Congressional Record, Volume 152 Issue 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)

[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H9203-H9205]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page H9203]]

House of Representatives

AUTHORIZING SECRETARY OF ARMY TO CARRY OUT HURRICANE AND STORM DAMAGE
REDUCTION, MORGANZA TO GULF OF MEXICO, LOUISIANA

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 6428) to authorize the Secretary of the Army to
carry out certain elements of the project for hurricane and storm
damage reduction, Morganza to the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana.
The Clerk read as follows:

H.R. 6428

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. MORGANZA TO THE GULF OF MEXICO, LOUISIANA.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of the Army may carry out
the following elements
N O T I C E

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LOTT, Chairman.N O T I C EIf the 109th Congress, 2d Session,
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TRENT LOTT, Chairman.

[[Page H9204]]

of the project for hurricane and storm damage reduction,
Morganza to the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana, substantially in
accordance with the report of the Chief of Engineers, dated
August 23, 2002, and the supplemental report dated July 22,
2003:
(1) The Houma Lock feature of the project.
(2) The Reach H-3, Reach J-2, Bush Canal floodgate, Point
aux Chene floodgate, Reach H-2, Reach J-3, Reach J-1, and
Placid Canal structural elements of the project
(b) Credit.--The Secretary shall credit toward the non-
Federal share of the cost of the project elements the cost of
design and construction work carried out by the non-Federal
interest before the date of the partnership agreement for the
project elements if the Secretary determines that the work is
integral to the project elements.
(c) Operation and Maintenance.--The operation, maintenance,
repair, rehabilitation, and replacement of the Houma
Navigation Canal lock complex and the Gulf Intracoastal
Waterway floodgate features that provide for inland waterway
transportation shall be a Federal responsibility, in
accordance with the feasibility report dated March 2002 and
section 102 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986
(33 U.S.C. 2212).
(d) Navigational Consistency.--The Secretary shall maintain
the Houma Navigation Canal at dimensions at least equal to
those of the lock identified in subsection (c). The Houma
Lock feature shall be implemented under an exclusive
partnership agreement.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6428 was introduced by the gentleman from Louisiana
(Mr. Melancon) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Baker).
This bill simply authorizes the Secretary of the Army to carry out
certain elements of a project known as the Morganza to the Gulf of
Mexico, which was included in a report by the Chief of Engineers.
This is part of an important hurricane and storm damage reduction
project that is sorely needed. I urge support of the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. OBERSTAR asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Alaska,
our committee chairman, for agreeing to bring this bill up in the
interest of the Louisiana delegation, all of whom are concerned about
moving this project ahead so it can be in line to receive funding to
start work on this project before the next hurricane storm season
reaches the gulf.
This project involves multiple features: 72 miles of levees south of
Houma, Louisiana; pumping station protection; road closure floodgates
and ramps; channel closure floodgates; and a lock structure where the
project crosses the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway.
It is unfortunate we have to take this piece out of the bill that we
passed twice in this body under the leadership of the distinguished
chairman. The House has done its work and done its work well. We have
done it over three Congresses, and the other body has failed to act.
That is why we are here tonight to try to address a matter of
significant importance to the people in the gulf region.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6428, a bill authorizing the
Secretary of the Army to carry out certain portions of the hurricane
and storm damage reduction project for the Morganza to the Gulf,
Louisiana.
The Morganza to the Gulf project is vital for meeting the hurricane
and storm damage protection needs of coastal Louisiana, especially its
citizens in Houma, and the surrounding communities that were devastated
by Hurricane Rita last year. This project is comprised of multiple
project features, including approximately 72 miles of levees south of
Houma, Louisiana, pumping station protection, road closure floodgates
and ramps, channel closure floodgates, and a lock structure where the
project crosses the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.
The Morganza to the Gulf project was included in the Water Resources
Development Act of 2000, as a conditional authorization. However, the
Corps of Engineers failed to complete a favorable report of the Chief
of Engineers for the project before the December 2000 deadline.
Since that time, the Congress has failed to enact any further water
resources development acts. Unfortunately, tonight, we will adjourn
another Congress without enacting a water resources bill.
The language in this legislation is modeled after the language
contained in H.R. 2864, the Water Resources Development Act of 2005,
which passed this House on July 14, 2005 by an overwhelming vote of
406-14.
While my preference would be to authorize this project through
regular order in the passage of the broader Water Resources Development
Act, at this late hour in the session, work will not be completed on
the larger bill.
This is unfortunate because it only further delays the opportunity
for the Corps of Engineers to provide essential flood control,
navigation, and ecosystem restoration projects to our Nation, and vital
public safety and economic benefits to our constituents.
We are now just a few days shy of six years since the last water
resources bill was enacted. This is far too long.
I am certain that there will be questions as to why Congress was
unable to enact a water resources bill in the 109th Congress,
especially since this is the first time since 2000 that both the House
and the Senate chambers were each able to approve legislation for the
other body to consider.
A chief reason is that the current administration has no commitment
to the Nation's premier water-related infrastructure agency.
The administration fails to understand the importance of the Corps of
Engineers and the vital work that this agency does for the American
people.
The administration's lack of support for a comprehensive water
resources development act has only made Congress's work more difficult.
During consideration in both the House and Senate, the administration
released two statements of administration policy that were highly
critical of the Congress's efforts, especially over the
administration's concern with the overall costs of the two bills.
However, what this administration fails to recognize is that the
roughly $10 billion in project authorizations contained in the House-
passed version, and the $12 billion in the Senate-passed version
reflect 6 years of requests since the Water Resources Development Act
of 2000.
With Congress's failure to approve the water resources development
act this year, we should expect next year's bill to cost more than
either the House or Senate-passed versions--perhaps as much as $15
billion.
These numbers are consistent with the historical costs of past water
resources bills, and further delay only results in making these vital
projects more expensive over time.
Congress must also share the blame for its failure to deliver a
comprehensive water resources bill this year.
With both the House and Senate, and the White House, under Republican
control, it would seem that passage of this legislation should have
been achievable.
In spite of the significant efforts of both the chairman of the
conference committee and my Chairman, Mr. Young, the House and the
Senate have been unable to reach agreement on a final package.
I am confident that our Committee will make the passage and enactment
of a water resources development act a number-one priority in 2007.
Mr. Speaker, by passing this legislation tonight, the House is
agreeing to allow the Morganza to the Gulf project to move forward
based on its individual merit, and the need to increase the level of
flood protection for coastal Louisiana.
The House has resisted the temptation to add other meritorious Corps
of Engineers project authorizations to the schedule this evening. I
would advise the other body to resist this temptation and not turn this
authorization into an attempt to move a miniature water resources bill
before the end of the session.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6428.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman
from Louisiana (Mr. Melancon).
Mr. MELANCON. Mr. Speaker, in the Water Resource Development Act of
2000, Congress authorized a project for hurricane protection known as
Morganza to the Gulf. This contingent authorization would protect over
200,000 people in their homes, but the contingent authorization expired
due to a delayed chief's report.
The citizens of Louisiana that live behind this future levee system
have passed a tax on themselves that generates roughly $5 million per
year in funds dedicated strictly to fund this hurricane protection
system. They have waited 6 years to begin construction on this project
that Congress directed to be constructed due to a delayed report from
the Corps of Engineers.
H.R. 6428, introduced by Congressmen Baker and Melancon, authorizes
only

