A bill introduced in the House would repeal the current fee imposed on shippers to import goods at ports and replace it with one that applies to all imports.
The Harbor Maintenance Tax is designed to raise money to pay for port infrastructure, but shippers can avoid it by using ports in Canada or Mexico and bringing goods to the United States by train or truck, Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) said in a statement.
“This amounts to $30 million in losses to maritime infrastructure, with losses expected to increase if current trends continue,” McDermott said in the Feb. 27 statement. “This status quo imperils American jobs and industry.”
The Maritime Goods Movement Act for the 21st Century would establish a new Maritime Goods Movement User Fee, which McDermott said would raise $1.6 billion annually, double the current federal port funding. It also would discourage shippers from using Canadian and Mexican ports to bring freight to the United States.
Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) introduced a similar bill in August. Their measure has no additional co-sponsors, and McDermott’s has five.
