The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) has voiced sturdy help of Representative Pete Stauber’s (R-Minn.) modification to the Transportation Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations invoice which, if applied, would restore funding for the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP).
“The Feds have made a serious, laudable, bipartisan down payment on port infrastructure modernization with $1.45 billion awarded through PIDP so far. Don’t stop now, Congress,” mentioned Cary Davis, AAPA President and CEO. “To wit, during its four years, PIDP has been oversubscribed by more than $4.8 billion. America’s seaports thank Rep. Stauber for his leadership in offering this amendment and encourage Congressional support to protect our ports’ ability to operate and deliver prosperity for our nation.”
Great Lakes ports owe a lot of our success and progress in recent times to constant and strong PIDP funding, says Deb DeLuca, Duluth Seaway Port Authority Executive Director and AAPA Board Member. “I sincerely thank Rep. Stauber for his efforts to preserve this crucial investment in our nation’s infrastructure and call on his colleagues to renew their commitment to our maritime gateways.”
The modification would reallocate $213 million from the THUD funds again to PIDP, for a complete of $282.7 million, exceeding the Senate companion invoice which obtained unanimous passage out of its committee. As written, the House invoice at the moment allocates solely $69.7 million to PIDP.
According to the U.S. Committee on the Marine Transportation System (CMTS), federal spending on maritime transportation system infrastructure might produce economy-wide returns of as a lot as $2 or $3 for each greenback spent.
AAPA says it would proceed to aggressively advocate for strong PIDP funding on Capitol Hill because the appropriations course of continues.
The appropriations in query are separate from the $450 million per yr allocation PIDP receives from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law by way of 2026.
