Cantwell, Reichert,
Kilmer Call on House to Pass First Bipartisan Comprehensive Freight Policy to
Strengthen Economy, Enhance Competitiveness
“Today Congressman Reichert, Congressman Kilmer and
myself are calling on the House of Representatives to include multimodal
freight policy in the final transportation bill. To get our products to
markets around the world, we must realize that investments in freight cannot
wait,” said Senator Cantwell. “The
faster freight moves, the faster Washington’s economy will grow. We need to make
smart investments now so we can create more jobs and have more containers
moving through our ports.”
“Efficient movement of goods is critical to the
success of Washington’s economy, and that ability to move goods is dependent on
structurally sound, modern infrastructure. The legislation that Congressman
Kilmer and I have introduced in the House and that Senator Cantwell introduced
in the Senate is critical to ensuring our outdated infrastructure is upgraded
and that we can streamline the movement of goods from the port of entry to
final destination, ensuring a productive transportation system that will enable
us to create jobs and grow our economy,”
said Representative Reichert.
“Washington State’s economy depends on transporting
goods to market,” said Representative
Kilmer. “In order to support job growth in our region, we need
infrastructure that can efficiently get products out of warehouses and onto
rail lines, highways, and waterways so they get into the hands of customers.
Right now, too much of our outdated freight infrastructure results in delays
and congestion. I was proud to join Senator Cantwell and Representative
Reichert today to call for a national focus on smart freight policy that will
help businesses and keep us competitive in a 21st century economy.”
Earlier this month, the U.S. Senate passed a six year
transportation bill that for the first time creates a dedicated Freight
Division based significantly off Cantwell’s National Multimodal Freight
Policy and Investment Act. With
companion legislation also introduced in the House by Reps. Kilmer and
Reichert, the bipartisan delegation of lawmakers and shipping industry leaders
called on the House of Representatives to prioritize strong multimodal freight
policy as they continue to craft their version of a long term transportation
bill.
In Washington state, where 40% of jobs are tied to
trade, an outdated transportation network brings significant economic
consequences for local exporters who sell their products overseas. With 95% of
the world’s customers living outside our country’s borders, businesses must
rely on the ability to safely and efficiently transport their goods to market
without being plagued by congestion and bottlenecks.
Currently, the rapid movement of goods is being
bottlenecked by delays in the freight system, which cost American businesses,
farmers, and shippers $200 billion a year. According to a recent report, multimodal freight moving through Washington State
could grow 77% by 2030, yet Washington State Department of Transportation found
that a 20% increase in freight congestion could result in a loss of $3.3
billion and over 27,000 jobs statewide. Unless smart investments are made in
our nation’s freight infrastructure, our country as a whole could face losses
of up to $1.3 trillion and stands to lose over 700,000 jobs by 2020.
America also faces growing threats from foreign
countries competing for our country’s shipping market share. Freight dependent
businesses provide 1.5 million jobs and $129 billion in GDP for Washington
state alone, but countries are adopting policies that prioritize freight
mobility and are investing in key projects such as the Port of Prince Rupert
and the Panama Canal. In light of this increased global competition,
Washington’s congressional delegation pointed to the urgent need to prioritize
strategic investments in the nation’s multimodal network to keep America
competitive in a global economy.
Specifically the bill would:
·
Create
a dedicated Freight Division that establishes a National Multimodal Freight
Policy;
·
Require
the development of a National Freight Strategic Plan; and,
·
Create
a competitive Freight Investment Grant Program for projects specifically
focused on improving freight mobility.
