[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 76 (Tuesday, May 20, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H4487-H4496]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           WATER RESOURCES REFORM AND DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2014

  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the conference report to the bill (H.R. 3080) to provide for 
improvements to the rivers and harbors of the United States, to provide 
for the conservation and development of water and related resources, 
and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the conference report.
  (For conference report and statement, see proceedings of the House of 
May 15, 2014, at page H4065.)
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) and the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. 
Rahall) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous materials on the conference report to accompany H.R. 
3080.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, today we are on the floor passing the Water Resources 
Reform and Development Act's conference report. I am very proud it is a 
bipartisan bill. We have worked this out through the Senate, and I 
think what we have here is a jobs bill, a good jobs bill that is going 
to create not just construction jobs, but it is going to keep America 
competitive by investing in and upgrading our water infrastructure to 
keep us competitive in the world so that our companies and industries 
can go out into the world economies, gain market share, and then hire 
people on the factory floor in America. That is what this bill is all 
about.
  I am proud that it is the most reform-driven water bill in the last 
20 years--significant reforms. The name reflects that landmark 
legislation, Water Resources Reform and Development Act.
  We should be proud that this is the most fiscally responsible WRRDA 
in history. We have deauthorized as much as we authorized in this bill, 
and there are no earmarks in this bill, Mr. Speaker.
  Finally, it does not cede any of Congress' constitutional authority 
to the executive branch, which is one of the top priorities that I had 
in this bill, to make sure that Congress keeps its role front and 
center as we make sure that we are making those investments and 
upgrading the locks, the dams, the ports, the harbors, and the flood 
protection all across this country.
  I would like to thank the original cosponsors of the bill, Ranking 
Member Rahall for his efforts, Water Subcommittee Chairman Gibbs from 
Ohio, and the Water Subcommittee ranking member, Mr. Bishop of New 
York. Thank you all for your hard work.
  I would also like to thank my Senate counterparts, the chair of the 
conference for the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, 
Senator Boxer, and Ranking Member David Vitter.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference report. This 
legislation is a reminder, and unfortunately a stark reminder, that 
when given a chance to work together in a bipartisan fashion, we can 
produce results for the American people.
  I salute the chairman of our T&I Committee, Mr. Shuster from 
Pennsylvania, for his tireless efforts in this regard, and as well our 
subcommittee chairman, Mr. Gibbs, and our ranking member on the full 
committee, Mr. Tim Bishop.
  One of the first acts of our Federal Government was to improve 
navigation. On August 7, 1789, the first Congress federalized the 
lighthouses built by the Colonies and appropriated funds for their 
operation and maintenance.

                              {time}  1275

  Today, in the 113th Congress, we keep faith with that fundamental 
premise of government by advancing legislation that authorizes the U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers to improve navigation on our inland waterways 
and our ports. This is an effort which has languished

[[Page H4488]]

these past 7 years, and the results of that inactivity are evident.
  In 1989, a book by the author John McPhee described the corps as 
follows:

       In addition to all the things the corps actually does and 
     does not do, there are infinite actions it is imagined not to 
     do and infinite actions it is imaginable to be capable of 
     doing because the corps has conceded the almighty role of 
     God.

  Indeed, the history of the Corps of Engineers is one of constructing 
incredible feats of engineering to assist navigation and to combat the 
ravages of flooding; yet, in recent times, we have fallen into deficit 
when it comes to this infrastructure.
  Aging locks and dams hinder the efficient movement of waterborne 
commerce, and many of our coastal ports are ill-prepared to take 
advantage of the expansion of the Panama Canal because their harbors 
need to be dredged and, in some cases, deepened.
  The pending legislation will revitalize our inland waterway system, 
so that bulk commodities such as coal can be transported more 
efficiently, and it provides a path forward to spending down the funds 
currently being held hostage in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund.
  Further, it wrests back control to the Congress, to elected 
officials, decisionmaking authority over future corps endeavors, rather 
than ceding this responsibility to the administration, as is currently 
the case.
  One aspect of this legislation, which I am especially pleased to see, 
is the application of the Buy American provisions for steel and iron 
that exist in the Federal Surface Transportation Program to projects 
constructed by the Corps of Engineers.
  That provision further defines this legislation, as my good chairman 
has said, as being about jobs--jobs to construct flood control 
projects, jobs to expand our harbors, jobs to make improvements to our 
waterways, and American jobs in the production of iron and steel, which 
goes into these works.
  I, again, commend our full committee chairman, Mr. Shuster, for the 
manner in which he has conducted himself and all members of our 
committee, both sides of the aisle, as well as our staffs for the 
transparency and openness and cooperation that has brought this 
legislation to where it is today.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from Ohio (Mr. Gibbs), the subcommittee chairman on Waters Resources.
  Mr. GIBBS. Mr. Speaker, now is the time for Congress to reengage in 
the development of the Nation's water resources and play a bigger role 
in prioritizing projects and activities carried out by the Army Corps 
of Engineers.
  Congress cannot continue to abdicate its constitutional 
responsibility in determining what projects should go forward and will 
reassert itself in the face of an administration that creates one-size-
fits-all policy with little or no transparency.
  The conference report of H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and 
Development Act of 2014, is one of the most policy and reform-focused 
pieces of legislation related to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
  This is a bipartisan conference report that was developed by working 
across the aisle to achieve a common goal of investing in America's 
future.
  This conference report contains no earmarks, cuts Federal red tape, 
streamlines the project delivery process, and strengthens our water 
transportation networks to promote competitiveness, prosperity, and 
economic growth in jobs now and well into the future.
  This conference report is fiscally responsible by more than fully 
offsetting new project authorizations with deauthorizations of old, 
inactive projects. This conference report establishes a path forward 
for enacting a WRRDA bill every 2 years without conceding any 
congressional authority to the executive branch.
  Just because a study is costly, complex, and long does not 
necessarily mean it will produce a better project. In fact, a large 
costly project with so many add-ons that it never gets funded is a 
benefit to no one.
  In what used to take the corps 3 to 5 years to study, it has now 
become the norm for the corps to take 10, 12, or even 15 years to 
complete a study; and it is no wonder it is taking so much time, since 
the corps has to review in detail many different alternatives. Too 
often, we allow Federal agencies, including the Corps of Engineers, to 
literally study projects to death.
  This conference report accelerates the Corps of Engineers study 
delivery process by limiting studies to 3 years and $3 million.
  In addition, we accelerate the study delivery process by requiring 
concurrent reviews by the district, division, and headquarters level 
personnel. Ultimately, the Federal taxpayer is on the hook for these 
studies for the length of time it takes to carry them out.
  The corps reviews far too many alternatives and then sends to 
Congress a project request that far exceeds in scope and cost what was 
initially intended.
  Too often, non-Federal interests and their contributions are forced 
to sit on the sidelines while our international competitors race past 
us. This conference report empowers non-Federal interests and ensures 
projects will be completed faster and cheaper with local support.
  Too often, resources from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund are 
diverted to activities unrelated to keeping U.S. ports competitive in a 
global marketplace. This conference report creates the incentive to 
spend the funds for their intended purpose.
  One of the most important elements of this legislation is that it 
ensures the legislative branch engages in the Water Resources 
Development Act process at least once every Congress.
  By working together, the conference committee has accomplished what 
many have said could not be done, produce an authorization bill for the 
Army Corps of Engineers without earmarks.
  In order to get these needed reforms in place and to establish the 
new process for future authorizations, I urge all Members to support 
the conference report.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Bishop), our distinguished ranking member. 
Again, I thank him for his tremendous vision and superb knowledge which 
has brought this conference report to the floor today.
  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank my ranking member for 
his very kind words, and I rise today in strong support of the 
conference report for H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and 
Development Act of 2014.
  Today is a monumental occasion for our Nation's economy, for the 
creation of good-paying jobs, and for the health of our natural 
environment.
  Thanks to the leadership of Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member 
Rahall, we present this Chamber with a thoughtful, reasonable bill that 
renews this Congress' commitment to our Nation's water-related 
infrastructure.
  In that light, I would like to personally thank our chairman, our 
ranking member, and the chairman of the Subcommittee on Water 
Resources, Mr. Gibbs, for the open and inclusive process with which our 
committee conducted negotiations with the other body on WRRDA and for 
their leadership in returning our committee to its long-standing 
traditions of bipartisanship and collaboration.
  Today is also a monumental day because, while this bill is about many 
things, most importantly, it is about job creation, not only those good 
construction jobs that will come with the authorization of 34 Chief's 
Reports contained in the bill, but also the jobs that rely on a robust 
network of large and small ports and inland waterways to move goods 
throughout the United States.
  I am especially pleased that this conference report provides a 
reasonable path forward to the challenges facing the Harbor Maintenance 
Trust Fund. This legislation provides that, within 10 years, 100 
percent of the fund proceeds are used for their intended purposes--
harbor maintenance--while ensuring that any increase in harbor 
maintenance does not come at the expense of other critical corps 
programs.
  I am also thankful that this conference report recognizes the 
critical importance of our Nation's small ports to our regional and 
local economies in establishing future funding priorities.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, today is a monumental day because, at long 
last, this

