Thursday the U.S. Senate on a 95 to 3 vote overwhelmingly passed the Water Resources Development Act legislation. The measure funds the inland waterways projects. Soy Transportation Coalition Executive Director Mike Steenhoek is pleased with the passage and is hoping the House will follow suit quickly.

He says the legislation is important for farmers and ranchers to get their commodities out to export markets. Steenhoek says it’s also critical WRDA bills get passed at least every two years.

Steenhoek says the House should be able to move ahead with approving WRDA as there aren’t really any major differences between their version of the legislation and what the Senate just passed.

The Senate WRDA legislation addresses the civil works program of the Army Corps of Engineers as well as drinking and water and wastewater programs through the Environmental Protection Agency.