[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 158 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 158

    Recognizing the importance of ports to the economy and national 
                     security of the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 12, 2013

 Ms. Hahn (for herself, Mrs. Napolitano, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. Sires, Ms. 
 Wilson of Florida, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Ruppersberger, Mr. Farenthold, 
 Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of California, Mr. McNerney, Mr. Vargas, and Mr. 
Poe of Texas) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
           the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Recognizing the importance of ports to the economy and national 
                     security of the United States.

Whereas ports play a vital role in the United States economy;
Whereas ports impact lives in every Congressional District in the United States 
        by creating jobs, economic growth, and opportunity;
Whereas the United States is served by more than 350 commercial sea and river 
        ports that support 3,200 cargo and passenger handling facilities;
Whereas each day, United States ports move both imports and exports totaling 
        some $3.8 billion worth of goods through all 50 States and territories;
Whereas deep-draft ports move 99.4 percent of overseas cargo volume by weight 
        and 64.1 percent of trade by value;
Whereas ports move 1.4 billion tons worth of goods and generate $3.95 trillion 
        in international trade;
Whereas between 2001 and 2020, total freight moved through United States ports 
        will increase by 50 percent;
Whereas trucks and rail move goods across the United States and contribute to 
        the national economy;
Whereas more than 1 billion tons of domestic goods are transported via water 
        each year;
Whereas ports generated $23.3 billion in United States Custom duty, accounting 
        for 70 percent of all United States Custom duties collected;
Whereas international trade moving through ports accounts for 11 percent of the 
        gross domestic product of the United States;
Whereas port activity generates over $200 billion in Federal, State, and local 
        tax revenue;
Whereas ports support jobs for more than 13.3 million people in the United 
        States nationwide;
Whereas for every $1 billion in exports shipped through ports, 15,000 United 
        States jobs are created;
Whereas business activity related to seaports contributes $3.15 trillion to the 
        United States economy;
Whereas the cruise line industry contributed $35.85 billion to the United States 
        economy and created nearly 330,000 jobs in the United States that 
        generated $15.2 billion in wages in 2010;
Whereas United States ports account for 75 percent of cruise embarkations 
        worldwide; and
Whereas 79 percent of cruise-related expenditures are made with businesses, 
        including airlines, travel agents, and ship maintenance and 
        refurbishers, throughout the United States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the importance of ports to the economy and 
        national security of the United States;
            (2) urges the President, Federal officials, and other 
        relevant stakeholders to consider this importance in 
        decisionmaking and promote policies that strengthen seaport-
        related infrastructure;
            (3) affirms the longstanding Federal partnership with ports 
        as it relates to improvements to port-related infrastructure 
        and its commitment to ensuring the safety of the United States 
        ports and the communities in which they are located; and
            (4) expresses its gratitude to the millions of men and 
        women who work at ports across the United States.
                                 <all>