GAO Issues Report on Federal Financing of Marine Transportation System

The General Accounting Office (GAO) issued its Report entitled Marine Transportation: Federal Financing and a Framework for Infrastructure Investments. This Report provided the basis for the agency's recent testimony at the Congressional hearing reported in yesterday's Maritime Items. The Report, which provides an excellent overview of maritime, highway, and aviation funding and expenditures, recommends that national goals be established regarding the marine transportation system, the federal role be defined, funding tools be developed, and results be evaluated. While the federal government spends an average $3.9 billion annually on the marine transportation system, it collects approximately $15.2 billion in customs duties on imports arriving by ship.