35 



cost-effective, and environmentally sound manner. Thank you very 

 much. 



[The prepared statement of Mr. Lee can be found at the end of 

 the hearing.] 



Mr. Green. Thank you, Mr. Lee. If I could ask the panel to stay 

 for a few minutes, and we will go vote and come back and have 

 questions. 



[Recess.] 



Mr. Green. The meeting will come to order, and if I could ask 

 the witnesses to come back to the table. Mr. Pallone. 



Mr. Pallone. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wanted to start out 

 my questions with Ms. Liburdi. Ms. Liburdi, during your oral testi- 

 mony, you mentioned the word interest group and I think suggest- 

 ed, and correct me if I am wrong, that somehow the environmental 

 groups were an interest group. Isn't it, in fact, the case though that 

 the Port Authority is also an interest group? 



Ms. Liburdi. Absolutely. 



Mr. Pallone. What interest do you represent, essentially? 



Ms. Liburdi. I believe we represent the maritime and logistics 

 and distribution interests who use the Port of New York and New 

 Jersey as well as the overall region because of the development 

 that the jobs and the commerce that flow through the port repre- 

 sent to it. 



Mr. Pallone. OK. Is the Port Authority allowed to lobby? 



Ms. Liburdi. We certainly are permitted to speak with Members 

 of Congress about legislative matters as well as about activities 

 which we undertake. Certainly. 



Mr. Pallone. Are they formally registered as lobbyists when 

 they do that? 



Ms. Liburdi. I don't know the answer to that question, but I can 

 ask our Washington representative of that. 



Mr. Pallone. OK. I would appreciate that. How much of your 

 budget goes toward lobbying efforts of that nature either within 

 Congress or the State legislature? 



Ms. Liburdi. I have no idea, Mr. Pallone. I would be happy to ask 

 if we have an accounting available to provide it. 



Mr. Pallone. OK. I would appreciate that. Are there any limits 

 in terms of who you lobby or anything of that nature as far as the 

 port or its representatives are concerned? 



Ms. Liburdi. I don't think I understand your question. 



Mr. Pallone. Well, in other words, for example, I noticed that 

 this year in February when there was a Chamber of Commerce trip 

 down to Washington that there was a major effort during both the 

 dinner meetings of the Chamber of Commerce as well as the train 

 that a lot of the Members took down to the dinner — there was a 

 concerted effort to basically push for the dredging permit and that 

 it be granted. Is that something that you were — I don't mean you 

 personally but that the Port Authority was involved with in some 

 way? 



Ms. Liburdi. We certainly did participate, and I personally did 

 attend the congressional dinner which I have every year for about 

 a dozen years, and I certainly did attend the breakfast which was 

 held the next morning to discuss issues pertaining to the region 

 and the Port Authority not just the dredging permit. 



