WASHINGTON— U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), invited U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to visit Louisiana to assess the state’s infrastructure needs, including at its ports.
“Five of the top 20 ports by total tonnage in the country are in Louisiana, and four are along the Mississippi River,” Dr. Cassidy wrote to Secretary Chao. “I would like to invite you to visit Louisiana to learn more about the opportunities that exist, as well as some of the vulnerabilities that could impact our ability to maximize Louisiana’s resources and potential.”
The full text of the senator’s letter is below.
Dear Secretary Chao:
Thank you for your leadership and service to our country. Your efforts to fulfill President Trump’s pledge to rebuild America’s infrastructure will provide good paying jobs for American workers, improve our country’s global competitiveness, and help make Louisiana a global leader in multimodal commerce.
Louisiana has important infrastructure needs, including at our ports. They are some of the busiest ports in the United States, and our state serves as an important corridor for several Class I railroad companies. Five of the top 20 ports by total tonnage in the country are in Louisiana, and four are along the Mississippi River. Along the river, energy, petrochemical and agricultural companies provide services that benefit the national economy. As bigger and bigger ships destined for North America move through the Panama Canal, Louisiana is well-positioned to be a global leader in multimodal commerce.
I would like to invite you to visit Louisiana to learn more about the opportunities that exist, as well as some of the vulnerabilities that could impact our ability to maximize Louisiana’s resources and potential.
I thank you and your staff for the ongoing collaboration and look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience regarding your availability.
Sincerely,
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