Rep. Buchanan joins Panama caucus

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan said he has joined a new caucus on trade.

The Friends of Panama Caucus recently formed, and he said he hopes to work through it to expand trade opportunities, bring jobs to Florida and Port Manatee, and help the port capitalize on the expansion of the Panama Canal.

”As the closest deep-water port to the Panama Canal, Port Manatee is in a great geographic position to benefit from the on-going expansion of the Panama Canal,“ Buchanan said. ”As a member of the Friends of Panama Caucus I will work to create jobs by enhancing the port’s ability to capitalize on new trade opportunities with Panama.“

The Panama Canal is expected to double its capacity by 2014.

”We've been speaking to him for some time about the potential opportunities that will benefit the region,“ said Steve Tyndal, the port's senior director of trade development and special projects. ”The closer that we can work with members of Congress to achieve some of those goals, obviously the region will benefit, too.“

According to a press release from his office, Buchanan is working to get more federal funds for berth expansions and dredging projects to help Port Manatee serve the larger, wider ships that will come through the Panama Canal.

Manatee County Port Authority chairman Ron Getman said this will be a good opportunity for the port.

”Congressman Buchanan’s appointment to the caucus demonstrates the importance of Panama to the Manatee-Sarasota region from a national perspective,“ he said. ”And it brings into clear focus Port Manatee’s pivotal role in achieving regional economic growth through its relationship with the Panama Canal Authority.“

As a member of the caucus, Buchanan will work to create greater economic development opportunities in the U.S. by engaging Panamanian perspectives on issues of mutual interest and by being a source in Congress on U.S.-Panama relations.

One of his goals is for Congress to ratify the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement.

”I don’t want the traffic to be just one way,“ Buchanan said. ”The free-trade agreement would open the Panama market up to exports from Florida and the U.S., and help us take better advantage of the expansion of the Canal.“

He recently arranged a meeting between Port Manatee executive director David McDonald and Panama's ambassador to the U.S., Jaime Eduardo Aleman.

Tyndal said there are also plans for Port Manatee executives to travel to Panama.

”We're hoping to go to Panama on a trade mission in February and we're working on those details now,“ he said. ”The congressman has expressed an interest in going to Panama as well.

”We have the MOU with the Panama Canal Authority and that elevates Port Manatee into a higher profile with international shippers, so having the congressman on the caucus, the trade mission that we're hoping to do in early 2010 and the congressman's interest in traveling to Panama personally kind of brings that all into focus.“