Photo Caption: U.S. Congressman Charles Boustany at a meet and greet hosted by the Port of South Louisiana
Reserve, LA — On August 2nd, the Port of South Louisiana hosted a meet and greet with U.S. Congressman Charles Boustany, Jr. MD. at the Guesthouse, located within the grounds of Globalplex Intermodal Terminal. Congressman Boustany spoke to an audience of industry, river region, and port leaders about issues important to the maritime industry and the citizens of Louisiana, such as infrastructure maintenance and improvements (e.g., dredging and coastal restoration), growing trade agreements (e.g., the Trans-Pacific Partnership or TPP), and domestic energy production (e.g., LNG).
Congressman Boustany was instrumental in securing legislative language in the Water Resources Reform & Development Act (WRRDA) that was passed into law which will increase the amount of federal dollars spent on port maintenance every year until 2025. He also authored the Realize America’s Maritime Potential (RAMP) Act, which forces the federal government to adequately maintain ports and harbors to their authorized depths.
The TPP pact aims to deepen economic ties, cut tariffs, and foster trade to boost growth between involved nations (U.S., Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Brunei, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Chile and Peru). According to Boustany, the TPP presents America’s top exporters, like those in South Louisiana, with opportunities to expand in areas of trade, job creation, and global cooperation. Over 115 TPP companies have investments in Louisiana with 30% of Louisiana’s exports bound for TPP countries. He’s hopeful that Latin American countries like Colombia, Argentina, and Venezuela will enter the TPP soon.
Boustany is an advocate for Louisiana’s energy industry and the jobs it represents. He is for exploration and extraction of petroleum in the Gulf of Mexico and the production and export of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Louisiana has the capacity to become the global leader in LNG production, making it a focal point of global energy and creating more opportunities for the people of Louisiana.
“We were pleased to host Congressman Boustany’s visit to the Port of South Louisiana,” said Executive Director Paul Aucoin. “As a leading member of Congress supporting and promoting the dredging of the Mississippi River, he understands the important role ports play in economic development and job creation. Congressman Boustany also understands the importance of international trade agreements for enhancing Louisiana business exports. We look forward to his continued support.”
Photo Caption: Pictured (L-R): Port of South Louisiana Commission Secretary Stanley Bazile, Port of South Louisiana Commission President D. Paul Robichaux, Louisiana Representative Gregory Miller, Congressman Boustany, Louisiana Senator Gary Smith, Port of South Louisiana Executive Director Paul G. Aucoin, and Big River Coalition Executive Director Sean Duffy
About Congressman Charles W. Boustany, Jr., M.D.
Congressman Charles W. Boustany Jr., M.D., a cardiovascular surgeon with more than 30 years of clinical experience, was first elected to Congress in 2004. Boustany represents Louisiana’s Third Congressional District, covering South Louisiana. Boustany has championed health care reform, international trade, tax reform, and sound energy policy focused on building a comprehensive vision providing solutions for all Americans. Serving as a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight from 2011-2014, Congressman Boustany played a pivotal role protecting taxpayer dollars by rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in federal government programs including Medicare, Medicaid, and in entities such as the Internal Revenue Service. In November 2014, Congressman Boustany was the recipient of The World Trade Center of New Orleans’ Eugene J. Schreiber Award, which pays tribute to an individual dedicated to the promotion of economic development through international trade and diplomacy. In December 2015, Boustany announced his candidacy for the Senate seat that will be left vacant by David Vitter. To learn more, visit www.boustany.house.gov.
About the Port of South Louisiana
The Port of South Louisiana is a 54-mile port district on the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, encompassing the parishes of St. Charles, St. John and St. James. The facilities located within the port’s district consistently handle over a quarter billion short tons of cargo annually, ranking it the largest tonnage port district in the Western Hemisphere, the nation’s greatest grain exporter, and the number one energy transfer port in the United States. Along the 108 miles of deep-water frontage on both banks of the river there are seven grain transfer facilities, four major oil processing plants, 11 petrochemical manufacturing facilities and several other facilities for a total of more than 50 docks owned and operated by an impressive group of resident tenants such as ADM, ArcelorMittal, Dow, Cargill, DuPont, Motiva Enterprises, Marathon, Shell, Nucor Steel., Occidental, Valero, and Occidental Chemical. To learn more, visit us at www.portsl.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on LinkedIn.
For more information about this particular topic or about the Port of South Louisiana, contact Alexandra “Alex” Hernández, Public Information Officer, at 985-652-9278 or ahernandez@portsl.com.
