As it stands, policymakers see ports more as local infrastructure and not national assets, the Brookings report said. That means spending is allocated based on local needs, even though congestion near the ports of Houston or Portland can affect farmers as far away as Nebraska, said Adie Tomer, an associate fellow with Brookings and co-author of the study.
The Brookings Report calls for targeted investments by the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, which every port pays into, to the ports that need infrastructure improvements the most. Customs, border protection and transportation links between ports and major metro areas are among the categories where smarter spending is needed, Brookings said.
