On the recordDecember 19, 2012
Michigan and Texas have much in common, despite the fact they are North vs. South, cowboy boots vs. snowshoes, mesquite vs. pine. One of the things we have in common is water. Our States are, economically, historically, and culturally tied to great waters: Texas to the Gulf of Mexico, Michigan to the Great Lakes. And this shared interest has afforded me the pleasure of working alongside Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, a true Texas pioneer. As the lead cosponsor of the Harbor Maintenance Act, Senator Hutchison has been an invaluable ally in the effort to ensure that America's harbors receive the maintenance funding they need to help our economy grow. Her efforts were instrumental in recruiting 37 cosponsors on our bill and in securing language regarding harbor maintenance for the first time in a transportation bill. Her efforts have made a significant difference in the lives of the thousands of American workers whose jobs are directly tied to well-maintained harbors, from the Port of Galveston to the scores of ports dotting Michigan's shoreline. Senator Hutchison has shown important leadership on other transportation issues, such as a more equitable formula for Federal surface transportation funding, and for adequate funding for State maritime academies, including academies in Texas and Michigan, that help meet the needs of our commercial shipping industry as well as the Department of Defense. She has been an able and dedicated advocate for our Nation's veterans.…