[[Page H4489]]

WRRDA restores the Federal commitment to our other remaining water 
infrastructure challenges--our failing sewage and drinking water 
infrastructure.
  This conference report includes legislation that has eluded this 
Congress for almost three decades, the reauthorization of the Clean 
Water State Revolving Fund. For decades, this critical and widely 
popular program has been the leading source of Federal funding to 
States and communities to address their ongoing water quality 
challenges.
  I am pleased that much of this language is modeled after legislation 
that I have introduced over the last few Congresses, and I thank the 
chairman and the ranking member for their willingness to include this 
language in the conference report.
  I am pleased at the process we have made together on improving water 
infrastructure in the United States. Again, I want to thank the 
leadership of our chairman and our ranking member for getting us to 
this point today, and I also want to thank the staff on both the 
majority and minority side who worked tirelessly and cooperatively to 
bring us to this point.
  I urge support of the conference report.
  Mr. SHUSTER. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Hanna), a member of the committee, a true expert on infrastructure, and 
a conferee.
  Mr. HANNA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Water Resources 
Reform and Development Act conference report.
  This fiscally responsible bill will create jobs by updating and 
reauthorizing water infrastructure projects across our Nation. It will 
make the American economy more globally competitive.
  This bill is particularly good for the Great Lakes region, which I 
represent. For the first time, the Army Corps of Engineers will 
recognize and manage all Great Lakes ports, including the port of 
Oswego, as a single, comprehensive system.
  This bill takes a long overdue step to ensure that the revenues in 
the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund are eventually fully spent on their 
intended purpose, upgrading our harbors.
  By approving this conference report, we can facilitate trade, keep 
products moving across America, and create jobs in our communities.

  I thank Chairman Shuster, Ranking Member Rahall, and Mr. Gibbs for 
their hard work on this bill.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio), the ranking member of the House 
Natural Resources Committee.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Well, we are off to a good start. We are finally recognizing that the 
Federal Government has a critical interest in our harbors, our ports, 
our inland waterways, and we are actually going to begin to spend taxes 
collected to maintain those things on those things. That is tough in 
Washington, to tell the truth.
  There is a great set-aside for small ports, who were zeroed out 
because of the Corps of Engineers' lack of funding. It doesn't deal 
meaningfully, unfortunately, with the Corps of Engineers' $60 billion 
backlog of critical projects, including dams and spillways.
  It didn't increase the tax or user fee on inland waterway users, even 
though they wanted it--they were begging for it--and even though Grover 
Norquist gave it a green light because of intransigence on the 
Republican side. No new fees, no new taxes for anything, we are just 
going to start to spend existing tax collections on what they were 
originally intended for. That is good. That is progress around here.
  What is going to happen in 2 months or a month and a half when the 
highway trust fund goes broke? It needs additional funds, and we are 
going to have to, at that point, suck it up and vote for a way to pay 
for our Nation's infrastructure, so we can continue to be a great 
Nation.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Barletta), another member of the Transportation and 
Infrastructure Committee.
  Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of WRRDA and thank 
Chairman Shuster and subcommittee Chairman Gibbs for their leadership.
  Critically for my district, WRRDA helps with flood risk management. 
It increases the roles of the private sector and local communities, and 
it creates opportunities for public-private partnerships.
  WRRDA accommodates the expansion of the Panama Canal so markets far 
from the coastline, such as Carlisle, Pennsylvania, or Hazleton, can 
develop the economic engines of inland ports to support increased 
freight.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown), a very valued member of our 
conference committee, and thank her for her help.
  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, the Water Resources Reform and 
Development Act conference report is a perfect example of how 
government is supposed to work. I want to thank Senators Boxer and 
Vitter and Congressmen Shuster, Gibbs, and particularly Rahall and 
Bishop for their commitment to produce a comprehensive and bipartisan 
bill supported by all of the stakeholders.
  I also want to thank President Obama for his leadership improving and 
expediting the process for completing projects at the Corps of 
Engineers and encouraging Congress to complete the WRRDA conference. I 
hope this bipartisanship continues as we reauthorize surface 
transportation programs.
  This legislation includes a lot of positive provisions that are going 
to help improve, expand, and accelerate Corps of Engineers projects.
  These projects will improve the safety of the American public, 
generate billions of dollars in economic activity, create hundreds of 
thousands of good-paying jobs, and benefit the Nation's economy as a 
whole.
  We have a group of transportation stakeholders from Florida in the 
audience today, along with the Jacksonville mayor, Alvin Brown; chamber 
president, Daniel Davis; port director, Brian Taylor; and Congressman 
Ander Crenshaw.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. RAHALL. I yield 15 seconds to the gentlewoman.
  Ms. BROWN of Florida. They, along with other leaders, worked as a 
team to make sure that Florida was not left behind.
  In closing, I encourage all of my colleagues to vote for this bill. 
It is an example of one team, one fight, and what we can do when we 
work together.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, 
and I want to make a point of clarification regarding section 1036 of 
the conference report.
  Section 1036 states that, when the locally preferred plan is chosen, 
the cost to the Federal Government shall be no more than the Federal 
share of the national economic development plan.
  I want to clarify the intent of this provision. When the Corps of 
Engineers carries out a locally preferred plan, the non-Federal sponsor 
is responsible for all costs above the cost of the national economic 
development plan.
  I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Mullin), 
another member of the committee and another expert on infrastructure 
and a conferee.

