Category: Washington DC News

Senators Introduce Port Transparency Bill in Wake of Prolonged West Coast Ports Strife

“This legislation adds needed sunshine to maritime shipping through our ports to help head off future economically destructive impediments to commerce.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman John Thune (R-S.D.), along with Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) today introduced common-sense sunshine reforms as a part of S. 1298 to help with early identification of port disruptions caused by labor strife or other factors before they inflict serious damage on businesses and the broader U.S. economy.

At a hearing before the Commerce Committee earlier this year, Thune highlighted the challenges South Dakota businesses and agriculture producers have faced in light of the recent nine month labor dispute at 29 West Coast container ports. Some estimates say that these disputes cost the economy up to $2.5 billion per day and the resulting strife was widely cited as a contributing cause to the anemic 0.2 percent annual growth rate of the U.S. economy in the first quarter of 2015.

“Every day, South Dakota businesses and Ag producers depend on the efficient operation of U.S. ports,” said Thune. “The recent labor dispute at West Coast ports underscored how a lack of data and transparency to quantify on-going problems at our ports can affect businesses from coast to coast. At present, statistics for air cargo and even forms of ground transportation are more developed and accessible than those for maritime transport. This legislation adds needed sunshine to maritime shipping through our ports to help head off future economically destructive impediments to commerce.”

“A labor dispute at one of our ports can cause significant damage to U.S. employers and to our economy – the recent nine-month dispute at the West Coast ports made it difficult for auto manufacturers and suppliers in Tennessee to keep production lines running,” said Alexander. “This bill will help shine a light on what’s happening at our nation’s ports before a labor dispute erupts and threatens our economy.”

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation over half of all containerized imports enter the U.S. through West Coast ports. The Department has separately stated that a “lack of complete data on U.S. international freight continues to hamper research and analysis of trends in international freight movement and its impact on transportation activity within the United States.” While the Maritime Administration (MARAD) does produce its annual Statistical Snapshot of 20 water-freight-related statistics on freight volume and port of entry, MARAD has reported that the lack of a national standard for performance measures and “the lack of a reporting process have stymied its attempts to measure the efficiency of major U.S. ports.”
S. 1298 creates a new level of transparency and accountability for ports, many of which are government owned, by requiring:

· The director of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) to establish a port performance statistics program and report annually to Congress on the performance and capacity of the Nation’s key ports.

· U.S. port authorities that are subject to federal regulation or that receive federal assistance to report annually to BTS.

· The Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the Secretaries of Labor and Commerce, to report to Congress on a port’s performance before and after the expiration of maritime labor agreements to help indicate whether labor discussions have impacted operations, the estimated economic impact of such disputes and roughly how long it will take for shipments to return to normal.

Click here for a copy of S. 1298 as introduced today by Sens. Thune, Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), and Cory Gardner (R-Colo.).

The Senate Commerce Committee has broad jurisdiction over the U.S. Department of Transportation and our nation’s transportation system, as well as the U.S. Department of Commerce.

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Thune Leads Bipartisan Letter Calling on FCC to Modernize Support for Rural Broadband Services

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and fellow committee member U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) today released a letter signed by 61 senators to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler calling for a modernization of rules intended to ensure that Americans in rural areas have access to affordable broadband services. Under current rules, Universal Service Fund (USF) support for broadband in rural areas is dependent on the outdated requirement that customers also sign up for traditional landline phone service. When rural customers “cut the cord” of traditional phone service in favor of wireless or Internet-based phone services, rural communities served by smaller telecommunication providers lose access to USF support for broadband deployment even if the customer continues to pay for broadband Internet service. The outdated rules create a needless link between customers signing up for services they may not want or need and broadband deployment.

The Senate Commerce Committee has jurisdiction over the FCC and related telecommunication laws. The full letter is available here and the text appears below:

Dear Chairman Wheeler:

On May 6, 2014, 44 Senators signed a bipartisan letter calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to move forward on tailored modifications to modernize the federal Universal Service Fund (USF) as it supports the delivery of communications services to consumers in high-cost portions of the United States served by small, rural rate-of-return-regulated local exchange carriers.  While we commend the FCC for its continuing efforts to implement a Connect America Fund for consumers in areas served by larger carriers, we are troubled that the FCC has yet to take meaningful steps to address one of the most problematic aspects of the existing USF rules in areas served by smaller carriers. 

As you know, Americans are increasingly “cutting the cord” and dropping their traditional landline voice “plain old telephone service” (POTS) in favor of wireless or voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service.  Many of these consumers, however, still desire fixed broadband services that offer robust speeds – in fact, fixed broadband services are necessary for consumers to make effective use of VoIP service. 

Unfortunately, the FCC’s USF rules have not kept pace with changing technology and shifting consumer preference.  Instead, out-of-date rules tie high-cost USF cost recovery for small rural carriers to a consumer’s actual purchase of voice service, even if the consumer no longer wants that service and only wants broadband service.  The POTS requirement prevents rural consumers from making choices that are available to their urban counterparts.  Ironically, these outdated rules may hurt lower-income rural consumers the most, possibly putting the price of broadband out of reach unless those consumers make the additional expenditures to buy POTS as well.  

