Posted:
April 19, 2012
The House Wednesday approved legislation that includes a requirement that the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund be used for port and channel dredging.
Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA) filed the requirement as an amendment to a bill to fund surface transportation programs. The amendment was a modified version of the Congressman's RAMP Act - Restore America's Maritime Promise. The RAMP Act - H.R. 104 - drew nearly 200 Republican and Democratic co-sponsors in the current Congressional session.
"The Boustany amendment ensures revenue coming into the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund is used and spent for its designated purposes - harbor maintenance and dredging," Rep. Boustany said. "According to the Army Corps of Engineers, America's arteries of commerce and job creation are blocked - almost 30 percent of our nation's ports are hindered because of inadequate channel depths attributed to a lack of proper dredging. The amendment guarantees the total amount available for spending from the HMTF each fiscal year is equal to the HMTF receipts as estimated by the President's budget for that year.
"As chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight, I held a hearing on this egregious abuse and diversion of taxpayer dollars from the HMTF," Rep. Boustany continued. "Neglecting our nation's infrastructure hurts American competitiveness and threatens the viability of our nation's ports and harbors. Strengthened language included in the Boustany amendment bolsters the House's ability to negotiate with the Senate during conference committee."
House approves measure to use dredging trust fund as intended
The House Wednesday approved legislation that includes a requirement that the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund be used for port and channel dredging.
Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA) filed the requirement as an amendment to a bill to fund surface transportation programs. The amendment was a modified version of the Congressman's RAMP Act - Restore America's Maritime Promise. The RAMP Act - H.R. 104 - drew nearly 200 Republican and Democratic co-sponsors in the current Congressional session.
"The Boustany amendment ensures revenue coming into the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund is used and spent for its designated purposes - harbor maintenance and dredging," Rep. Boustany said. "According to the Army Corps of Engineers, America's arteries of commerce and job creation are blocked - almost 30 percent of our nation's ports are hindered because of inadequate channel depths attributed to a lack of proper dredging. The amendment guarantees the total amount available for spending from the HMTF each fiscal year is equal to the HMTF receipts as estimated by the President's budget for that year.
"As chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight, I held a hearing on this egregious abuse and diversion of taxpayer dollars from the HMTF," Rep. Boustany continued. "Neglecting our nation's infrastructure hurts American competitiveness and threatens the viability of our nation's ports and harbors. Strengthened language included in the Boustany amendment bolsters the House's ability to negotiate with the Senate during conference committee."