News Release
FOR RELEASE - April 16, 2021
Contact: Jen Wilk, Public Affairs Director, jwilk@aapa-ports.org
(703) 254-7098
American Association of Port Authorities
Phone: (202) 792-4033
www.aapa-ports.org
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The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), the unified voice of ports across the Western Hemisphere, thank President Biden for his $6.8 Billion budget request to fund the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) in Fiscal Year 2022. AAPA also urges Congress to include in the appropriation, full use of the Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT) dollars ($9.3B accrued) as enacted in the Water Resources Development Act of 2020.
“Ports thank President Biden and Congressional appropriators for the substantial investment in our country’s vital marine transportation networks,” said Christopher J. Connor, President and CEO of the American Association of Port Authorities, “full appropriation of the President’s record request of $6.8B plus spending Harbor Maintenance Tax dollars will allow the Army Corps of Engineers to address the significant backlog in federal navigation maintenance work needed throughout the country. This will improve America’s infrastructure and, in turn, competitiveness and economic growth.”
The FY22 Presidential Budget request is a record high amount for the Corps. This is almost $1B more than FY2021 Budget requested by the previous Administration. This substantial investment is aligned with the President’s goal to Build Back Better and provides a higher baseline for Congress to work from. AAPA also thanks Congressional appropriators for their history of recognizing the important role ports and the Corps navigation program on the Nation’s economic growth and annually increasing funding well above the administration’s budget request.
AAPA is eager for the White House to release more details on the requested $6.8B, and identify how much money will be allocated for navigation, ecosystem restoration, flood risk reduction and coastal emergencies projects.
Congress funds the vital civil works activities of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in annual Energy and Water Development appropriations acts. These activities include the planning and construction of authorized water resource projects and the operation and maintenance of infrastructure and navigation improvements managed by USACE. For additional information on the Army Corps of Engineers Appropriations and past Presidential Budget Requests click here to view the Congressional Research Service Report updated March 24, 2021.
About AAPA
Founded in 1912 and recognized as the unified voice of seaports in the Americas. According to IHS Markit’s World Trade Service, combined international sea trade moving through Western Hemisphere ports in 2016 totaled 3.49 billion metric tons in volume and US$3.01 trillion in value. Of that total, ports in Central and South America handled 1.71 billion metric tons of cargo valued at US$941 billion, while North American ports handled 1.79 billion metric tons of goods, valued at US$2.07 trillion. To meet the growing demand for trade, the AAPA and its members are committed to keeping seaports navigable, secure and sustainable. For more information, visit www.aapa-ports.org. On Twitter: http://twitter.com/AAPA_Seaports
