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H.R. 2396House116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

Full Utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Act

Sponsored by Peter A. DeFazioRep. Peter A. DeFazio (D-OR)
Introduced April 30, 2019

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 4:31 AM UTC

The Full Utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Act changes how money in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) can be spent. It makes sure the fund’s money is used for the navigation and harbor‑maintenance purposes it was collected for, ties the fund’s spending to the federal budget process, and clarifies reporting to Congress.

Key Provisions

  • Amends the Water Resources Development Act to label HMTF spending as “funding for navigation” and allows those amounts to be used under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act’s discretionary‑spending rules.
  • Requires the Treasury to submit an annual report to Congress at the same time the President’s budget is sent, describing how much of the HMTF will be spent on navigation that fiscal year.
  • Adds a new rule to the Balanced Budget Act that lets HMTF money be counted toward a year’s discretionary‑spending limit, but only up to the amount that was actually in the trust fund two years earlier and only for navigation‑related harbor work.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions
HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee

May 1, 2019

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

April 30, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

April 30, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee

May 1, 2019

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued April 30, 2019

I

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2396

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 30, 2019

Mr. DeFazio introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To provide for the use of funds in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund for the purposes for which the funds were collected and to ensure that funds credited to the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund are used to support navigation, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Full Utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Act.

2.

Use of Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund to support navigation

Section 210 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2238) is amended—

(1)

in the section heading, by striking Authorization of appropriations and inserting Funding for navigation; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following:

(g)

Adjustments to discretionary spending limits

Amounts made available from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund under this section or section 9505 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall be made available in accordance with section 251(b)(2)(G) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

.

3.

Annual report to Congress

Section 330 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1992 (26 U.S.C. 9505 note; 106 Stat. 4851) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

by striking and annually thereafter, and inserting and annually thereafter concurrent with the submission of the President’s annual budget request to Congress,; and

(B)

by striking Public Works and Transportation and inserting Transportation and Infrastructure; and

(2)

in subsection (b)(1) by adding at the end the following:

(D)

A description of the expected expenditures from the trust fund to meet the needs of navigation for the fiscal year of the budget request.

.

4.

Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund discretionary spending limit adjustment

Section 251(b)(2) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(G)

Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund

(i)

In general

If a bill or joint resolution making appropriations for a fiscal year is enacted that specifies an amount for harbor maintenance activities, then the adjustments for that fiscal year shall be the total of such amount in that Act for such purpose for that fiscal year, but may not exceed the total amount within the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund under subsection (a) of section 9505 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 on the last day of the fiscal year that is two years prior to that fiscal year.

(ii)

Limitation

The adjustment under clause (i) with respect to an amount made available for harbor maintenance activities may only be made if such amount—

(I)

is derived solely from funds in such Trust Fund; and

(II)

is made available for expenditures described under subsection (c) of such section 9505.

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