008.
For the past 40 years, the Delta Queen has operated pursuant to exemption that has been extended no less than 6 times. In fact in 2006, under the previous Congress, a further 10 year extension was passed by the House of Representatives, but, due to mid-term elections, the bill never made it to the Senate. Now, what was believed to be a routine matter is meeting with some opposition from union interest groups by questioning her safety.
As we have discussed with you together and individually before, we are committed to extending the operating license of the Delta Queen for many years to come, but union opposition to the extension in which they expressed their concern regarding her safety has created some uncertainty in Washington DC. We are working hard to demonstrate to the Congress the Delta Queen’s excellent safety record, the merits of our training program and quality and experience of our crew, but we need your help as well.
Please call or e-mail the Congressman listed in this e-mail, and let them know the following plus any additional feelings that you may have regarding her safety, how special the Delta Queen is and that your jobs and livelihood are important:
As a Friend of the Delta Queen, I am concerned that Congress may put this great ship out of business unless action is taken to extend the Delta Queen's license to operate before the end of 2008. The Delta Queen is an historic treasure that provides employment, generates economic activity for small businesses up and down the Mississippi River and its tributaries and provides pleasure for tens of thousands of passengers. Please talk to Chairman James Oberstar (or Chairman Daniel Inouye) and tell them you strongly support saving the Delta Queen.
In addition, please forward this information to your local senators and representatives. Everyone's support is needed. |
