Texas Senator Ted Cruz voiced strong support for the Houston Ship Channel Improvement Project earlier this week, after being briefed by Port Houston leadership and top executives representing industry along the channel.
Senator Cruz said that the widening and deepening project is important to Texas and the nation and lauded the leadership of Port Houston and the business community for their willingness to work together to get the project completed.
He called the Port of Houston “ the crown jewel of the Texas economy ” and said expansion of the channel will trigger the creation of even more jobs.
The project has been the focus of a four-year study conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Port Houston that is expected to be finished next spring.
At the same time, Port Houston and industry stakeholders are working together to get the project authorized in Water Resources Development Act legislation in 2020 and built on an accelerated schedule.
The briefing highlighted the national economic value of the Port of Houston, supporting energy security and expansion, domestic manufacturing, and exports.
Port Houston and industry stakeholders have been collaborating on possible funding and other strategies to accelerate the widening and deepening project.