A year after the previous letter, the time has come to take common-sense steps to update the rules.  While long-term options to modify USF support can and should be explored, as you’ve committed to doing via the Connect America Fund Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the FCC must not leave consumers in the lurch given the substantial time needed to develop, evaluate, and implement such options.  No new models or sweeping changes are needed to adopt and implement a targeted update to fix the issue highlighted in this and last year’s letters – instead a simple plan that isolates and solves this specific issue is all that is needed right now.  In addition, we continue to support measures that ensure USF distributions are invested prudently and reasonably, which helps provide the credibility necessary for the FCC to fulfill its statutory mandate. 

Small rural carriers have worked hard to provide innovative services to some of the most difficult-to-serve parts of our country.  However, without the update to the USF support rules described in this letter and in the letter last year, many rural consumers will continue to be denied a choice among these innovative services.  As the FCC continues to modernize USF to support broadband deployment, we must ensure rural consumers are not left behind by antiquated rules that inhibit investment, adoption, and consumer choice.  We therefore renew our call for the FCC to expeditiously make careful, targeted updates to the existing USF mechanisms to provide sufficient and predictable support so that consumers in areas served by smaller rural carriers can make the choice to obtain robust broadband services at affordable rates without being compelled to purchase other services.

Thank you for your consideration.  We look forward to continuing to work with you to update USF to ensure rural consumers receive reasonably comparable voice and broadband communications services of their choosing at reasonably comparable rates.  

The sixty-one U.S. Senators who signed the letter are:

1. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.)
2. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.)
3. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)
4. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.)
5. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii)
6. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.)
7. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.)
8. Joe Manchin III (W-Va.)
9. Deb Fisher (R-Neb.)
10. Michael F. Bennet (D-Colo.)
11. Jerry Moran (R-Kans.)
12. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.)
13. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska)
14. Al Franken (D-Minn.)
15. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.)
16. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.)
17. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.)
18. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)
19. Steve Daines (R-Mont.)
20. Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine)
21. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)
22. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.)
23. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)
24. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.)
25. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)
26. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.)
27. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)
28. Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-N.Y.)
29. Pat Roberts (R-Kans.)
30. Jon Tester (D-Mont.)
31. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.)
32. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.)
33. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.)
34. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)
35. John Boozman (R-Ark.)
36. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.)
37. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)
38. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.)
39. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.)
40. Dan Coats (R-Ind.)
41. Bill Cassidy (R-La.)
42. John Hoeven (R-N.D.)
43. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.)
44. James E. Risch (R-Idaho)
45. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah)
46. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa)
47. Tim Scott (R-S.C.)
48. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)
49. Richard Burr (R-N.C.)
50. Rob Portman (R-Ohio)
51. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.)
52. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)
53. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)
54. David Vitter (R-La.)
55. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.)
56. Susan Collins (R-Maine)
57. John Cornyn (R-Tex.)
58. Patty Murray (D-Wash.)
59. Gary Peters (D-Mich.)
60. Dean Heller (R-Nev.)
61. Tim Kaine (D-Va.)

 

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Thune Optimistic on Trade Promotion Authority Bill Despite Setback

“Unfortunately, Senate Democrats have chosen to block their own president’s agenda, uniting against one of his top policy priorities …”

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement after Senate Democrats obstructed consideration of H.R. 1314, the TPA legislation:

“The sooner Congress renews the bipartisan trade promotion authority legislation, the sooner South Dakota consumers, workers, and job creators can experience the benefits of a healthier economy. Unfortunately, Senate Democrats have chosen to block their own president’s agenda, uniting against one of his top policy priorities while, so far, President Obama has failed to adequately make his case among his own party. This is a setback, but I am hopeful that the Senate can find a path forward to pass this legislation, which is essential to securing free and fair trade agreements and providing access to new markets for American farmers, ranchers, and manufacturers.”

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Promoting South Dakota Tourism
By Senator John Thune

My work in the Senate requires me to spend most weeks commuting back and forth between South Dakota and Washington, D.C. While traveling, I’m fortunate to meet a wide range of people, some of whom are curious about South Dakota’s landmarks and history, while some are South Dakota enthusiasts having visited a number of the state’s great landmarks. Those who have visited speak highly of Mount Rushmore, the Badlands, Deadwood, Sturgis, the Corn Palace, Sioux Falls, the Lewis and Clark Trail and many of the other great places and experiences South Dakota has to offer.

Yet it is the honest, kind, and generous disposition of South Dakotans that visitors seem to highlight most often when talking to me about our great state. I have been told a number of heartwarming stories about how South Dakotans were so kind during visits, providing tourists with a great experience and memories that last a lifetime.

Likewise, helping South Dakotans with their visits to our nation’s capital provides me with an opportunity to share so much of our nation’s rich history with our state’s residents. I have watched families light up when they see the Capitol for the first time, marvel at the Declaration of Independence, and get goosebumps from Arlington National Cemetery. Over 18 million American tourists visit D.C. each year, allowing people from around the globe to share in our symbols of freedom and democracy.

The first week of May is recognized as National Travel and Tourism Week. As our state’s second largest industry, tourism is critical to South Dakota’s economy, with domestic and foreign visitors greatly contributing to our state and local tax bases. In 2013, South Dakota saw nearly $2 billion in economic impact from tourism-related activities and collected $298 million in local tax revenue.

I’m pleased to advocate for an industry that contributes so much to our country and our state. I commend those who work tirelessly to provide services to travelers and provide opportunities for cultural and educational growth through travel.

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