Conferees Approve Final Water Resources Development Act Reauthorization Package

For the first time since 2000, the House and Senate have resolved major differences over a bill authorizing more than $20 billion Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Congressional leaders met Thursday afternoon and Friday morning to review approve the conference report reauthorizing the WRDA ( HR 1495 ). The House and Senate overwhelmingly passed separate versions of the legislation earlier this year.

A major infrastructure priority issue, AGC has strongly advocated passage of WRDA, which authorizes funding for major navigation, flood control and environmental restoration projects carried out by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The legislation would authorize roughly $21 billion for Army Corps of Engineers water projects, including flood control, navigation and environmental restoration. It includes projects to benefit the hurricane-damaged Gulf of Mexico coast and the Florida Everglades.

The conference report is expected to be filed as soon as Monday next week. House leaders report that the agreement is expected to reach the floor by mid-week for final approval. Plans for a final vote in the Senate next week are still tentative.

AGC applauds the hard work of the Congressional leadership and their staff in putting together this long-awaited final package.

For more information, please contract Marco Giamberardino at (703) 837-5325 or giamberm@agc.org.

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