Item No. 9d_supp 
Meeting Date: November 27, 2018 
Draft Federal Legislative Agenda for 2019 
Briefing to Port of Seattle Commission 
November 27, 2018 
Ryan McFarland, Federal Government Relations Manager, Port of Seattle 
Eric Schinfeld, Sr. Manager, Federal Government Relations, Port of Seattle 



1

Overview 
2018 Key Accomplishments & 2019 Outlook 
Priority Agenda Items  Port-wide, Aviation & Maritime 
Additional Issues 
Supporting or Engaging 
Monitoring 
Next steps 
Incorporate Commission feedback 
Seek Commission adoption at 1/8/19 meeting 

2

2018 Successes 
Maritime 
HMT: 
Achieved unified port industry position on Harbor Maintenance Tax reform 
Congressional appropriation of the full $50 million authorized amount for the Section 2106 donor port program 
Deepening: 
Received the USACE Chief's report on the Seattle waterway deepening project and authorization 
Authorization for a Tacoma waterway deepening study in the USACE FY18 work plan 
Aviation 
Highline Schools: Passage of legislation ensuring eligibility for noise insulation grant funding 
TSA Canines: Passage of legislation creating third-party training and acquisition of TSA passenger screening canines 
TSA Staffing: Increased engagement by TSA DC leadership on passenger screening wait times issues 
IAF Activation: Improved partnership with CBP DC leadership on IAF construction and operational readiness efforts 
Port-wide 
CBP Staffing: 19 additional CBP officers assigned to Area Port of Seattle aviation and maritime operations 
Tariffs: Substantive engagement, including testimony to the US House Ways and Means Committee and comment letters on
proposed Chinese and automotive tariffs 
Impactful Progress on Current Port Priorities 
3

2019 Outlook 
2018 elections resulted in divided government: Democrat control of House, Republican control of Senate/White House 
Immediate impact: Washington Delegation Committee & Subcommittee leadership roles 
House Armed Services Committee Chair (annual NDAA vehicle jurisdiction)
House Transportation Committee Aviation Subcommittee Chair (FAA oversight) 
Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member (USDOT, Coast Guard, FAA & TSA oversight) 
Potential areas of Port-relevant progress: 
Infrastructure 
Appropriations (Section 2106 funding, TSA & CBP staffing, infrastructure & environmental grants) 
Trade (EU, Japan, UK) 
Potential areas of Port-relevant conflict 
Investigations/impeachment 
Trade (USMCA, tariffs) 
Immigration 

Potential Opportunities for Progress on Port Priorities 
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Priority Agenda Items  Port-wide 
Welcoming and Competitive Immigration & Trade Policies: 
Immigration policies that ensure Port success as well as welcoming of local
immigrants and refugees 
Productive, strategic engagement on trade, ensuring tariffs and quotas are
targeted and a last resort; prioritize trade promotion and infrastructure with
tariff collection revenues. 


Top Port Priorities 
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Priority Agenda Items  Aviation 
Sufficient Infrastructure Funding and Flexibility: 
Raise the federal PFC cap, maintaining Commission oversight 
Efficient and Safe Airport Operations: 
Partner with CBP to ensure success of the International Arrivals Facility (staffing, ORAT) 
Partner with TSA to reduce wait times (staffing, canines and technology) 
Increased Airport Community Focus: 
Increased FAA engagement with local communities, 
including dedicated regional staffing for this purpose 
Federal study of overflight noise on human health 
Increased flexibility to address community needs 
Expanded Sustainable Aviation Fuels Deployment: 
Use of airport & federal grant revenue for benefits of fuel switching 
Federal incentives for research, as well as feedstock processing and fuel production facilities 
Top Port Priorities  Italics represent new items for 2019 
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Priority Agenda Items  Maritime 
Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT) Reform: 
Reform the HMT to not disadvantage US ports and provide greater equity for donor ports 
Secure $50 million for the "donor port" HMT rebate program 
Fishing Fleet Modernization: 
Reform NOAA's Fisheries Finance Program (FFP) 
for fishing vessels 
Increase the FFP loan authority 
Seattle and Tacoma Harbor Deepening: 
Obtain funding for design for deepening federal channels serving T-18, T-30 and T-5 in
Seattle and for Tacoma feasibility study. 