                              {time}  1300

  Mr. MULLIN. Mr. Speaker, for Oklahoma our water navigational system 
is an essential part of our economy, allowing our local farmers and 
manufactures to ship goods all over the world.
  This legislation with zero earmarks takes a historical step in 
supporting our Nation's waterway systems while making critical policy 
reforms. This bill does exactly what I came to Congress to do. It cuts 
red tape, reduces burdensome bureaucracy, increases transparency, and, 
most importantly, strengthens our economy.
  Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member Rahall have done an incredible 
job in helping shape this bipartisan legislation. I want to thank them 
and the rest of my colleagues on the Transportation and Infrastructure 
Committee for their hard work.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), a very important member of our 
conference committee.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the chairman

[[Page H4490]]

and ranking member for bringing forth this report.
  Mr. Shuster, Mr. Rahall, the subcommittee chair, and the subcommittee 
ranking member, this really is a very special time. Since last year, 
conferees and staff have diligently been working to resolve the 
differences between the House and Senate measures.
  It has been 6 years since Congress last passed a water resources 
bill, and the state of our water infrastructure has continued to 
decline. I am pleased, however, with this final product, as it provides 
for maintenance of our ports and waterways as well as critical flood 
control projects around the country. The bill provides new ways to 
maintain and protect our water infrastructure, ultimately creating jobs 
and shoring up our economy.
  We have also addressed many important policy reforms in this bill, 
including reforming the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, encouraging the 
creation of jobs through targeted water resources infrastructure, and 
it goes on.
  I am confident that the Senate will comply and pass it. Mr. Speaker, 
in closing, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for it.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 40 seconds to the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) for a colloquy.
  Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, the purpose of this colloquy is 
to clarify the intent of section 1051 of the conference report, 
Interstate Water Agreements and Compacts.
  First, can you please confirm that this section does not alter any 
existing rights or obligations under current law?
  My understanding is that this section acknowledges the difficulty 
that interstate water disputes present. Unfortunately, we have a 
longstanding dispute in our region that is centered on the operation of 
two Federal reservoirs located in Georgia--Allatoona Lake and Lake 
Lanier. Alabama and Florida have claimed for years that the Army was 
not authorized to provide water to Georgia from those two reservoirs. 
Having won the court case, Georgia has asked the Army to make some 
decisions decades overdue.
  I want to make it clear that the congressional intent of section 1051 
will not be interpreted as sending a message to the Army or to any 
reviewing court about how they should respond to a request from the 
State of Georgia.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to engage in a colloquy, but 
first I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. 
Westmoreland) for a colloquy.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Chairman, the differing House and Senate 
language in section 1051 should not be interpreted by the Army or any 
court as indicating that Georgia's request should be denied or delayed 
until States reach an agreement.
  While the conference report specifically references the ACF and the 
ACT basins, the House-passed language does not. Certainly other regions 
of the country with water concerns should pay close attention to what 
has happened with this section.
  What is your position regarding working out these disputes in future 
WRRDA legislation?
  Mr. SHUSTER. I yield 20 seconds to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. 
Woodall) for a colloquy.
  Mr. WOODALL. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the colloquy.
  As I understand section 1051, the Secretary may continue to be 
responsive to emerging industrial and municipal water supply needs 
through reallocation of storage consistent with existing laws.
  In that regard, an open and transparent rulemaking by the Army with 
substantive input from those affected seems to represent the best 
process to support that outcome.
  Is that also the chairman's understanding?
  Mr. SHUSTER. I will engage in a colloquy, but I first must yield 15 
seconds to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston) for a colloquy.
  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I would like to echo my colleague's 
comments regarding the ACT and the ACF river basin language. This 
language does not change current law or interpretation of current law 
and should not be reviewed by the courts or the corps as changing any 
current obligations.
  We encourage the States to work amongst themselves to solve water use 
issues in this region. I would be remiss if I did not mention the 
Savannah River expansion project with its $174 million net economic 
impact to this Nation. I hope that the PPA is signed soon.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank all of my colleagues, and at this 
point I will respond and yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I thank the gentlemen from Georgia for raising these issues. The 
intent of this section is to encourage States to resolve interstate 
water disputes through interstate water compacts.
  Section 1051 in no way alters any existing rights or obligations 
under law. Further, section 1051 places no limits on the Corps of 
Engineers' existing statutory authority to manage water projects under 
its control. This section is in no way intended to express a view on 
any pending request or to prohibit or interfere with the Corps of 
Engineers' ongoing efforts to update its water control plans and 
manuals for the ACF and the ACT basins.
  Regarding future WRRDA legislation, interstate water disputes are 
most properly addressed through interstate water agreements or compacts 
that take into consideration the concerns of all affected States. I do 
not believe that WRRDA legislation is the appropriate vehicle for these 
issues to be adjudicated.
  With that, I thank the gentlemen for engaging in the colloquy, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RAHALL. I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. 
Napolitano) and thank her for her help on the conference committee as 
well.
  (Ms. NAPOLITANO asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
her remarks.)
  Ms. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I too rise in strong support of WRRDA 
and sincerely thank Chairmen Shuster and Gibbs and Ranking Members 
Rahall and Bishop and all the staff--let's not forget them--for the 
great bipartisan work.
  We thank them for including quality provisions that are important to 
the Nation, especially to my district, home to Santa Fe Dam and 
adjacent to Whittier Narrows Dam, the two largest Corps reservoirs in 
L.A. county.
  Generally, it also improves water supply and water capture at the 
dam. It changes levee vegetation policy not previously taken into 
account, local characteristics, habitats, or safety. It allows local 
funding of Corps projects to benefit the region. It improves invasive 
species management. It prioritizes Harbor Maintenance donor regions, 
allowing expanded use of funding, which is something I had fought for 
for many years.
  I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in clarifying 
that section 3013 of WRRDA will require the corps to perform a new 
review and revision of levee vegetation policy engineering technical 
letters.
  Thanks to Transportation and Infrastructure for their leadership, and 
please vote ``yes.''
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to clarify the intent of Section 3013 of the 
Water Resources Reform and Development Conference Report regarding 
Vegetation Management policy. In 2009, the Army Corps of Engineers 
issued new levee vegetation policy through Engineering Technical Letter 
(ETL) 1110-2-571. Most states and local flood control districts, 
including the State of California Department of Water Resources and the 
Los Angeles County Flood Control District, strongly disagreed with this 
policy as not taking into account local characteristics and good 
science.
  The 2009 ETL directed states and local agencies to remove all 
vegetation from their flood control levees. Our local engineers in 
California and Los Angeles believe this change could be damaging in the 
following ways:
  1. It will lead to weaker levee systems since the roots of vegetation 
hold the levee material together.
  2. It will displace the habitat for endangered and fragile species 
that use the vegetation.
  3. It does not take into account the local geology and 
characteristics of our levees.
  4. It will create massive costs on our flood control agencies that 
should be using those funds for urgent flood control projects.
  Section 3013 of WRRDA will solve this problem by requiring the 
Secretary of the Army to reissue these regulations regarding vegetation 
on levees and incorporate regional characteristics, habitat for species 
of concern, and levee performance.
  A minor issue has come to light in recent days since the Conference 
Report was filed

