Froman Praises USTR Boosts in FY15 Budget, Port Advocates Criticize Reductions
President Obama’s budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2015 (FY15), released by the Office of Management and Budget on March 4, would boost the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) ability to level the global playing field for U.S. workers and exports, USTR Michael Froman said. The budget calls for about $56.2 million for USTR funding (here), roughly a seven percent increases from FY14 levels. The budget proposal slightly increases USTR personnel compensation to $33 million and travel and transportation appropriations to $6 million.
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“Building on the bipartisan compromise achieved last year, the President’s budget makes the critical investments that will provide the necessary resources to create new opportunities for American businesses, farmers, and entrepreneurs through trade,” said Froman in a release (here). “These investments are part of a broader strategy that includes investment in new manufacturing technologies, infrastructure, research and innovation, and education. The Obama administration's trade policy is part of a broader strategy, reflected in the President's budget, for creating jobs and sustainable growth."
The budget recommends changing the name of the International Trade Administration to the International Trade and Investment Administration, and would increase funding for the agency 8 percent over the 2014 enacted level. The budget also hikes CBP staff to new highs (see 14030418). But the budget decreases funding for the Corps of Engineers’ modernization and maintenance programs for seaports and eliminates the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Diesel Emissions Reduction Act grant program, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) said in criticism of the budget. The budget decreases Corps of Engineers' (Corps) Civil Works funding 5.8 percent from the Obama’s FY14 budget proposal, said AAPA.
”The Corps of Engineers’ budget proposal falls well short of the waterside maintenance and modernization needs of this country. We were disappointed to see that the budget request for Corps port-related programs decreased from the FY 2014 enacted budget in both the operations and maintenance and the construction accounts, despite the President's call to upgrade U.S. ports and the goal of doubling exports,” said AAPA President Kurt Nagle in a release (here). “Our nation is at a critical point in maintaining our international competitiveness, and the FY 2015 budget request would result in trade-related infrastructure losing further ground at a time when we are already behind many of our competitors.” The proposal also does not mandate full use of Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) revenue for maintenance of renovation of U.S. navigation channels, said AAPA. The proposal does, however, include funding for the National Infrastructure Investment program, the AAPA noted with praise.