[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 156 (Friday, January 2, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1855-E1856]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 THE SAVANNAH HARBOR EXPANSION PROJECT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACK KINGSTON

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 2, 2015

  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule today. 
The underlying bill holds the line on spending, reducing it below the 
level of the past two years. Furthermore, this bill provides short term 
funding for the Department of Homeland Security and sets up an 
opportunity for the new Congress and Senate to repeal President Obama's 
unconstitutional executive order on immigration. It also holds the line 
on Obamacare and prohibits taxpayer bailouts of insurance companies. In 
addition to these things, there are a number of conservative measures I 
support and I want to focus on one in particular of local importance.
   This bill clarifies that the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project is an 
ongoing construction, not a new start. Therefore, the Office of 
Management and Budget can and should fully support the project in the 
President's Budget. We can almost immediately begin dredging.
   In 1997, through the Energy and Water Appropriations Committee, we 
allocated funds to support a study by the Georgia Ports Authority. That 
same year, the Georgia Ports Authority began a feasibility study of the 
project.
   In 1998, the Harbor Expansion Feasibility Study Report was released, 
underscoring the importance of the project. Senator Cleland, Senator 
Coverdell and I worked with House and Senate Members and Conferees to 
be sure SHEP was included in WRDA. The bill became known as the WRDA 
bill of 1999 after it was signed into law by President Clinton. WRDA of 
1999 included authorization for SHEP allowing the United States Army 
Corps of Engineers to release the record of decision, formally 
beginning the project.
   The victory in WRDA never assured smooth sailing. Amidst growing 
competition from neighboring Charleston, Representative Floyd Spence, 
Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said he would ``sink'' 
the project [AP, March 2000]. This began an ongoing battle with our 
neighbors from South Carolina about the port. Meanwhile, many 
environmentalists and other groups began to raise objections. In 
addition, the Fish and Wildlife Service threatened to step away from 
negotiations. As objections came up, meetings required by WRDA with 
stakeholders including local Judy Jennings, economic development 
interests and federal agencies became an important forum to defuse 
concerns among all parties and resolve problems. Even with continued 
discussions, Congress worked with the Clinton Administration to secure 
additional funding for the project.
   In 2001, the Georgia Ports Authority and the United States Army 
Corps of Engineers issued a Memorandum of Understanding and announced 
that the Port of Savannah was a top ranked port and one of the fastest 
growing U.S. container ports. Funding was again increased that year, 
with additional funding secured over the President's budget request.
   In 2002, the SHEP Project Management plan was released and the 
United States Army Corps of Engineers expressed their intent to draft 
another Environmental Impact Study.
   In 2004, the major commitment by Georgia, both financially and 
politically, unified our message in Washington and was instrumental in 
moving the project up the priority list.
   Further advancing the importance of this project was the approval of 
the Panama Canal expansion referendum in 2006. For example, in 2007, 
the Georgia House of Representatives passed H.R. 56 urging the Corps 
and the U.S. Congress to begin a study of the costs and effects of 
adding to the storage capacities of all Corps reservoirs in Georgia. 
Additionally, business groups, led by the Savannah Chamber of Commerce, 
ran efforts to push the project forward.
   In 2008, as new WRDA legislation was debated in Congress, we again 
kept the project in WRDA and made sure that no amendments were allowed 
to adversely impact the project.
  In 2009, we worked through the appropriations process to ensure 
funding for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Study in fiscal year 2010. 
Unfortunately, because so much time had lapsed and costs had increased, 
the project had to be reauthorized and adjusted each year.
   In 2010, President Obama came to Savannah. Congressman Barrow and I 
had the opportunity to fly in Air Force One with him to discuss the 
project and followed up with a letter. He acted favorably but did not 
include it in the budget.
   In 2011, even though the President's 2012 budget did not include an 
allotted budget for SHEP, the Director of the Executive Office of the 
President's Office of Management and Budget expressed the President's 
willingness to consider the project. That same year, the U.S. 
Transportation Secretary noted the economic importance of the port and 
the need to provide funding. SHEP faced a hurdle when the Corps' Water 
Qualification Certification was denied by South Carolina's Department 
of Health and Environmental Control. However, by the end of the year, 
construction funds were secured for the project.
   In 2012, Senator Isakson, Senator Chambliss and I met with Assistant 
Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) Darcy and presented a letter asking 
for supportive language. This led to President Obama listing the Port 
of Savannah as a ``We Can't Wait'' port and a legislative fix

[[Page E1856]]

to a procedural hurdle to the beginning of the project through the 
appropriations process.
   In 2013, we again asked for supportive legislative language, held 
delegation wide meetings and secured a provision in WRDA to reauthorize 
the project at updated funding levels, removing any question that the 
project would move forward.
   This year, through work with WRDA Conferees and the Appropriations 
Committee, SHEP finally received the final budgetary and legislative 
actions necessary to move forward after all of these years in the WRRDA 
of 2014 and the Omnibus Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2015.
   These actions, in addition to many others, were completed to support 
SHEP because it is crucial to the State of Georgia and the Port of 
Savannah is key to maintaining our nation's international 
competitiveness. The Port of Savannah's return on investment is 
approximately an impressive 5.5:1. As the nation's fourth largest 
container port, it is critically important that the harbor is deepened 
to ensure it continues to act as a gateway for business to Georgia and 
to the nation. Beyond the trade benefits, the Port of Savannah supports 
hundreds of thousands of jobs and contributes billions in revenue and 
state and local taxes each year. Serving companies located in all 50 
states, Georgia's deep-water ports are strong economic engines for the 
entire United States.
   This has been a long fight that I am proud to have been a part of. I 
am hopeful with the current status of the project. Again, it was a 
major team effort where the entire delegation, the business community, 
the state legislature and several governors supported the project.

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