It is hard to ignore the importance of strong ports when you live near one like me. But the impact of our ports reaches far beyond harbor communities, into the foundation of our economy and our national security. 

When ports are strong, our country is strong. When a port isn’t working, the reverberations ripple through the livelihoods of millions of Americans.

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach alone generate commerce that supports hundreds of thousands of jobs in our community and 4.7 million jobs across the country. 

When I came to Congress, I was shocked that there was so little talk about the importance of ports to our economic recovery. That's why I decided to co-found the bipartisan Congressional PORTS Caucus with Congressman Ted Poe.

The PORTS Caucus has more than 90 members from districts across the country. Our members understand the importance of ports and we are working together to make sure ports are a top priority in Congress. 

For too long, our ports have gone without the funding and resources they need to keep their infrastructure strong. This hurts our ability to compete in the global economy and means higher prices for consumers. 

Since coming to Congress, I have introduced several pieces of legislation as well as amendments aimed at ensuring our ports, both locally and nationally, are strong and secure and can continue to support millions of jobs across the country. 

Learn more:

House Passes Hahn Amendment to Increase Funding for Harbor Maintenance Projects

PORTS Caucus Leaders Call for Full and Immediate Utilization of HMTF

HAHN: Secure Ports are Vital to Our Economy