The Partnership supports the widening and deepening of the Houston Ship Channel to provide safe and efficient transit for each vessel traversing the busiest deep-draft trade waterway in the nation. The greater Houston business community requests funding and revisions in WRDA to Navigation Construction and Operations and Maintenance Cost-Share formulas for design studies, upgrades, deepening/widening and maintenance to Port Houston.
In particular, we support the authorization of the Project 12 deepening study. While current law allows for the project to be studied without Congressional authorization, if the Corps does not agree, we will support the Port in seeking to authorize the study in the next WRDA bill. The Partnership also requests that the Navigation Cost-Share of 75/25 is increased up to 55-feet and the additional 10 percent requirement is eliminated. Additionally, we request the Navigation Operation and Maintenance Cost-Share of 100 percent federal is increased up to 55-feet.
The Partnership looks forward to continuing to work collaboratively with the federal government, Port of Houston Authority, and private industry to ensure that Port Houston, the Houston Ship Channel and the 200 private and eight public terminals remain major economic generators – currently more than a $900 billion impact annually – for Texas and the nation.
The Partnership supports significant investment in infrastructure designed to protect both our economy and our people from future severe weather events. Recent major flooding events revealed the billions of dollars in needed investments in the Houston region’s flood mitigation and storm surge infrastructure. We will continue to support policies that improve resiliency and fund infrastructure needs for flood mitigation and storm surge protection.
The Partnership supports the region in implementing federal formula funding and pursuing competitive resources from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to meet the region’s transportation needs. Given the interdependency of our regional, national, and international markets, maximizing the region’s economic prosperity depends on efficiently moving goods and people throughout the region.
The Partnership supported efforts by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), City of Houston, and Harris County to enter into a Voluntary Resolution Agreement – which was adopted by the three entities – to address complaints made under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 on the evaluation of the I-45 North Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP). The NHHIP is a transformative project that will alleviate congestion, enhance safety, expand transit options, and address flood mitigation and disaster evacuation needs.
The Partnership supports free and fair international trade through accountable trade and investment agreements. The Houston region is a global logistics hub where 17% of the economy and 330,000 jobs are directly tied to exports. Supporting open international trade and international investment agreements creates jobs in the region while securing a strong and diverse economy.
As America’s most diverse city, with nearly one in four residents foreign born, Houston’s diverse population plays a significant role in driving our region forward. The Partnership supports immigration reforms that meet the needs of greater Houston’s business community and the region as a whole. It is important to address immigration issues that have a disproportionate impact on our area to ensure talent is available to meet the needs of our companies.
The Partnership supports federal investment in the Houston region’s higher education institutions to ensure the current and future workforce meets the needs of the economy and accesses rewarding careers. The Partnership plays a leading role in improving regional coordination and alignment between industry, the public workforce system, public schools, higher education institutions and community-based organizations to produce the talent for a 21st century economy. The Partnership also supports policies to increase access to reliable and affordable broadband connectivity, which is essential for every individual’s education, employment, healthcare, and participation in the economy.
The Partnership supports policies, programs, and investments which encourage inclusive economic development in the greater Houston region and across its major industry sectors, including energy, life sciences, manufacturing and logistics, commercial aerospace and aviation, and digital technology. Economic development initiatives help to maintain a diverse local economy, while creating and retaining jobs, and improving the quality of life of greater Houston.
