By Paul Scott Abbott, AJOT Port industry leaders from throughout the Americas are continuing their efforts to seek sufficient funding for infrastructure – a cooperative endeavor that has been at the top of the American Association of Port Authorities’ agenda since the genesis of the organization a century ago. The AAPA Centennial Spring Conference, held March 19-20 in Washington, was highlighted by a gala dinner and reception (see story and photos on page __), as well as several infrastructure-related presentations, including by U.S. Rep. John L. Mica, R-Fla., chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Mica, who received the AAPA 2012 Port Person of the Year Award during the March 20 centennial luncheon, said ports and maritime highways are just as important to the U.S. transportation network as are roadways, bridges, railroads and airports. “Ports are the nation’s gateways and economic engines,” said Mica, who conceded that, despite efforts to enact multiyear successor legislation, late March would see a ninth short-term extension of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users. He called federal spending on ports and connective infrastructure “a very cost-effective investment.” “One of my goals is to ensure that the fees collected at our ports for harbor maintenance are no longer diverted to cover unrelated federal spending,” Mica said. “These critically needed infrastructure resources must be dedicated for their intended purpose. We must stop shortchanging our ports, robbing them of resources and leaving the needs of our port infrastructure behind.” Mica-sponsored House transportation reauthorization measure H.R. 7 calls for investing all available resources in the $7 billion Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund in harbor projects, while a similar objective is sought by H.R. 104, the Realize America’s Maritime Promise (RAMP) Act, which, since its January 2011 introduction by U.S. Rep. Dr. Charles W. Boustany Jr., R-La., has gained a total of 187 co-sponsors. Two of the RAMP Act’s co-sponsors, U.S. Rep. Janice Hahn, D-Calif., and U.S. Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, launched March 20 business sessions by explaining that they co-founded the bipartisan Congressional Ports Opportunity, Renewal, Trade and Security (PORTS) Caucus in October to help underscore the significance of funding for U.S. ports, which support 13.3 million jobs and account for $3.15 trillion in annual economic activity. “Ports require a much higher priority,” said Hahn, who later in the day introduced H.R. 592, a resolution recognizing the importance of ports to the economy and national security of the United States. Addressing the audience of hemispheric port leaders, Hahn said, “With your help, I think we can bring ports to the forefront of our national policy discussion.” Noting bottlenecks that occur on roadways – so-called “last-mile” connections – that immediately link ports with the U.S. highway network, Poe said, “We need to relieve that congestion, because it’s all about the economy.” Poe commented, “I don’t think Americans know much about ports. One reason is because they work so well.” Indeed, port industry economist Dr. John C. Martin, president of Lancaster, Pa.-based Martin Associates, said the only time he can recall the U.S. public being significantly aware of ports was at a rare time they were not working – during the 10-day West Coast port operators’ lockout of unionized workers in 2002. Martin said investments in port infrastructure, including deeper channels, are crucial to helping U.S. ports compete with offshore Caribbean distribution hubs and to the success of the National Export Initiative, which was announced two years ago by President Obama with intent to double U.S. export volume by 2015. Canada’s ambassador to the United States, Gary Doer, said Transport Canada’s Gateways and Corridors programs are taking a proactive approach to supporting international trade, and he urged a collaborative effort to resolve cross