News Release
FOR RELEASE - May 23, 2019
Contact: Aaron Ellis, Public Affairs Director, aellis@aapa-ports.org
(703) 684-5700
American Association of Port Authorities
Phone: (202) 792-4033
www.aapa-ports.org
Funding for port infrastructure programs advocated by the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) … the unified and recognized voice of America’s seaports … fared well in yesterday’s (May 22) mark-up by the House Committee on Appropriations.
AAPA President and CEO Kurt Nagle noted that second-year funding for the nation’s only dedicated port infrastructure program through the U.S. Department of Transportation came in at $225 million in the FY 2020 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (T-HUD) appropriations bill, while the bill contains $15 million for marine highway projects, which are top AAPA priorities.
“We thank House T-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman David Price (D-NC) and Ranking Member Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) for their continued leadership in investing our nation’s port infrastructure,” said Mr. Nagle. “The $225 million dedicated specifically for port infrastructure is an important step in building out our multimodal freight network. Additionally, the $15 million included for the America’s Marine Highway Program is a great tool for ensuring that America’s goods movement network is fully integrated with highways, railways and ports.”
He added: “The $1 billion targeted for the BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development) discretionary grant program also continues to be an essential multimodal development resource for U.S. port authorities and their business partners.”
AAPA has long advocated for dedicated port infrastructure development funding and recently identified $66 billion in port-related infrastructure needs over the next decade to build projects that better connect ports to the freight network, with rail and road access points. This funding is needed to ensure U.S. job creation, economic growth and tax fairness.
Mr. Nagle noted that the MARAD program’s goal is to enhance U.S. port competitiveness and the ability of ports to effectively handle the movement of goods in our nation’s supply chain, which are used by U.S. manufacturers, farmers, retailers and consumers.
Although the $225 million mark for MARAD’s Port Infrastructure Development Program is $68 million below the fiscal 2019 enacted level, the President’s fiscal 2020 budget request didn’t include funding for this program.
The $15 million for the America’s Marine Highway Program is a first for a House T-HUD appropriations bill.
The $1 billion for BUILD is $100 million above the fiscal 2019 enacted level, and the same level as the President’s budget request.
The House T-HUD bill also includes $1.75 billion for discretionary Highway Infrastructure Programs, which is $1.5 billion below the fiscal 2019 enacted level, but $1.45 billion above the President’s budget request.
Furthermore, the bill contains $350 million for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grant program, which is $95 million above the fiscal 2019 enacted level and $20 million above the President’s budget request.
The Senate has not yet announced the markup of its fiscal year 2020 T-HUD appropriations bill.
About AAPA
Founded in 1912 and recognized as the unified voice of seaports in the Americas, AAPA today represents 130 of the leading seaport authorities in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean and more than 200 sustaining and associate members, firms and individuals with an interest in seaports. According to IHS Markit’s World Trade Service, combined international sea trade moving through Western Hemisphere ports in 2017 totaled 4.303 billion metric tons in volume and US$2.675 trillion in value. Of that total, ports in Central and South America handled 1.741 billion metric tons of cargo valued at US$1.024 trillion, while North American ports handled 1.90 billion metric tons of goods, valued at US$2.305 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
