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House Passes Water Resources Development Act of 2005
AGC Urges Senate to Act Quickly
The House today passed, 406-14, a $10 billion reauthorization of Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) which would authorize funding for major navigation, flood control and environmental restoration projects carried out by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). This legislation is a top priority for AGC members and AGC worked with the Congress to ensure its overwhelming passage.
WRDA reaffirms the government’s pledge to authorize, modify, and improve projects, programs, and policies protecting the Nation from floods and keeping our waterways open to navigation. Without Congressional action, no new water resources development activity would be authorized to fulfill these important missions.
This bill also includes an additional $3.34 billion for lock expansion, including $1.58 billion for ecosystem restoration, and restoration on the
Upper Mississippi River
, the Indian River Lagoon in the
Everglades
and environmental work along coastal
Louisiana
.
In June, a bipartisan coalition of House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee members including Chairman Don Young (R-Alaska), John Duncan (R-Tenn.), T&I Committee ranking member James Oberstar (D-Minn.) and Subcommittee ranking member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) introduced the bill. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee reported its version of WRDA (S. 728) in April, with total authorizations ranging between $7 billion and $17 billion over the next 15 years. That version of the legislation has not yet been scheduled for action on the Senate floor. AGC will work with the Senate to ensure passage of this measure as soon as possible.
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