As Congress continues the process of developing the next COVID-19 relief package, it is critical that you include emergency relief funding for our nation’s maritime transportation system. The maritime industry has encountered significant hardships, and Congress must take immediate steps to ensure that the whole of the maritime transportation system has the resources necessary to address the unique and unexpected challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our maritime transportation system and the critical workers employed throughout this system have kept vital goods moving to medical professionals and first responders, have ensured that our Nation’s shelves remain stocked, and have enabled commerce to continue flowing during these uncertain times. Ports that are located in rural areas have propped up local economies, providing critical public services while providing assistance to small businesses, oftentimes at the ports’ own expense. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, over 650,000 Americans were directly employed in jobs generated through the movement of marine cargo and through vessel activity while 30.8 million total jobs were supported by cargo moving through America’s deep-draft ports.
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