Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Improvement Act of 2010

Floor Speech

Ms. LINDA T. SÁNCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Improvement Act of 2010. This bill would strengthen our national economy and international competitiveness.

Our harbors are economic engines for our nation. Because more than 95 percent of overseas trade moves in and out of the United States by ship, harbor infrastructure is vital to the American economy.

Moreover, our harbors create a substantial amount of revenue through the Harbor Maintenance Tax. The tax is imposed on importers and domestic shippers based upon the value of their cargo and is deposited in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund.

Fund money is designated for recovering operation and maintenance costs at US coastal and Great Lakes Harbors, particularly for dredging. Yet, our harbors only receive a fraction of the revenue they create. Revenue deposited into the fund far exceeds transfers out of the fund. This lead to a balance of almost $5 billion at the end of fiscal year 2009.

At the same time, the global economic crisis has hit our harbors and many are struggling to make ends meet. It is only fair to give back to our harbors in their times of need. That's why the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Improvement Act would expand our harbors' ability to make use of Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund money. The bill would allow them to use the revenue they create not only for maintenance and dredging needs but also for the costs of Environmental Impact Statements for navigation projects.

Environmental Impact Statements art required whenever the Corps of Engineers is involved in harbor maintenance and development efforts. The Statements serve the federal mission of taking environmental effects of a project into account. Use of Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund resources for this purpose is appropriate and long overdue. Harbors would be relieved of these costs, while the federal mission of assessing the environmental impact of such projects is strengthened.

Please join me in helping our harbors with this sensitive relief. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this important bill.

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