T&I Committee passes bipartisan bill to strengthen US ports, inland waterways, flood protection infrastructure

The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure today unanimously approved the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020, a bill that authorizes projects to improve America’s ports and harbors, inland waterway navigation, flood and storm protection, and other water resources infrastructure.

WRDA 2020 (H.R. 7575) is cosponsored by the Committee’s Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO) and Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-AR).  The bill authorizes programs and policy reforms related to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Program. Projects carried out by the Corps are of national, regional, and local significance, and they help strengthen the Nation’s global competitiveness, move goods throughout the country and abroad, and protect communities.
“This bill is not only critical to my District in North Missouri, it provides essential benefits to districts, states, and regions across the Nation,” said Graves.  “The navigation improvements in WRDA will facilitate commerce, grow the economy, and help create jobs.  In addition, this bill streamlines flood risk reduction projects, provides local communities the tools to build their infrastructure back faster and more resilient after disasters, and takes care of our rural communities by providing additional support and resources in addressing flood control needs.  Our committee demonstrated today that it is most effective in addressing the country’s infrastructure needs when we work together, and I look forward to moving WRDA through the House and seeing it signed into law.”
“Today’s markup was a great example of how Congress should always function, with Members working together to create the best possible legislation for the American people,” said Westerman.  “I, along with many of my Committee colleagues, have spent the past year and a half visiting waterways and ports across the country, hearing from local leaders and using that information to create a bill that improves our nation’s water infrastructure.  I look forward to seeing it signed into law.”
Congress has considered and approved a WRDA bill every two years since 2014, and WRDA 2020 continues that regular process.  The cost of project authorizations in the bill is offset by deauthorizations of previous projects that are out of date or no longer necessary.