Rep. Schrader Votes for Critical Investment in America's Maritime Infrastructure

Statement

Congressman Kurt Schrader (OR-05) voted today for the bipartisan Full Utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund which would unlock nearly $34 billion dollars in already collected fees to maintain America's Federal ports and harbors over the next ten years.

"Our infrastructure is desperate for new federal investments and it is a no-brainer to use these already collected funds to improve our harbors at no additional cost to the American taxpayers," said Rep. Schrader. I have long championed this legislation and it is high time that these funds are used for their intended purpose. The passage of this commonsense bill will help to reinvigorate communities across the United States, provide certainty that our ports and harbors will get necessary improvements, and continues the great bipartisan tradition for infrastructure legislation. I am proud of the work that Chairman DeFazio, Ranking Member Graves, and the rest of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee has done here with this bill."

The Full Utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Act will make is possible for Congress to distribute funds collected in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund for harbor maintenance needs. Currently, $9.3 billion dollars of collected revenue sits idly in the U.S. Treasury and is not being used for its intended purpose. With these funds, all Federal harbors will be dredged by the Army Corps of Engineers to their required widths and depths, unlocking opportunities for these communities to thrive.

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