Infrastructure and Stimulus Draw Comments

As the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 moved through the US Congress towards President Obama's desk, logistics groups provided comments on it and other related issues.

The bill includes $825 billion for infrastructure and science, education and training, protecting the vulnerable and health, said the National Industrial Transportation League (NITL). NITL highlighted some components of the bill:

• $27 billion for highway improvements
  
• $5.1 billion for Department of Homeland Security
  
• $813 million for Coast Guard
  
• $800 million to reduce the $6 billion administrative backlog for points of entry on US borders to improve security and facilitate commerce
  
• $500 million to secure high risk, critical infrastructure such as dams, tunnels and bridges
  
• $4.6 billion for the US Army Corps of Engineers (of which $2 billion would provide for construction and major rehabilitation of inland waterways locks and dams)
  
• $1.9 billion for operations and maintenance projects, including developing federal harbors and waterways
  
• $1.3 billion for air transport
  
• $3.1 billion for investment in railroads (most designated for passenger use)
  
• $160 million for maritime transportation.

Separately, NITL reported the American Trucking Associations had asked Congress to support a set of environmental initiatives designed to reduce fuel consumption by 86 billion gallons and reduce the carbon footprint of all vehicles by nearly a billion tons over the next decade.