Legislation introduced by Congresswoman Laura Richardson (D-CA) helps underscore the growing recognition of the need to increase federal support of freight infrastructure. The bill, the MOVEMENT Act of 2008 (HR 7002), calls for the creation of a separate National Goods Movement Improvement Account and concomitant National Goods Movement Improvement Grant Program, financed by a fee on each container moving into our out of US seaports.

'America has been under-investing in its transportation for many years, but goods movement projects have been especially neglected,' said Leslie Blakey, executive director of the Coalition for America's Gateways and Trade Corridors (CAGTC). 'HR 7002 calls attention to the system's needs and will contribute to the important debate over how our nation should go about raising sorely-needed funds for goods movement as a part of next year's reauthorization of federal-aid surface transportation programs and revenue sources that expire on October 1, 2009.

CAGTC has long called for a Federal Freight Trust Fund, or separate, firewalled freight account, funded through new system user fees, to pay for goods movement projects of national and regional significance.