Bill Overview
Title: American Offshore Worker Fairness Act
Description: This bill further restricts foreign crew members from working on vessels, rigs, and other structures engaged in offshore energy activities on the Outer Continental Shelf.
Sponsors: Rep. Graves, Garret [R-LA-6]
Target Audience
Population: Foreign crew members working on offshore energy activities
Estimated Size: 15000
- The bill restricts foreign crew members from working on structures engaged in offshore energy activities, impacting the global workforce involved in the offshore energy sector.
- Foreign workers often make up a significant portion of the labor force on offshore energy structures, as companies may rely on specialized skills from an international workforce.
- The bill is likely to affect countries outside the US that provide a large number of workers for offshore rigs and other structures.
- The Outer Continental Shelf is a maritime area under US jurisdiction, meaning the legislation would primarily impact operations within this specific area.
Reasoning
- The American workforce engaged in offshore energy activities might benefit from reduced foreign competition, leading to increased job opportunities. However, some may not feel significant changes depending on their niche in the market.
- The policy's budget constraints mean that its effects might be limited in scope, impacting only certain sectors or regions within the offshore energy workforce.
- Those currently unemployed or underemployed in the industry might feel the effects more acutely as they could gain employment or improved job security if demand for domestic labor rises.
- Workers in areas with a high dependency on international crew may not see immediate improvements if there is a lack of skilled domestic workers to fill these roles.
- Overall, the policy could lead to mixed outcomes, with some seeing improvements in economic wellbeing and job security, while others may not register significant impacts.
Simulated Interviews
Offshore drilling engineer (Houston, TX)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could really open up more job opportunities for those of us in the field.
- I've seen many foreign workers take positions that could have gone to Americans.
- I believe in investing in our own workforce but we need to ensure people have the right skills.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Marine biologist (New Orleans, LA)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't expect to see much change in my field since this policy targets labor, not environmental practices.
- However, there could be indirect effects if reduced foreign labor causes delays in drilling projects, possibly affecting environmental monitoring needs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Offshore safety inspector (Galveston, TX)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- More American workers might mean better compliance with U.S. safety laws and standards.
- Increased scrutiny on labor could mean more work for inspectors like me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Operations manager at an energy company (Jacksonville, FL)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could complicate staffing since we rely on international specialists who bring in needed expertise.
- We might face challenges filling some highly technical roles with American workers initially.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Policy advisor in energy sector (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While this bill won't directly impact my work, it sets a precedent for protectionist labor policies in the energy sector.
- I think there might be more support for localized job creation in the wake of such policies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Unemployed oil rig worker (Biloxi, MS)
Age: 24 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy might help me get back to work.
- With fewer foreign workers, maybe there will be more openings for people like me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 4 |
Human resources specialist for oil and gas (Mobile, AL)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy might shift my work focus towards retraining and upskilling local talent.
- This could lead to a more stable and consistent workforce if we handle it properly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Retired shipping company executive (New York, NY)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As I'm retired, I don't feel affected by this policy.
- Interesting to see how it may change the dynamics of offshore operations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Legal analyst specializing in maritime law (Corpus Christi, TX)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- New legislation means there's plenty of work for legal analysts like me.
- The need for compliance review could lead to increased demand for our services.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Economist focusing on energy markets (Miami, FL)
Age: 33 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- From an economic standpoint, it's an intriguing approach to boost local employment.
- The effects on the US economy will depend heavily on how companies adapt to workforce changes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $7000000)
Year 2: $4000000 (Low: $2000000, High: $6000000)
Year 3: $3500000 (Low: $1500000, High: $5500000)
Year 5: $3000000 (Low: $1000000, High: $5000000)
Year 10: $2500000 (Low: $500000, High: $4500000)
Year 100: $1000000 (Low: $0, High: $3000000)
Key Considerations
- The policy's effectiveness heavily relies on the ability of U.S. workers to meet the skill and quantity demands of offshore energy companies.
- There may be unintended economic consequences if businesses experience disruptions due to a sudden shortage of knowledgeable personnel.
- Long-term benefits such as increased employment and potentially higher wages for U.S. workers could partially offset the initial costs.