Top Port Priorities 
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Priority Agenda Items  Maritime (cont'd) 
Hiram M. Chittenden Locks Funding: 
Advocate for funding for continued federal operation and maintenance of the locks 
National Freight Policy and Funding: 
Support funding for a strengthened national multimodal freight 
strategy and related grant programs, including TIGER/BUILD.
Support sustainable revenue source for freight. 
Terminal 5 Modernization Project: 
Secure funding for the Terminal 5 Modernization Project 
Safe and Efficient Cargo Screening: 
Advocate for adequate CBP staffing levels 
Ensure the federal responsibility for funding CBP services, equipment and facility development 
Puget Sound Restoration: 
Support federal resources for Puget Sound restoration 
Top Port Priorities 
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Additional Priority Issue Areas: Port-wide 
Welcoming and Competitive Immigration & Trade Policies: 
Trade policies that open new markets and level playing fields, while
protecting workers and the environment 
Permanent protections for DACA-eligible residents 
Partnerships to welcome immigrants and refugees to the Port 
Sufficient Infrastructure Funding and Flexibility:                                                             Increased aviation, maritime and freight-mobility funding through                                                                            appropriations or comprehensive investment legislation 

Increased Community Focus: 
Improve human trafficking prevention and intervention efforts 

Support and Engage 
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Additional Priority Issue Areas: Aviation 
Sufficient Infrastructure Funding and Flexibility: 
Federal and Congressional support for current and future airport capital projects 
Efficient and Safe Airport Operations: 
CBP staffing appropriations and TSA law enforcement grant funding 
Federal engagement on insider threat best practices based on the 8/10 unauthorized flight incident 
In-flight sexual assault prevention efforts 
Increased Community Focus: 
FAA funding for replacement noise insulation packages 
Federal ultra-fine particulate research 
Alternatives to fluorinated fire-fighting foams 
Expanded Sustainable Aviation Fuels Deployment:
Federal participation in the Port's Industry Day 
Farm Bill R&D funding 
Support and Engage  Italics represent new items for 2019 
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Additional Priority Issue Areas: Maritime 
Diesel Emissions Reductions, DERA and alternative fuels: 
Support funding for the EPA DERA program and programs that support alternative fuel
use at seaports 
Pebble Mine at Bristol Bay and Offshore Drilling 
Oppose mining activity in the Bristol Bay watershed that put fisheries at risk. 
Oppose offshore oil and gas drilling in both state and federal waters off the coastline
of Washington state. 
Jones Act: 
Support the Jones Act with limited flexibility to grant waivers 

Support and Engage 
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Additional Issues to Monitor 
Port-wide 
Welcoming and Competitive Immigration & Trade Policies: 
Real ID implementation 
Foreign tourism promotion 
Airport Communities Focus: 
Environmental, economic & workforce development funding 
Local government priorities, such as housing and transportation 
Aviation 
Efficient and Safe Airport Operations: 
PreCheck expansion and TSA innovation 
Air Traffic Control system-wide investments 
FAA Safety Management Systems improvements 
Research on the impact of TSO compensation on retention & net costs 
Increased Community Focus: 
Track evaluations of/alternatives for the 65 DNL noise mitigation standard 
Increased federal innovation in addressing aircraft impacts 
Monitor  Italics represent new items for 2019 
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Next Steps 
Today  Commission briefing in public session 
Now through December 31, 2018  Incorporate feedback received 
January 8, 2019  Ask Commission for adoption in public session 
January 2019 
Meetings with Congressional offices to distribute agenda and share priorities 
Engagement with new Washington State Members of Congress 

Questions? 
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