Ports — Senate Passes Highway Bill With Key Ports Provisions, but Legislation Remains Stuck in Congress

On July 30, the U.S. Senate passed a six-year funding bill for surface transportation. The legislation includes most provisions of the Port Performance Act which FASA supports. The bill would require U.S. ports to submit periodic reports on their throughput to the U.S. government. However, House leadership did not take up the long-term Senate bill before adjourning for its August recess, choosing instead to pass a three-month patch for highway funding. The patch was then passed by the Senate, and now goes to President Obama for his signature. The House is expected to take up its own long-term transportation bill after Congress returns from its August recess, which will need to be reconciled with the six-year Senate bill.