Both Senate and House committees have approved WRDA (water resources development act) bills this week. Waterways Council Senior Vice President Deb Calhoun says her group is pleased with both measures and especially that a user fee or toll wasn’t included in either measure.
She says the House legislation calls for working with the National Academy of Sciences to evaluate the current structure of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Calhoun expects Congress to pass a final WRDA measure this year.
Calhoun says her group was also pleased that Thursday, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved their fiscal year 2019 energy and water development funding bill. The Corp’s overall funding level in the Senate bill is $6.9 billion, $100 million above the FY 18 level. It was also above the President’s request of $2.1 billion.
