House T&I Takes Up WRDA in June
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WASHINGTON — A policy update to the country’s network of waterways is on the upcoming schedule for the U.S. House of Representatives’ transportation panel.
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-Mo.) pointed to the consideration of the Water Resources Development Act as early as June. The committee’s WRDA markup would set up the bill for passage in the chamber before the end of the year.
“WRDA [is] one of the bigger pieces of legislation that we have to work on,” Graves told reporters before the Memorial Day recess. “I think we can get WRDA done. And if it does go after the [November] election, I think we can still get it done.”
Sponsors of this Water Resources Development Act of 2024, the latest version of this biennial law, pledged to pursue bipartisanship. “I’m very optimistic about that — I anticipate that we’ll have a good bipartisan product. I anticipate that we’ll have no issues marking up in the [House] subcommittee because of the work that’s going to be done ahead of time,” Rep. David Rouzer (R-N.C.), chairman of the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee, told Transport Topics earlier this year. The congressman is WRDA’s lead co-sponsor.
ICYMI: the WRDA bill we passed out of the Senate EPW Committee yesterday contains measures that will strengthen Arkansas water resources ⤵️ https://t.co/hYStncN6rr — Senator John Boozman (@JohnBoozman) May 23, 2024
During a hearing in January, the transportation panel reviewed proposals from members of the chamber. Lawmakers’ requests at this “Members’ Day” ranged from a variety of port expansion projects to environmental surveys for dams and waterways.
“WRDA projects typically require two separate types of authorization: the authority to study the feasibility of a project, followed by the authority to construct, operate and/or maintain the project. Completed feasibility studies are submitted to Congress in the form of a chief’s report from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chief of Engineers,” according to background information the committee provided.
On the Senate side, the Environment and Public Works Committee recently advanced its version of the water infrastructure measure. The Senate bill, approved unanimously, “authorizes 81 feasibility studies and eight new or modified construction projects. This bill directs the Corps to expedite the completion of several ongoing studies and projects. The bill also creates and modifies certain environmental infrastructure authorities of the Corps that address water and wastewater infrastructure needs in communities across the country,” per background from the EPW panel.
The bill’s consideration has yet to be scheduled for floor consideration. Committee Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.), the measure’s lead co-sponsor, said May 22: “This year’s reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act directs the [Army] Corps to construct critical water infrastructure projects and continue vital flood risk management and ecosystem restoration programs — all while making our communities more resilient to extreme weather and creating good-paying jobs. I look forward to the work ahead to get this important legislation to the president’s desk.”
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“Every two years, the Environment and Public Works Committee supports the Corps in carrying out its civil works mission through the Water Resources Development Act,” added Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), EPW ranking member. “This year’s WRDA 2024 contains significant wins for West Virginia, and I appreciate the EPW committee working together to advance this important bipartisan legislation today.”
Enacted biennially by previous administrations since 2014, the WRDA law is designed to facilitate funding for ports, dams, waterways, canals and locks. Projects under the jurisdiction of the Army Corps of Engineers are common in most congressional districts.