[[Page H4491]]

because Section 3013 requires the Corps to re-issue levee vegetation 
policy based off of the 2009 ETL 1110-2-571. That 2009 ETL 1110-2-571 
was set to expire soon, so the Corps reissued a new Engineering 
Technical Letter ETL 1110-2-583 that addresses the same levee 
vegetation policy in the last few weeks. The new ETL is very similar to 
the 2009 ETL and does not make the changes required by Section 3013 of 
WRRDA.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to clarify for the record the intent of 
Congress that the Corps' new ETL 1110-2-583 does not satisfy the 
requirement of Section 3013. Section 3013 requires the Corps to revise 
its levee vegetation guidelines after performing a comprehensive review 
taking into account all regions of the United States and their unique 
habitats and levee structures.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Fleischmann), the great advocate for the 
Chickamauga Lock in the Tennessee River.
  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Speaker, when I was elected by the great people 
of the 3rd District of Tennessee in 2010, I vowed to come to 
Washington, D.C., to fix broken systems. This bill today--and I thank 
Chairman Shuster--does that. The Inland Waterways Trust Fund is a 
flawed, broken system.
  For those who might not know, all the funds have been going to one 
lock, starving out the other locks in the entire system. In my beloved 
city, my home city of Chattanooga, there sits a lock that has been 
mothballed because this system has been broken.
  Finally, this great House has solved this problem. It is a huge step 
in the right direction, ladies and gentlemen, to make sure that we 
ultimately fund all of the locks in this system. The fixing of the 
Inland Waterways Trust Fund, which is so flawed and broken by this 
bill, ultimately will get the needed funds to Chickamauga Lock and 
other locks and infrastructure in this country.
  I am proud to support this bill. I am so proud to be part of a body 
that after 4 years of tireless work has acknowledged this situation.
  Thank you.
  Mr. RAHALL. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Lipinski), a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the ranking member for 
yielding.
  As a cosponsor of WRRDA, I rise today in strong support of this 
conference report. I am pleased with the bipartisan cooperation in and 
between both the House and the Senate. I think this is a blueprint for 
how Congress can move forward together on the goals of protecting 
American jobs and investing in infrastructure.
  I have been happy to work with Congressman Whitfield on the WAVE4 Act 
and appreciate that WRRDA includes provisions from that bill. These 
will allow the U.S. to make important additional investments in our 
Nation's aging inland waterways, including locks and dams such as the 
one in Lockport, Illinois.
  The conference report also takes additional steps to control the 
threat of Asian carp to the Great Lakes. I am pleased that it includes 
language resolving concerns about a potential dredge spoils site, the 
Lucas-Berg CDF in Worth, Illinois.
  Finally, I am very happy with the strong buy American provisions 
included in this bill that will help assure that we are creating 
American jobs.
  By passing this conference report today, we will move forward a 
number of important national priorities: facilitating the movement of 
goods and freight, investing in infrastructure, creating jobs, and 
reducing red tape to get projects done. I commend Chairman Shuster, 
Ranking Member Rahall, and the many others who worked very hard to get 
this bill done.
  Mr. SHUSTER. I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from West Virginia 
(Mrs. Capito), a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure 
Committee and also a conferee on the water resources bill.
  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman and the 
ranking member for their hard work on this bill.
  As a member of the conference committee, I am in strong support of 
this report.
  Really, there are two numbers that come to mind for me in this 
report, and that is 9,900. That is 9,900 local jobs in West Virginia 
are supported by West Virginia waterways. The next number is $1.6 
billion. That is how much the waterways industry contributes to our 
great State.
  So this is important that we do this efficiently, well maintained, 
that we can move our goods and services, particularly our West Virginia 
coal, down the rivers to power America. I am in strong support of this 
bill, and I again congratulate the chairman and ranking member for 
moving this forward.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Maryland (Ms. Edwards), a very valued member of our conference 
committee.
  (Ms. EDWARDS asked and was given permission to revise and extend her 
remarks.)
  Ms. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Shuster, Ranking 
Member Rahall, and our subcommittee chairman, Mr. Gibbs, and ranking 
member, Mr. Bishop, and congratulate them and all of our staff on the 
work on this conference report.
  I rise in support of this bill. I just want to point out, however, 
that the environmental streamlining provisions in the House- and 
Senate-passed versions were based on an assumption that a significant 
number of project delays are due to environmental reviews. I could not 
disagree more.
  I would prefer that the environmental provisions in the conference 
report were not included, but I believe we have improved them 
significantly. We have also ensured that the public will still be able 
to participate effectively as part of the NEPA process on water 
projects that have a profound effect on health, safety, and well-being.
  I also would like to commend the conference committee on adopting 
provisions of the State revolving fund for the first time since 1987 
that includes innovative financing of water infrastructure projects. As 
part of both programs, I am proud to say that we will, for the first 
time, consider an idea that I championed, the use of innovative, green, 
and low-impact technologies.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 90 seconds to the gentleman from 
Nebraska (Mr. Terry), the champion of the Keystone pipeline.
  Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Shuster and his 
staff for their hard work and steadfast leadership that got something 
accomplished that took over 7 years to get to this point. Great job.
  This is the way the Constitution was meant for Congress to work, by 
setting priorities in the light of day rather than an administration 
funding pet projects behind closed doors.
  I am pleased the conferees included as a priority, based on the 
merits, the Western Sarpy-Clear Creek flood control project allowing it 
to be finished. With passage, the Western Sarpy-Clear Creek flood 
project will protect about 443 homes and buildings, 17,000 acres of 
agriculture and cropland, as well as the major drinking water pipelines 
and wells for Lincoln and Omaha and the Nebraska Army National Guard's 
training grounds and portions of Interstate 80 and Highway 6.

                              {time}  1315

  My constituents are all too familiar with the economic consequences 
that occur when flooding happens. But it is this kind of work the 
American people expect from this body and now is delivered. We need to 
take care of our infrastructure and look forward in planning for the 
future.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from 
Florida (Ms. Frankel), a valued member of our WRRDA conference 
committee as well.
  Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Speaker, like many Americans, I have been 
often disappointed with the lack of cooperation in Washington, D.C. So 
today, I am happy to offer congratulations to the United States House 
and Senate for this very important bipartisan conference report that 
when passed and implemented will promote millions of jobs and mean 
billions of dollars of economic impact for our Nation.
  As a proud Member of Congress from south Florida, I am especially 
excited to see the advancement of the widely supported expansion of 
Port Everglades and the restoration of our most precious wetland known 
as the Everglades--the source of drinking water for 7 million people.

[[Page H4492]]

