Thousands of stakeholders in Washington, D.C., and across the country are coming together for Infrastructure Week, May 11-15. They will highlight the critical importance of investing in and modernizing America’s infrastructure, including its seaports and their land- and water-side connections. “Seaport activity accounts for a quarter of the U.S. economy and it’s time to build America’s 21st century transportation infrastructure to support continued economic growth and deliver prosperity to all Americans,” said Kurt Nagle, president and CEO of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) – the unified and recognized voice of seaports in the Americas. Congress plays a critical role ensuring that the U.S. remains a global economic powerhouse. AAPA strongly supports several vital programs important to seaports that are on the congressional schedule over the next few weeks. These include: Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation; long-term reauthorization of surface transportation legislation that includes a strong freight program; and reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank to encourage more U.S. exports. “Given seaports’ essential role in trade and transportation, AAPA urges Congress to prioritize investments in port-related infrastructure. Such investments pay huge dividends in terms of sustainable job and economic growth and tax revenues,” said Mr. Nagle. AAPA has a number of funding priorities that will help the country build and maintain a 21st century transportation infrastructure, including: the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Transportation Infrastructure Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program, which helps improve port infrastructure as well as water, rail and road connections to seaports; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers coastal navigation program to modernize and maintain U.S. harbors for efficient importing and exporting of goods; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Port Security Grants program and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Diesel Emission Reductions Act (DERA) environmental grants, both of which keep seaports sustainable and help safeguard local communities. In the spirit of Infrastructure Week and in the interest of building and sustaining 21st century transportation infrastructure, AAPA is urging Congress to take action now on these critical priorities.