The U.S. House of Representatives’ Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously approved (bipartisan) the House version of the Water Resources Development Act of 2018 (H.R. 8) earlier today during the scheduled markup hearing.
The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) authorizes critical improvements to America’s water related infrastructure.
Members are encouraged to listen to Louisiana Congressman Garret Graves, who serves as Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, highlight the importance of the Mississippi River and WRDA to not only Louisiana but also the nation by clicking here.
The following quote is reproduced from the attached WRDA Packet as prepared by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee:
“America’s ports, inland waterways, locks, dams flood protection, and other water infrastructure are essential to our prosperity. Every state in the nation depends on a segment of our water infrastructure to move approximately $3.8 billion worth of goods each day to market at home and around the world.
Maintaining our water resources infrastructure is an essential responsibility of Congress and the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) is the legislation that makes it happen.”
During today’s markup there were several comments directed at the allocations of the Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT) revenues and mention of the plan developed by our colleagues at the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA). The plan as developed by the AAPA, with the support of members of the Big River Coalition for promoting the full of use of the HMT revenues for their intended purposes is attached:
“A permanent solution that ensures 100% of taxes collected from shippers would go to maintain our nation’s seaport infrastructure.”
The Press Release below was released by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee shortly after today’s markup was completed.
The U.S. Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) also unanimously passed America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (S. 2800) earlier this week.
The Press Release as issued by the EPW is available by clicking here.
The Coalition anxiously looks forward to following the process as the two bills move forward toward full ratification.
The 115th Congress is to be applauded for the tremendous efforts to maintain the streak of significant biennial Water Resources Development Act legislation, hopefully WRDA 2018 will join WRDA 2016 and 2014 as dynamic progressive legislation for water resource infrastructure and projects.
