[Wesley Paulson]

I work in the Methodist Building across the street from the Capitol and was able to attend Rep. Chabot's press conference. The audience was most staff, with Washington bureau reporters from Louisville and St. Louis, plus a third reporter that I could not identify. I tried to engage the Louisville reporter in hopes that I could get in a quote about .org, but no luck. He did ask what powered the boat (duh). When I told him steam, he remarked that he wasn't sure since the photo on display showed a clean stack. I assured him that the old girl could smoke it up at will.

Rep. Chabot opened the remarks with a brief history of the DQ and the events leading up to the current situation. He attributed the impasse to a labor dispute with SIU and said he was "cautiously optimistic" about the exemption. Several of the co-sponsors spoke in support of the bill. The nice lady Representative from Cincinnati referred to the DQ as Cincinnati's ownantique RV, or words to that effect. Ok, I thought it was cute.

Rep. Chabot introduced Jay Webster who described at length the safety featured added over the years by AMCV management. He stated that the DQ had a higher safety standard than the AQ, MQ and River Barge.

There was a time for general questions. Jay was called on for a few things. The unidentified reporter asked the assembled Congresspersons if they had seen SIU's response to the allegations of the "labor dispute". None of them had seen the information and agreed that they would follow up. Someone asked if Rep. Chabot had talked with Rep. Oberstar. Chabot said he had been in touch with Oberstar, including sending him a cake with "Save the DQ" icing when Oberstar was in the hospital.

The event concluded with a staffer handing out Save the DQ buttons. I wonder where she got those? ;-)

I took a few photos and will try to upload them this evening from home.

Wesley
Steamboat.org Washington Office