Congressman Charles W. Boustany, Jr., M.D., (R-South Louisiana) issued the following statement after the Port of South Louisiana released its annual figures from 2012 making it the largest tonnage port in the country.
Last year, the port moved almost 279 million tons of cargo, an increase of roughly four million tons from the previous year, including: food products, building materials, chemicals, fuel, and raw materials.
“The Port of South Louisiana once again reigns supreme when it comes to moving cargo through America’s waterways. With almost 279 million tons of commodities passing through this port, it plays an instrumental role in not only servicing the rest of the nation but bringing commerce to South Louisiana. I am proud the port continues to grow and expand the amount of tonnage passing through on an annual basis. Ports and waterways play a pivotal role as agents of commerce, providers of jobs, and facilitators of American competitiveness. The Port of South Louisiana proved this with its record-breaking year.”
Boustany issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development announced it will recommend to draw a record $1 billion from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund to maintain America’s federal navigation channels and related infrastructure:
“I commend the Senate for taking a step in the right direction toward properly dredging and maintaining our nation’s waterways. While this amount of funding is a historic level, it is a far cry from the amount duly owed to funding America’s ports and harbors. The Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT) collects $1.6 billion in revenues annually. This funding amount, in its entirety, should be used for its intended purpose.”
[mappress]
Press Release, June 27, 2013