[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.
____________________