More than $9 billion would be freed up to dredge and maintain the nation’s ports and harbors, under a bill pushed by Oregon Democratic Congressman, Peter DeFazio.
The Full Utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Act would tap into a tax collected since 1986. Congress would then appropriate money to the Corps of Engineers for maintenance work.
DeFazio has gotten the bill out of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure twice before in past years, but encountered resistance by the House Speaker, then.
“Twice Paul Ryan had it removed from the bill, because he didn’t believe in federal investment in infrastructure," says DeFazio.
"And yet our harbors are silting in, our jetties are deteriorating, and the Corps doesn’t have money to do the work.”
DeFazio adds past conversations with President Trump have shown a mutual interest in boosting infrastructure across the U.S....though the status of those talks are uncertain after a recent fallout between House Democrats and the White House.
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Copyright 2019, KLCC.