[[Page H9205]]

a small portion of the project as a whole. This bill would allow the
people in Terrebonne Parish to begin protecting themselves while we
work towards a complete water resources bill.
The Melancon-Baker partial authorization bill includes only two
reaches of levees, tying into the already existing system of levees.
These levees would provide the most protection possible with the
limited resources currently available.
The bill also authorizes the lock complex on the Houma Navigation
Canal to protect against devastating storm surges, such as the one
during Hurricane Katrina that ran up the Mississippi River-Gulf outlet
and destroyed St. Bernard Parish. In addition, Houma would be protected
from salt water intrusion in their drinking water and the degradation
of the wetlands.
I urge passage of H.R. 6428. I wish to thank Mr. Oberstar and Mr.
Young and the committee for all of their kindnesses to help us move
this forward.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume
to point out that I have toured St. Bernard Parish with my wife who is
from New Orleans, and we have seen the extraordinary destruction caused
by Hurricane Katrina to the residents and the absolute abject
devastation of an area that hasn't experienced anything of this nature
in 138 years.
This legislation is vitally important to correct the failures of the
past and prevent them from happening in the future. The gentleman from
Louisiana (Mr. Melancon) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Baker),
both members of our committee, have been strong advocates for this
project.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 6428.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds of those voting having
responded in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was
passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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