44 FOGHORN HOUSE COMMITTEE ADVANCES SURFACE TRANSPORTATION AUTHORIZATION BILL The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee recently approved the Building Unrivaled Infrastructure and Longterm De- velopment for America’s 250th Act (BUILD America 250 Act), legislation that would reauthorize federal surface transportation programs when cur- rent funding authority expires later this year. The bill now moves to the House floor as Congress begins what is expected to be a lengthy effort to develop the next multi-year surface transportation authorization. While the legislation addresses a wide range of highway, transit, rail, and freight transportation programs, it also includes continued support for several federal ferry programs that are important to PVA members, in- cluding the Federal Highway Admin- istration’s Ferry Boat Program and the Federal Transit Administration’s Passenger Ferry Grant Program. During committee consideration, Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) offered an amend- ment that would have eliminated feder- al ferry funding. The amendment was defeated on a voice vote, preserving the ferry funding provisions included in the committee’s underlying bill. The outcome reflects continued bipartisan recognition of the important role fer- ries play in connecting communities, reducing roadway congestion, and sup- porting local economies. Although committee passage of the BUILD America 250 Act represents an important milestone, the autho- rization process remains in its early stages. The bill must still be consid- ered by the full House, while the Senate is expected to develop its own transportation authorization propos- al. PVA will continue monitoring the process and advocating for policies that support passenger vessel opera- tors and ferry services nationwide. MARAD HIGHLIGHTS MARITIME ACTION PLAN AND SHIPYARD INVESTMENT Maritime Administrator Capt. Ste- phen Carmel recently testified before the House Coast Guard and Mari- time Transportation Subcommittee regarding the administration’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request and mari- time priorities. A central theme of the testimony was implementation of the administra- tion’s Maritime Action Plan, which was developed pursuant to Executive Order 14269, Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance. According to MARAD, the plan serves as a roadmap for strengthening the U.S. maritime industrial base, expanding domestic shipbuilding capacity, supporting the U.S.-flag fleet, and addressing mari- time workforce challenges. The administration’s budget propos- al also continues support for several programs of interest to the passenger RICHARD PATCH // PVA LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR Continuing Support for Maritime Funding and Testing Developments LEGISLATIVE REPORT
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