Lawmakers are calling on President Biden to allocate federal dollars for a new container port on the West Coast.
The delegation proposed adding the port in Coos Bay, Oregon, where there is already an existing rail line. They say it would increase shipping capacity on the West Coast by 10 percent and could create 7,000 jobs. Bottleneck delays have plagued California ports for months, and leaders say this addition would ease supply chain disruptions.
Those ports remain open despite 22,000 employee contracts expiring on Friday before the holiday weekend.
Longshoremen and the port authority say they are committed to keeping the ports functioning, and operations will continue until an agreement is reached.
At issue is automation for containers, which would eliminate jobs. The groups say they hope to reach a new deal soon.
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