  Although the bill is not perfect, we are today living up to the 
desire of the American people that we work together for the good of our 
country.
  With that said, because of the apparent lack of community support for 
the expansion of the Port of Palm Beach, my vote should not be 
construed as support for that project. Moving forward, our first 
priority should be to first do no harm, without degradation of our 
environment or quality of life. It should be a local community decision 
as to what uses should dominate the intracoastal waterway in that area 
and I urge the Port of Palm Beach, Town of Palm Beach, County 
Commission and other interested stakeholders to come to a joint 
resolution.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), the chairman of the Republican Study 
Committee.
  Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman for yielding, 
but especially I want to thank Chairman Shuster for the hard work that 
he put in to putting together a bill that--and I will just read The 
Wall Street Journal today: ``A water bill shows what happens when 
Congress has to set priorities.'' They go on to say: ``This process 
puts House Members in control of spending decisions even as it requires 
them to choose on the basis of fact and analysis.''
  Mr. Speaker, what this bill really does is ushers in some much-needed 
reforms, if you just look at the reforms to the Corps of Engineers 
process.
  I want to also commend our Senator, David Vitter, who was on that 
conference committee, for fighting for this, as Chairman Shuster did, 
to put those process reforms in place, because so often we hear that 
the corps studies issues to death. Frankly, if you look at some of the 
limitations, the environmental review process, that can bog projects 
down, this bill contains important reforms that streamline the 
environmental review process so that we can finally focus on more 
building and less studying.
  Let's actually put our money into building infrastructure, not on 
studying things to death and ultimately never getting anything done. 
This bill really ushers in some important reforms on that front.
  The critical reforms to the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund that the 
Speaker talked about are very important--long, long overdue--things 
that I think people all across the country will see great benefits 
from.
  I know when we look at some of the things in Louisiana--just the 
ability to improve flood protection with the Morganza to the Gulf 
project that finally will be authorized, something that will protect 
not only homeowners all throughout south Louisiana, but the important 
energy infrastructure that provides over 20 percent of the Nation's oil 
and gas. That is going to be an important reform.
  Then, of course, if you look at the dredging component--to authorize 
50 feet of dredging in the Mississippi River, as you see the Panama 
Canal widening. We don't want the United States to be left out of the 
great economic opportunities that are going to be involved in moving 
more commerce through the United States and then exporting--exporting 
more American goods that are produced and made here in America 
throughout the world.
  All of the reforms that I mentioned, and so many others, are critical 
steps forward in finally getting a WRRDA bill that answers the needs of 
our Nation.
  Again, I thank the chairman for his hard work.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Garamendi), a real champion of Buy 
American provisions in everything we do in this Congress.
  Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Rahall and I would like to 
also compliment the chair for the great work on getting this bill 
together--obviously, bipartisan.
  For my district this is extremely important. First of all, one of the 
reforms that came out of this is a ``3x3,'' which is now going to move 
across the country so that projects get done--at least the early 
studies--$3 million, 3 years done, and question then before the House 
whether we are going to move forward with that project.
  The Sutter project, providing critical protection for Yuba City and 
that area. Also Notomas--I notice my colleague from Sacramento is 
here--providing critical protection for part of Sacramento.
  The harbors, being able to use the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund to 
deepen the harbors, all critically important.
  This is an important bill. When we couple this with the Buy American/
Make It In America, we have an opportunity to really move forward the 
American economy, not only with the infrastructure jobs, but also with 
the manufacturing that could follow along.
  Congratulations to the chair and the ranking members and the 
subcommittee chair and ranking members.
  Mr. SHUSTER. It is now my pleasure to yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Illinois (Mr. Davis), an important member of the committee and 
also a conferee.
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman 
Shuster for his leadership on this very important piece of legislation.
  I think when you saw the committee pass this bill by a voice vote and 
the overwhelming margin with which it passed this House, that is a 
direct result of Chairman Bill Shuster's leadership. So, thank you, 
sir.
  I obviously rise in support of this WRRDA conference report. As a 
member of both the farm bill and the WRRDA conference committees, it is 
really good to see Congress come together in a bipartisan way to pass 
very important pieces of legislation.
  This agreement is going to create infrastructure jobs and provide 
opportunities that will make our country more competitive.
  This WRRDA bill includes my public-private partnership language, 
which was introduced along with my colleague Cheri Bustos as an 
innovative way to fund water and navigation projects.
  This agreement is also going to help us improve navigation along the 
Mississippi River in times of high and low water. I want to thank my 
colleague Mr. Bill Enyart for helping to propose that language with me 
too.
  Finally, WRRDA includes policies that are going to help areas like 
the Metro East Region in southwest Illinois repair and recertify its 
levee system.
  Vote ``yes'' on this conference report.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from 
California (Ms. Hahn), another member of our conference committee, and 
thank her for her help on this bill.
  Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Rahall. Thank you for 
your leadership. Thank you to Chairman Shuster for your leadership. 
What a joy and pleasure it was for me to serve on the conference 
committee as we worked together to bring forth this amazing water bill 
that will do so much in this country to create jobs.
  I am most happy, of course, with the language in this bill that will 
finally allow us to fully utilize our Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund so 
that the ports across this country can be invested in with the taxes 
that we collect at the port, and that also, because of the leadership 
of Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member Rahall, these ports will also be 
able to use this money for some expanded uses.
  I believe with all my heart that when our ports are strong in this 
country, our country is strong. This bill does more to ensure the 
investment, the so important investment, in the critical infrastructure 
in our Nation's ports. My ports in Long Beach and Los Angeles are 
pleased with this, but really it is for all the ports in this country. 
Thank you for your leadership.
  I think this is an excellent bill. I urge all my colleagues to vote 
``yes.''
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time both 
sides have remaining.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Pennsylvania has 4 
minutes remaining. The gentleman from West Virginia has 5\1/4\ minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. SHUSTER. I am prepared to close. Could the gentleman from West 
Virginia let me know how many speakers you have.
  Mr. RAHALL. I have three more.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from 
California (Ms. Matsui).
  Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Rahall.

[[Page H4493]]

  I rise in strong support of this bipartisan WRRDA bill. This is a 
really good day.
  I want to commend Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member Rahall for 
their very, very strong leadership.
  Mr. Speaker, Sacramento is the most at-risk metropolitan area for 
major flooding, as it lies at the confluence of the Sacramento and the 
American Rivers.
  Since the last WRRDA in 2007, a number of key flood protection 
investments have been carefully studied by the Army Corps of Engineers. 
One such project that is included in this conference report and holds a 
Chief's Report is the Notomas levee improvement project.
  The area to be protected by the project is home to over 100,000 
people, two interstate highways, an international airport, dozens of 
schools, and hundreds of small businesses. If a levee broke, the damage 
would be similar to that experienced in New Orleans. This project is 
critical for Sacramento, and my constituents have waited too long for 
this day to come.
  The conference report also includes language to require the Corps to 
shift from its one-size-fits-all approach to now consider regional 
variances to the national levee vegetation policy.
  The conference report also includes language that accelerates flood 
protection projects by allowing Federal crediting.
  There is no question that this bipartisan congressional action puts 
our Nation's flood protection policy on the right path.
  I urge my colleagues to support this conference report.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch).
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I want to say thank you to Chairman Shuster 
and also Mr. Rahall. You did a wonderful job on this piece of 
legislation. This is very important to the entire country. I hope the 
way that you have both worked together, along with subcommittee 
Chairman Gibbs and Ranking Member Tim Bishop, is contagious because 
this would help this institution enormously. Thank you for bringing 
this bill to the floor.
  I was an ironworker before I came to Congress, and I worked in the 
Port of Boston. So I know firsthand how important the ports and 
waterways are to our economy in this country.
  I have the opportunity to jointly represent the Port of Boston with 
Mike Capuano, my colleague. The Port of Boston generates $2.4 billion 
in economic benefits annually and 34,000 jobs are connected with port 
activities. With the expected 2015 completion of the Panama Canal 
expansion project, those numbers will only increase as larger container 
ships utilize our ports on both coasts.
  Mr. Speaker, the Boston Harbor Navigation Improvement Project, 
recommended and approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and 
supported by this bill, is very important.
  I want to thank my colleagues from Massachusetts for putting up $135 
million to join with the Federal funding on this. It will help us keep 
pace with our global competitors.
  Again, thank you, Mr. Rahall, and thank you, Mr. Shuster, for your 
hard work.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Ellison).
  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank the chairman and 
ranking member of the committee. It is an excellent example of how we 
can work together.
  I want to rise in support of the conference report for WRRDA.
  This report includes language to address the presence of invasive 
carp in the upper Mississippi River. It contains language to close the 
Upper Saint Anthony Falls lock and dam in Minneapolis--my hometown.
  This would stop the spread of invasive carp which causes harm. 
Invasive carp decimates the fishing industry, invasive carp wipes out 
native fish species, and when a 60-pound silver carp jumps out of the 
water, needless to say, it limits recreational opportunities and causes 
injury to the people. This is a real picture--fish jumping all out. It 
is not a good thing.
  The language provides for a proactive approach. It protects our vital 
fishing and recreational industry. It preserves tourism jobs in 
northern Minnesota. It prevents us from spending government dollars to 
manage carp if these fish invade northern Minnesota waters.
  I want to thank the members of the Minnesota delegation who worked 
with me on a bipartisan basis to make sure the language was passed. I 
would also like to thank a staff member Anne Christianson--and you know 
who you are. You were tireless, you never gave up, and I am very 
grateful to you.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. RAHALL. How much time do I have remaining, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from West Virginia has 1 
minute remaining.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I assume the chairman has the right to 
close. Is that right?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. That is correct.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill. There are a number of highlights 
that have been mentioned during the course of this debate. The 
important ones, of course, are reforms of bureaucracy, it accelerates 
project delivery, and it streamlines environmental reviews. It is a 
fiscally responsible bill--as our chairman has shown--and it 
strengthens our oversight, transparency, and accountability.
  Mr. Speaker, as I conclude, I want to commend not only the Members on 
both sides of the aisle, but the staff on both sides of the aisle: on 
our side of the aisle particularly, Mr. Jim Zoia, who is our chief of 
staff on our Transportation and Infrastructure Committee; on the 
minority side, Mr. Ryan Seiger, Mr. Dave Wegner, and Mr. Ward 
McCarragher for their tremendous work. This has just been an example of 
how this body ought to operate. We got along very well on both sides of 
the aisle at the Member level and the staff level. The chairman's 
transparency, openness, and cooperation were above question. I again 
want to thank Chairman Shuster for his tremendous work and commend him 
on this legislation. I hope we have the vote we had when we initially 
passed this bill out of the House, which was 417-3.
  I yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1330

