[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 103 (Tuesday, July 12, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1293-E1294]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  2012

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. GENE GREEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, July 8, 2011

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2354) making 
     appropriations for energy and water development and related 
     agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012, and 
     for other purposes:

  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chair, I am opposed to the Energy and 
Water Appropriations bill for several reasons. One of these reasons is 
that while this bill increases funding for the Army Corps of Engineers 
over the President's request, it is not enough. The Army Corps 
completes critical flood control projects and also, through dredging at 
our port, fuels a major economic engine in Harris County, Texas and has 
been underfunded for years.
  The Port of Houston is the largest foreign tonnage port and the 
largest petrochemical port in the country. In fact, it moves the second 
largest amount of cargo in the country, as 8.5 percent of our nation's 
cargo moves through the Port of Houston. The commerce that occurs at 
our port is critical to our nation's energy and chemical sectors and to 
our country's ability to trade and move goods throughout our country. 
It is a port of national significance, but has not received the 
attention that is necessary to answer the challenges we face in the 
near future. Despite the national importance of our port, it is facing 
a dredging crisis.
  Currently, the Houston Ship Channel is dredged to a depth of 43 feet, 
but it should be as deep as 45 feet. The Panama Canal is expanding and 
when it is completed, the Port of Houston should be able to accept 
ships that take full advantage of the larger Panama Canal, and for 
this, they would need a depth of 50 feet.
  However, under both the President's plan and the Republicans' plan, 
dredging at the Port of Houston will be left behind. For instance, 
under the President's budget, dredging at the Port is funded at about 
$23 million, that is $60 million lower than the amount necessary to 
just get the port to a depth of 45 feet, let alone 50 feet, which would 
be millions more.
  As we confront the dual challenges of adopting policies that create 
jobs and reduce the debt, funding for dredging projects is an item 
that, while costly, will have more of a positive impact on our economy 
than a negative impact on our deficit. The Texas Transportation 
Institute performed a study and determined that a direct economic 
impact of the loss of 1 foot of draft is $373 million. The majority of 
this impact is lost business opportunities due to light loading of non-
containerized vessels. As the dredging crisis at the port continues to 
worsen, this opportunity cost will quickly accelerate.

[[Page E1294]]



                          ____________________