Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell introduce the Maritime Goods Movement Act

This morning, U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell introduced "The Maritime Goods Movement Act for the 21st Century". This legislation was initially announced in August, and is meant to reform the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) to meet the diverse needs of the nation's navigation community. The Senators issued a joint statement noting that "the HMT simply is not being collected or spent in a way that ensures American ports can continue to compete on a level playing field.  Our legislation works to address these inequalities and enhance our economic competitiveness abroad while supporting good jobs here in the United States."

Overarching concepts of the legislation remain in line with the approach discussed within the PNWA membership earlier this year, and we are very pleased that a Northwest consensus proposal is now part of the larger HMTF conversation.  The collaborative effort includes the following key elements:

• Comprehensive solution to address varying port needs in the U.S.

• Establishes Maritime Goods Movement User Fee, to replace the current Harbor Maintenance tax

• Ensures full use of annual receipts, with up-front set aside for small ports

• Significantly increases operations & maintenance (O&M) funding to be used for activities like dredging and jetty repair

• Restores a level playing field for U.S. ports and provides a fair chance to compete

• Provides funding for "super donor" ports-ports that generate significant HMT revenue but are not allowed to get a fair return from the HMTF

• Reinvests in our maritime and intermodal infrastructure to  move goods to market faster

PNWA greatly appreciates the efforts of Senator Murray and Senator Cantwell to bring additional funding to support navigation infrastructure in our region and throughout the nation. We look forward to working with the Senators and their staff as the legislation moves forward. For more information, view the bill text and a one page overview, or visit www.pnwa.net.