  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Pennsylvania has 4 
minutes remaining.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I want to, again, thank my colleagues, my partners across the aisle--
Mr. Rahall and Mr. Bishop--for working so closely with us on this bill 
to make it a truly bipartisan bill.
  I want to thank some of the key staff on the other side of the aisle 
who were really instrumental in moving this forward--Jim Zoia, Ward 
McCarragher, Ryan Seiger, Dave Wegner, and Eddie Shimkus.
  Thank you, guys, for all of your efforts. I really appreciate what 
you put into it, and we really were a team when negotiating with the 
Senate. I can't thank you enough.
  I also thank Mr. Gibbs, the subcommittee chairman, who worked so hard 
on this bill in working up to it, with the hearings he had not only 
this year, but last year. I thank him for his hard work.
  I want to thank the staff on our side--Chris Bertram, Steve Martinko, 
Jennifer Hall, John Anderson, Geoff Bowman, Jon Pawlow, Tracy Zea, 
Clare Dohery, Beth Spivey, Denny Wirtz, Jim Billimoria, Justin 
Harclerode, Michael Marinaccio, and Joe Price, who worked with Mr. 
Gibbs.
  All of them put in countless hours to make sure that this bill came 
together, and I can't thank them enough for all of their efforts.
  To my colleagues, I thank you for the big vote that gave us the 
strength to go to conference with the Senate and to come back with a 
bill that is reform driven, that focuses on reform. There are no 
earmarks in it. It is fiscally responsible.

[[Page H4494]]

  It does not yield Congress' constitutional authority to the executive 
branch, and it is going to strengthen our infrastructure, so that we 
can remain competitive. It is about economic growth. It is about jobs.
  Congress has not enacted a WRRDA bill since 2007, but we can't afford 
to delay without improving our water system. It is becoming obsolete 
every day, and it becomes less competitive. That is what this bill, as 
I said, is all about.
  It is about making America competitive so our businesses can be 
competitive, and it saves American taxpayers money when they are buying 
products in the stores in our communities.
  Again, this is about economic growth, and this is about jobs. I 
encourage all Members to support the Water Resources Reform and 
Development Act.
  With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Conference 
Report to H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act. I 
support this conference report because it makes smart investments in 
water infrastructure that are critical to the nation's economic future 
and the economy of my home state of Texas.
  I thank Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member Rahall for their work in 
shepherding this legislation to this point, which is just one step away 
from presenting the bill to the President for signature.
  Mr. Speaker, the last water resources bill signed into law was six 
years ago, making this one long overdue.
  We need to keep America's economic recovery moving forward by 
ensuring that when American workers make products, we can efficiently 
move them through our ports to overseas markets.
  American international trade accounts for more than one quarter of 
Gross Domestic Product. More than 99 percent of our overseas trade 
moves through America's seaports.
  Cargo moving through our seaports is responsible for more than 13 
million American jobs and generates in excess of $200 billion annually 
in federal, state, and local tax revenues.
  Water infrastructure is critical to the Port of Houston, one of the 
major economic engines not only for my congressional district but also 
the nation.
  The Port of Houston is home to more than 100 steamship lines offering 
services that link Houston with 1,053 ports in 203 countries. It is 
also home to a $15 billion petrochemical complex, the largest in the 
nation and second largest worldwide.
  For America to remain on top the global economy, we need to be 
competitive internationally so that global consumers increasingly 
purchase American-made goods.
  This bill takes an important first step in addressing an issue of key 
concern to not only the Port of Houston and Galveston in Texas, but to 
all of our nations' ports, the collection and use of the federal Harbor 
Maintenance Tax.
  Specifically, the Conference Report provides for increased 
expenditures from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) for harbor 
maintenance activities each year.
  Under the agreement, the target expenditure for Fiscal Year 2015 is 
67 percent of the funds collected in 2014, with the rate rising to 100 
percent of the funds collected in 2024.
  The conference report also measure requires the Army Corps of 
Engineers to assess the operation and maintenance needs of U.S. harbors 
and, to the maximum extent practicable, to prioritize future trust fund 
spending on an equitable allocation among all harbor types.
  The Conference Report also requires that any increase in annual Corps 
project operation and maintenance expenditures, which come from the 
HMTF, be accompanied by an equal increase in total appropriations 
provided for the corps' civil works program.
  Mr. Speaker, I am particularly pleased that the Conference Report 
retains the provision inserted by an amendment I offered and which was 
accepted during the initial House consideration of this legislation.
  That Jackson Lee amendment provides that in making recommendations 
pursuant to Section 118 of the Act, the Secretary shall consult with 
key stakeholders, including State, county, and city governments, and, 
where applicable, State and local water districts, and in the case of 
recommendations concerning projects that substantially affect 
underrepresented communities the Secretary shall also consult with 
historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal Colleges and 
Universities, and other minority-serving institutions.
  I also am pleased that the Conference Report retains the provision 
permitting non-federal entities to invest in their harbor maintenance 
and step in when the Army Corps of Engineers cannot.
  This legislative provision particularly benefits ports like the Port 
of Houston which have invested substantial amounts of their own funds 
to complete critical infrastructure in order to provide for safe 
navigation of larger vessels, and to assure its terminals remain 
competitive in the world market.
  I believe the WRRDA bill would be even better if an amendment I 
offered directing the Secretary of the Army to encourage the 
participation of minority and women-owned businesses in Corps projects 
and for GAO to submit a report to Congress within 2 years on the 
participation of minority- and women-owned businesses in such projects.
  Mr. Speaker, America's public ports and their private sector partners 
plan to invest more than $46 billion in seaport infrastructure in the 
next five years.
  Maintaining America's link to the global marketplace by creating and 
maintaining modern and efficient seaport and waterway infrastructure 
will provide significant benefits to our nation's economic vitality, 
job growth, and international competitiveness, as well as create 
sizable tax revenues from cargo and trade activities.
  For these reasons, I support the Conference Report and urge my 
colleagues to support it.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the 
conference report on H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and 
Development Act. The provisions included in this conference report will 
enhance our water infrastructure and will help communities throughout 
our Nation.
  When the House considered its version of this bill last year, it 
adopted my amendment to ensure that the Army Corps of Engineers could 
not carry out a new purpose under this bill without the consent of 
Congress. This amendment was offered in response to the Senate 
version's provision that allowed the Army Corps of Engineers to change 
dam operations irrespective of congressionally authorized purposes.
  The conference report's Section 1046 before us today contains my 
provision to ensure that the Army Corps of Engineers cannot change dam 
operations without congressional consent. The provision simply 
authorizes a study to update and revise the 1992 report on Authorized 
and Operating Purposes of Corps of Engineers Reservoirs. Revisions to 
this report will correct erroneous entries, but it is important to 
acknowledge that a revision of a report does not amount to a de facto 
endorsement by Congress of a change to project operations. This is a 
fundamental requirement that must be honored for the entire federal 
power project and not just limited to the Army Corps of Engineers.
  I would also note that Section 1046 requires the Government 
Accountability Office to conduct a review of the revision to the 1992 
report to ensure consistency with existing law and regulations. This 
provision applies to the applicable regulations that are notice and 
comment type of regulations that require due process under the 
Administrative Procedures Act and enacted pursuant to a Congressional 
mandate. Internal policy pronouncements that are termed ``engineers 
regulations'' can be changed by the Army Corps of Engineers without 
notice to stakeholders. While engineers regulations are fundamentally 
important to the Army Corps of Engineers operations, they are 
predominantly policy statements that do not have the same authority as 
regulations adopted at the direction of Congress. The Government 
Accountability Review should bear this distinction in mind.
  In conclusion, a review of an Army Corps of Engineers dam does not 
amount to a new authorization. Congress retains the authority and 
responsibility to adjust project purposes. A recommendation for a 
change, even if suggested by a report will still require action by the 
Congress.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following exchange of letters 
with the Committee on Rules:

