Scalise Statement on the Importance of Louisiana Ports and Rivers

METAIRIE, LA. – Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) today released the following statement after the World Trade Center of New Orleans and the Big River Coalition published a report, titled the “Emerging South American Competitiveness to U.S. Soybean Exports.”

"The Mississippi River and Louisiana’s ports have a strong and positive impact on our national economy, our global competitiveness, and American job creation,” Rep. Scalise said. “According to this newly released report, the Mississippi River Basin produces 92 percent of our nation’s agricultural exports and just five Louisiana ports facilitate nearly three-quarters of our nation’s grain exports. This new study reinforces the importance of the Mississippi River to America's economic success, and highlights the importance of modernizing our waterborne infrastructure and the critical nature of deepening the Mississippi River to 50 feet in order to keep Louisiana competitive and dominant in domestic and international commerce.

“Earlier this year, I proudly fought to ensure passage of the Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA), a bipartisan bill that strengthens our nation’s water transportation infrastructure, and modernizes our ports. WRDA makes a long-overdue reinvestment in our ports by authorizing important reforms to the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund to deepen our waterways and allow America to remain competitive in the global marketplace. Passage of this significant piece of legislation could not have been possible without the efforts of Ranking Member David Vitter and House Transportation Committee Chairman Bill Shuster. I am thankful for the work of Sean M. Duffy, Sr., Executive Director of the Big River Coalition; Robert Evans, Chairman of International Business Committee of the World Trade Center of New Orleans (WTCNO); Dominick Knoll, Chief Executive Officer of WTCNO; and Dr. John T. Lambert, Associate Professor of International Business at the University of Southern Mississippi, for working together to develop this important study.”