Capitol Agenda for the Week of March 28: Ports Call for Infrastructure Funding Too

The week ahead for trucking on Capitol Hill

The Republicans’ flop on repealing President Obama’s signature health care law has prompted myriad concerns inside the Beltway. Mick Mulvaney, budget director for President Trump, in a “this town” explanation of the repeal debacle, told Chuck Todd on "Meet The Press:" "What you saw this week was simply that things are a lot more rotten in Washington than we thought.”

So up next for the White House and the Republican-led Congress is the not-so-simple task of reforming the tax code, and maybe after that, stitching together an infrastructure funding plan. The current power structure in Washington wants to keep it moving. The American Association of Port Authorities shares that sentiment. The group recently launched “America: Keep It Moving,” a campaign to remind the Trump administration and Congress of a need for approving a long-term funding package that would help pay for freight infrastructure projects.

“Ports send products made in America’s cities, towns and rural communities to markets around the world,” said Kurt Nagle, the group’s CEO. “This activity is critical to the workers and management of U.S. manufacturers, service companies, farmers and nearly every other kind of business across the nation.” AAPA is specifically calling on policymakers to boost funding for seaport infrastructure, maritime agencies, port security grants and navigational programs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The group will go over its wish list with Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao when she headlines the AAPA spring conference on April 5. Trump’s team has yet to reveal details of a $1 trillion plan that would invest in ports and other infrastructure projects. The president promised to have the plan ready during his first 100 days in office. With health care machinations on hold, Mulvaney said, the White House is “going to move on. We really are.”

THE WEEK AHEAD (all times EDT):

March 28, 10 a.m.: House Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee holds a hearing on "Self-Driving Cars: Levels of Automation."

March 29, 10:15 a.m.: Senate Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues Subcommittee holds a hearing on "The U.S.-Mexico Relationship: Advancing Security and Prosperity on Both Sides of the Border." Witnesses include former Gov. Bill Richardson (D-N.M.).

March 29, 2:30 p.m.: Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee holds a hearing on the nomination of Jeffrey Rosen to be deputy secretary of transportation.

March 30: Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee votes on the nomination of Alexander Acosta to be secretary of labor.

March 30, 10 a.m.: Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.) delivers remarks at a workshop in Arlington, Virginia, on autonomous vehicles.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

FINAL FOUR: Millions of Americans will watch the NCAA Final Four to see which team will clinch the title, but few people at home or in the arena are aware of the critical role of trucking in making the event happen.

Doug Andrus Distributing Inc.

WHITE HOUSE: Trucking leaders met with President Trump on March 23 to lend their support to his efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and to open a dialogue that they hope will lead to further discussion of the nation’s infrastructure.

DEFAZIO: Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) introduced a transportation infrastructure bill on March 22 that he said will increase the gasoline and diesel tax by about a penny a gallon to provide about $500 billion in funding to rebuild U.S. roads, bridges and transit systems.

WHAT WE’RE READING:

Trump’s infrastructure funding push will end up just like the Republicans’ efforts to repeal Obamacare, Jeff Spross argued in The Week. 

The GOP's hatred for redistribution brought down the AHCA. It will bring down Trump's infrastructure plans too. https://t.co/Cz17qwZLxw — Jeff Spross (@jeffspross) March 27, 2017

FAVORITE QUOTE:

“The American people don't want tolls on every highway.”

— Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on "This Week" with George Stephanopoulos on March 26.

FAVORITE VIDEO:

Rebecca Brewster, president of the American Transportation Research Institute, explains the survey the firm conducted March 23-25 at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky.

FAVORITE TWEET

TruckThat humor.

If you ask us, he needs a bigger paddle. #truckerlife pic.twitter.com/UQHGXwnSTb — TruckThat (@ohtruckthat) March 26, 2017

Thanks for reading Capitol Agenda! We publish Tuesdays when Congress is in session. E-mail emulero@ttnews.com with tips. Follow us @eugenemulero and @transporttopics.