                                               Committee on Rules,


                                     House of Representatives,

                                     Washington, DC, May 15, 2014.
     Hon. Bill Shuster, 
     Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Shuster: I am writing regarding section 7004 
     of the conference report to accompany H.R. 3080, the Water 
     Resources Development Act of 2013. The provisions contained 
     in section 7004 were in neither the House bill nor the Senate 
     amendment. As you know, the provisions in that section 
     constitute rules of the House of Representatives and Senate, 
     respectively, and as such, fall within the jurisdiction of 
     the Committee on Rules.
       Because of your willingness to actively consult with my 
     committee regarding this matter, I do not object to the 
     inclusion of these provisions in the conference report. By 
     agreeing to the inclusion of the section, the Rules Committee 
     does not waive its jurisdiction over those provisions now or 
     in the future. In addition, the Committee on Rules expects 
     that it would receive a referral on any measure or matter 
     addressing these provisions in the future.

[[Page H4495]]

       I request that you include this letter and your response in 
     the Congressional Record during consideration of the 
     conference report on the House floor.
       Thank you for your attention to these matters.
           Sincerely,
     Pete Sessions.
                                  ____

         Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of 
           Representatives,
                                     Washington, DC, May 15, 2014.
     Hon. Pete Sessions,
     Chairman, Committee on Rules, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding 
     section 7004 of the conference report to accompany H.R. 3080, 
     the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014. I 
     appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation.
       I acknowledge that by agreeing to the inclusion of this 
     section, the Committee on Rules does not waive its 
     jurisdiction over this provision now or in the future.
       I will include our letters on H.R. 3080 in the 
     Congressional Record during consideration of the conference 
     report on the House floor.
           Sincerely,
                                                     Bill Shuster,
                                                         Chairman.

  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the 
Water Resources Reform and Development Act.
  Not only will this bill create badly-needed jobs, as co-chair of the 
House Great Lakes Task Force, I'm especially pleased that this bill 
establishes the Great Lakes Navigation System.
  The Great Lakes comprise nearly 20 percent of the world's fresh water 
and are a precious resource. They're responsible for nearly 130,000 
jobs in the United States, and the economic activity they generate 
creates over $18 billion in annual revenue; maintaining the Great Lakes 
truly maintains our Nation.
  By joining ports and waterways throughout the Great Lakes and 
establishing the Great Lakes Navigation System, we will ensure that 
there is adequate funding to keep our infrastructure maintained and 
strong.
  In fact, in my own district, we started dredging the Port of 
Rochester last week, and by establishing the Great Lakes Navigation 
System, funding to maintain the port and dredge in the future will be 
consistent and reliable through the Harbor Maintenance Fund.
  With this bill, we make certain that the 145 million tons of 
commodities that are carried through the Great Lakes Navigation System 
every year can be transported efficiently and safely, and I commend 
everyone who worked on this tremendous achievement.
  Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, the principles in the Federal 
Credit Reform Act of 1990 (FCRA, Title V of the Congressional Budget 
Act of 1974) provide a long-established structure for the budgetary 
treatment of federal credit programs. Unlike cash accounting, FCRA 
prescribes accounting principles that consider costs over the life of a 
loan or loan guarantee rather than just the cash flows in any given 
year. Unless there is a clear statutory exemption, the federal 
government's credit programs, e.g. the Federal Housing Administration's 
single-family mortgage program and the Department of Education's 
student loan programs, are budgeted for using FCRA methodology.
  The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 (Subtitle 
C of Title V) is a new federal credit program within the scope of FCRA. 
This new federal credit program and the Transportation Infrastructure 
Finance and Innovation Act on which it is modeled are both subject by 
statute to FCRA.
  Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support 
for the Conference Report for H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and 
Development Act.
  America is blessed with an extensive network of natural harbors and 
rivers. In Eastern Washington, the Columbia River and its tributaries 
are central to the region's culture and economy. Since the early 20th 
century, dams have been built across the Columbia and Snake River 
systems to provide navigation, irrigation, affordable and renewable 
hydropower, and flood control. Every year, agricultural products travel 
through the Columbia and Snake River systems from Eastern Washington 
and the Pacific Northwest to every corner of America and around the 
world. As such, it is crucial that Congress continues to strengthen and 
maintain the many ports, channels, locks, dams, and other 
infrastructure that support maritime trade and provide flood protection 
for our homes and businesses.
  The Conference Report for H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and 
Development Act (WRRDA), ensures the continued flow of domestic and 
international commerce, while maintaining a strong transportation 
system. Additionally, through WRRDA, Congress has the opportunity to 
make much needed policy reforms including strengthening oversight, 
cutting federal red tape, and opening the door to new innovations in 
infrastructure development. This legislation also significantly 
strengthens our transportation network--creating jobs and increasing 
commerce throughout the Pacific Northwest and across our nation.
  Important to Eastern Washington, WRRDA maximizes the ability of non-
federal interests, like ports, to contribute funds to move authorized 
studies and projects forward. In addition, by consolidating studies, 
WRRDA will accelerate project delivery and promote growth. Through 
working with the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I 
am pleased that the City of Asotin also received language that will 
transfer land owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the City and 
allow for development of the area.
  This pro-jobs legislation encourages growth, increases trade, and 
keeps Eastern Washington economically competitive. I urge all of my 
colleagues to support Conference Report for H.R. 3080, the Water 
Resources Reform and Development Act.
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, as the only member of Congress 
from Michigan appointed to the Water Resources Reform and Development 
Act (WRRDA) conference committee, my role was to be a steadfast 
advocate for the Great Lakes and I am pleased that our final bill 
includes provisions that will significantly benefit these national 
natural treasures.
  For the first time, the Greats Lakes will be designated as a single 
comprehensive navigation system, allowing the Great Lakes to present a 
unified front when competing against coastal regions for federal 
funding and resources. The designation will also increase equity for 
related projects within the Lakes themselves.
  It also, for the first time, designates funds from the Harbor 
Maintenance Trust Fund specifically for projects' within the Great 
Lakes and better allocates funds collected for harbor maintenance 
across the country so that by 2025, 100 percent of the funds collected 
from users of our ports for this purpose are actually used to improve 
and maintain America's maritime infrastructure essential to our 
economy.
  Finally the legislation calls on the Fish and Wildlife Service, the 
Corps of Engineers, the National Park Service as well as the U.S. 
Geological Survey to work with state and local officials to slow the 
spread of Asian carp, which we all know pose a huge threat to the Great 
Lakes' ecosystem.
  I have lived my entire life along the shores of the Great Lakes and I 
understand the threat these invaders pose not only to the multi-billion 
dollar recreation and tourism industries, but also to our very way of 
life.
  I am so very pleased that my fellow conferees agreed that the Great 
Lakes are a national treasure worthy of the protections included in 
this bill. It is an important recognition of the Lakes and their 
contribution to the national economy, and it takes the steps necessary 
to ensure they are maintained now and for generations to come.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the conference report on the bill, H.R. 3080.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 412, 
nays 4, not voting 15, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 220]

