Bond Meets with Hannibal Business and Labor Leaders Continues Fight to Improve Missouri's Waterways and Create Jobs
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August 12, 2004
HANNIBAL, MO - U.S. Senator Kit Bond today met with local business and labor leaders in Hannibal, where he promised to continue his efforts to improve Missouri's waterways and create jobs.
"We must improve our vital waterways to meet the needs of the 21st century so we can work and ship and trade efficiently, maximizing our potential for economic growth and job creation," said Bond. "By investing in the locks today, we are securing our region's economic future for tomorrow."
In June, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) passed the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, which included Bond's bipartisan legislation to modernize the Mississippi and Illinois River lock and dam system. Congressman Kenny Hulshof recently introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
Bond, who chairs the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee, said it is important to improve the aging lock and dam system in order to maintain the 1,000 miles of Missouri and Mississippi River shoreline and inland ports, which serve as Missouri’s arteries to world markets. Bond's plan both expands locks on the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers and provides historic new authority to restore the upper Mississippi River ecosystem.
In addition to securing Missouri's economic future, lock and dam modernization will create jobs now, Bond emphasized. 48 million man hours of work will be created as a result of this project.
Bond also stressed to Hannibal community and labor leaders the importance of the re-authorization of the Economic Development Administration Act (EDA), which also passed the full EPW Committee in June. The administration provides grants for infrastructure and business development to help communities fight unemployment and in economically distressed areas.
Over the last decade in Missouri, EDA has implemented over 300 projects and invested more than $115 million in the state’s economy, said Bond. Since 1998, EDA funds have led to the creation of over 5,000 jobs in Missouri.
Kit Bond is Missouri’s senior Senator and is now in his third term after having served the state previously during two terms as Governor.
"We must improve our vital waterways to meet the needs of the 21st century so we can work and ship and trade efficiently, maximizing our potential for economic growth and job creation," said Bond. "By investing in the locks today, we are securing our region's economic future for tomorrow."
In June, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) passed the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, which included Bond's bipartisan legislation to modernize the Mississippi and Illinois River lock and dam system. Congressman Kenny Hulshof recently introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
Bond, who chairs the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee, said it is important to improve the aging lock and dam system in order to maintain the 1,000 miles of Missouri and Mississippi River shoreline and inland ports, which serve as Missouri’s arteries to world markets. Bond's plan both expands locks on the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers and provides historic new authority to restore the upper Mississippi River ecosystem.
In addition to securing Missouri's economic future, lock and dam modernization will create jobs now, Bond emphasized. 48 million man hours of work will be created as a result of this project.
Bond also stressed to Hannibal community and labor leaders the importance of the re-authorization of the Economic Development Administration Act (EDA), which also passed the full EPW Committee in June. The administration provides grants for infrastructure and business development to help communities fight unemployment and in economically distressed areas.
Over the last decade in Missouri, EDA has implemented over 300 projects and invested more than $115 million in the state’s economy, said Bond. Since 1998, EDA funds have led to the creation of over 5,000 jobs in Missouri.
Kit Bond is Missouri’s senior Senator and is now in his third term after having served the state previously during two terms as Governor.
