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PAG LIN
1 1 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO.
1 2 BY GREINER and HAHN
1 3 A Concurrent Resolution in support of maintaining the
1 4 Mississippi River as a major transportation route
1 5 for various products shipped into and out of the
1 6 Upper Mississippi region.
1 7 WHEREAS, barges operating on United States inland
1 8 waterways are the dominant carriers of United States
1 9 grains to export port facilities; and
1 10 WHEREAS, the barge share of grain movement to
1 11 export ports increased from 43 percent in 1974 to 54
1 12 percent in 1991 and the majority of this barge grain
1 13 traffic is on the Mississippi River system; and
1 14 WHEREAS, the Upper Mississippi River is the
1 15 dominate originator of grain barge traffic for export;
1 16 and
1 17 WHEREAS, 95 percent of the world's population live
1 18 outside the United States; and
1 19 WHEREAS, economies and populations continue to grow
1 20 worldwide and these agricultural export markets are
1 21 essential to the economic future of the upper Midwest
1 22 including Iowa; and
1 23 WHEREAS, barriers to increased international trade
1 24 continue to decline making export markets even more
1 25 likely to grow; and
1 26 WHEREAS, international markets are very competitive
1 27 and opportunities can be gained or lost based on very
1 28 small differences in price; and
1 29 WHEREAS, the United States Army Corps of Engineers
1 30 projects Upper Mississippi River barge traffic to
2 1 double between 1987 and 2020; and
2 2 WHEREAS, increased barge traffic will continue to
2 3 place a burden on the river transportation system
2 4 which is more than 50 years old; and
2 5 WHEREAS, the original design specifications for the
2 6 locks and dams have been surpassed by modern barge
2 7 technology resulting in delays because tows must be
2 8 broken down to move through the locks; and
2 9 WHEREAS, delays now costing $35 million per year
2 10 are projected to rise as high as $200 million per
2 11 year; and
2 12 WHEREAS, shipping products by rail or truck would
2 13 significantly increase costs and consumption of fuel
2 14 and the emission of pollutants into the atmosphere;
2 15 and
2 16 WHEREAS, a consistent, economical and reliable
2 17 inland waterway system is critical to our economy; and
2 18 WHEREAS, the national economic and public benefit
2 19 of the Upper Mississippi River system is more than $1
2 20 billion per year and the maintenance costs are only
2 21 $130 million; NOW THEREFORE,
2 22 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE
2 23 SENATE CONCURRING, That the maintenance of the Upper
2 24 Mississippi River system is essential to the economic
2 25 well-being of Iowa and the Midwest; and
2 26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Congress should
2 27 continue full funding for the Upper Mississippi River
2 28 &endash; Illinois Waterway Navigation Feasibility Study;
2 29 provide adequate funding for major rehabilitation
2 30 efforts on the Upper Mississippi River; clearly
3 1 recognize that transportation activities on the river
3 2 must continue; and expedite the current study process
3 3 being undertaken by the United States Army Corps of
3 4 Engineers regarding the system's use through the year
3 5 2050; and
3 6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this
3 7 Resolution be sent to the President of the United
3 8 States; the Chief of Engineers, United States Army
3 9 Corps of Engineers, North Central Division; the United
3 10 States Secretary of Transportation; the Speaker of the
3 11 United States House of Representatives; and the
3 12 members of Iowa's congressional delegation.
3 13 LSB 2048HH 76
3 14 da/sc/14
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