Contact: Shana Stribling 202.224.0309
Thursday, November 7, 2002

ST. LOUIS, MO - Senator Kit Bond today said Election Day results, which turned control of the Senate over to the Republicans, is good news for river advocates. Bond made his remarks at the annual Midwest Area River Coalition 2000 (MARC 2000) meeting.

"The Committee that authorizes our water infrastructure is under new leadership and I believe this new leadership is good news for people who work and produce," said Bond. "Instead of saying 'good riddance,' I say its time to get to work and get to work on a bipartisan basis."

Bond also pledged to continue the fight and win the battle necessary to improve the Mississippi River basin, "We need to build our productive capacity to support those producers who struggle in the domestic and international marketplace to keep us strong and modern and keep us prosperous and employed," said Bond.

Bond, one of the Mississippi River’s strongest and most vocal advocates, insists that it is past time to put the Inland Waterway Users’ tax to work on the Mississippi River. Currently, the tax is being diverted for other projects under the federal government.

Pointing out that the Midwest has one artery to the world marketplace, Bond said its past time to improve the Mississippi’s system of locks and dams. Currently, the aged 600 ft. locks are in desperate need of repair and extension. Bond and other river transit proponents state that, to move goods efficiently, the current locks need to be extended to 1,200 ft.

Disputing the need for an unrealistic prediction by economists on 50 years of transportation demand on the river, Bond states, “As we look ahead, we don’t prepare for what statisticians say the world will be. We prepare for what Americans want the world to be.”

Bond also stressed the importance of Missouri’s river transit during the state’s current economic condition. “Missouri has lost more jobs as a percentage than any other state. We cannot spare jobs. We cannot give away markets. We cannot afford to restrict our shipping options.”

Recognizing the importance of river transit to the future competitiveness of Missouri and the rest of the Midwest’s economy, Bond welcomed the strong support from labor, who joined the coalition committed to a favorable solution to the current tug-and-war over the Mississippi River Basin.