Lt. Governor Patrick Creates New Senate Select Committee on Texas Ports



 

AUSTIN – Today, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick announced the creation of a Senate Select Committee on Texas Ports and the appointment of its members.

Several of our Texas ports already rank among the top in the export and import of commodities and products in the world. Our ports have a significant impact on the Texas economy. Texas Ports reportedly create nearly 1.4 million jobs generating $82.8 billion in personal income.

“I have created a new Senate Select Committee on Texas Ports to study the economic benefit of the Panama Canal expansion to Texas ports,” said Patrick. “This Select Committee will focus on what our ports, including inland ports, must do to remain competitive in this new era. Texas ports are critical to our economy and the Senate is leading the charge to keep Texas the leader in exports and imports in our nation.”

The Senate members appointed to the Select Committee on Texas Ports are as follows:

Sen. Brandon Creighton – Chair      (represents ports of Beaumont, Port Arthur and Cedar Bayou)
Sen. Jose Menendez – Vice Chair     (represents the Port of San Antonio)
Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa               (represents Port of Corpus Christi)
Sen. Lois Kolkhorst                           (represents the ports of Bay City, Calhoun, Palacios, Victoria and West Calhoun)
Sen. Eduardo “Eddie” Lucio, Jr.       (represents the ports of Brownsville, Harlingen, Isabel and Mansfield)
Sen. Jane Nelson                                (represents Fort Worth Alliance Airport)
Sen. Larry Taylor                              (represents the ports of Galveston, Houston and Texas City)

“I’m looking forward to Chairman Creighton’s leadership and the recommendations this Select Committee will provide to the full Senate Transportation Committee,” concluded Patrick.