                               YEAS--412

     Aderholt
     Amodei
     Bachmann
     Bachus
     Barber
     Barletta
     Barr
     Barrow (GA)
     Barton
     Bass
     Beatty
     Becerra
     Benishek
     Bentivolio
     Bera (CA)
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NY)
     Bishop (UT)
     Black
     Blackburn
     Blumenauer
     Bonamici
     Boustany
     Brady (TX)
     Braley (IA)
     Bridenstine
     Brooks (AL)
     Brooks (IN)
     Brown (FL)
     Brownley (CA)
     Buchanan
     Bucshon
     Burgess
     Bustos
     Butterfield
     Byrne
     Calvert
     Camp
     Campbell
     Cantor
     Capito
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardenas
     Carney
     Carson (IN)
     Carter
     Cartwright
     Cassidy
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Chabot
     Chaffetz
     Chu
     Cicilline
     Clarke (NY)
     Clay
     Clyburn
     Coble
     Coffman
     Cohen
     Collins (GA)
     Collins (NY)
     Conaway
     Connolly
     Conyers
     Cook
     Cooper
     Costa
     Cotton
     Courtney
     Cramer
     Crawford
     Crenshaw
     Crowley
     Cuellar
     Culberson
     Cummings
     Daines
     Davis (CA)
     Davis, Danny
     Davis, Rodney
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delaney
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Denham
     Dent
     DeSantis
     DesJarlais
     Diaz-Balart
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Duckworth
     Duffy
     Duncan (SC)
     Duncan (TN)
     Edwards
     Ellison
     Ellmers
     Engel
     Enyart
     Eshoo
     Esty
     Farenthold
     Farr
     Fattah
     Fincher
     Fitzpatrick
     Fleischmann
     Fleming
     Flores
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Foster
     Foxx
     Frankel (FL)
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Fudge
     Gabbard

[[Page H4496]]


     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garcia
     Gardner
     Garrett
     Gerlach
     Gibbs
     Gibson
     Gingrey (GA)
     Goodlatte
     Gosar
     Gowdy
     Granger
     Graves (GA)
     Graves (MO)
     Grayson
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Griffin (AR)
     Griffith (VA)
     Grijalva
     Grimm
     Guthrie
     Gutierrez
     Hahn
     Hall
     Hanabusa
     Hanna
     Harper
     Harris
     Hartzler
     Hastings (FL)
     Hastings (WA)
     Heck (NV)
     Heck (WA)
     Hensarling
     Herrera Beutler
     Higgins
     Himes
     Hinojosa
     Holding
     Holt
     Honda
     Horsford
     Hoyer
     Hudson
     Huffman
     Huizenga (MI)
     Hultgren
     Hunter
     Hurt
     Israel
     Issa
     Jackson Lee
     Jeffries
     Jenkins
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Johnson, Sam
     Jolly
     Jones
     Jordan
     Joyce
     Kaptur
     Keating
     Kelly (IL)
     Kelly (PA)
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilmer
     Kind
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kinzinger (IL)
     Kirkpatrick
     Kline
     Kuster
     LaMalfa
     Lamborn
     Lance
     Langevin
     Lankford
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Latham
     Latta
     Lee (CA)
     Levin
     Lewis
     Lipinski
     LoBiondo
     Loebsack
     Lofgren
     Long
     Lowenthal
     Lowey
     Lucas
     Luetkemeyer
     Lujan Grisham (NM)
     Lujan, Ben Ray (NM)
     Lummis
     Lynch
     Maffei
     Maloney, Carolyn
     Maloney, Sean
     Marino
     Massie
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McAllister
     McCarthy (CA)
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCaul
     McClintock
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McHenry
     McIntyre
     McKeon
     McKinley
     McMorris Rodgers
     McNerney
     Meadows
     Meehan
     Meeks
     Meng
     Messer
     Mica
     Michaud
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Miller, George
     Moore
     Moran
     Mullin
     Mulvaney
     Murphy (FL)
     Murphy (PA)
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Negrete McLeod
     Neugebauer
     Noem
     Nolan
     Nugent
     Nunes
     Nunnelee
     O'Rourke
     Olson
     Owens
     Palazzo
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor (AZ)
     Paulsen
     Payne
     Pearce
     Pelosi
     Perlmutter
     Perry
     Peters (CA)
     Peters (MI)
     Peterson
     Petri
     Pingree (ME)
     Pittenger
     Pitts
     Pocan
     Poe (TX)
     Polis
     Pompeo
     Posey
     Price (GA)
     Price (NC)
     Quigley
     Rahall
     Rangel
     Reed
     Reichert
     Renacci
     Ribble
     Rice (SC)
     Richmond
     Rigell
     Roby
     Roe (TN)
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Rokita
     Rooney
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roskam
     Ross
     Rothfus
     Roybal-Allard
     Royce
     Ruiz
     Runyan
     Ruppersberger
     Ryan (OH)
     Ryan (WI)
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sanford
     Sarbanes
     Scalise
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Schock
     Schrader
     Schweikert
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, Austin
     Scott, David
     Sensenbrenner
     Serrano
     Sessions
     Sewell (AL)
     Shea-Porter
     Sherman
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Sinema
     Sires
     Slaughter
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Smith (WA)
     Southerland
     Speier
     Stewart
     Stivers
     Stockman
     Stutzman
     Swalwell (CA)
     Takano
     Terry
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (PA)
     Thornberry
     Tiberi
     Tierney
     Tipton
     Titus
     Tonko
     Tsongas
     Turner
     Upton
     Valadao
     Van Hollen
     Vargas
     Veasey
     Vela
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Wagner
     Walberg
     Walden
     Walorski
     Walz
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Waxman
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Welch
     Wenstrup
     Westmoreland
     Whitfield
     Williams
     Wilson (FL)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman
     Wolf
     Womack
     Woodall
     Yarmuth
     Yoder
     Yoho
     Young (AK)
     Young (IN)

                                NAYS--4

     Amash
     Gohmert
     Huelskamp
     Salmon

                             NOT VOTING--15

     Brady (PA)
     Broun (GA)
     Clark (MA)
     Cleaver
     Cole
     Deutch
     Doyle
     Johnson (GA)
     Labrador
     Marchant
     McCollum
     Miller, Gary
     Rush
     Schwartz
     Thompson (MS)

                              {time}  1401

  Mr. HUELSKAMP changed his vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
  Mr. BARR changed his vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
  So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and 
the conference report was agreed to.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
  Stated for:
  Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, due to an oversight, I missed the vote on 
Conference Report on H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and 
Development Act on May 20th, 2014. I had intended to vote ``aye'' on 
rollcall vote 220, Agreeing to the Conference Report on H.R. 3080.

                          ____________________