[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 126 (Thursday, July 28, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3756-S3761]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          LEGISLATIVE SESSION

                                 ______
                                 

                WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2022

  Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to legislative session and consider H.R. 7776, as provided for 
under the previous order.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The bill clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 7776) 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 PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, amendment No. 5140 
is agreed to.
  There will now be up to 1 hour of debate equally divided in the usual 
form.
  The amendment (No. 5140) in the nature of a substitute was agreed to.
  (The amendment is printed in the Record of July 20, 2022, under 
``Text of Amendments.'')
  Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, with that, I would please yield to the 
chairman of the subcommittee that has jurisdiction over the Water 
Resources Development Act, Ben Cardin.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maryland.
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, let me thank Chairman Carper and Ranking 
Member Capito and my counterpart on the Subcommittee on Infrastructure, 
Senator Cramer, for bringing us to this moment where we will soon be 
voting on the Water Resources Development Act.
  I must tell you, this is an extremely important bill that gives the 
Army Corps the authorization they need to advance critically important 
water projects in our country.
  Mr. President, this was passed by a unanimous vote in the Environment 
and Public Works Committee. Due to the leadership of Senator Carper and 
Senator Capito, this bill involves the input of all the members of our 
committee and--dare I say--all the Members of the U.S. Senate. So I 
want to thank them for getting this bill to the point where we will be 
able to vote on it this afternoon.
  This bill is truly bipartisan. It incorporates the input from every 
single Senator and reflects priorities for our

[[Page S3757]]

water resources in States and communities across the country. It 
provides crucial authority for projects and guidance for the Army Corps 
of Engineers to engineer better solutions to our Nation's toughest 
water infrastructure supply and quality challenges.
  The work of the Army Corps of Engineers is vital for keeping commerce 
flowing in our waterways, for restoring aquatic ecosystems, and for 
helping communities deal with the risks and impacts of flooding.
  In my State of Maryland, we have challenges in all of these areas, 
and we are partnering with the Army Corps to address them. The Port of 
Baltimore, for example, is critical in our national supply chains and 
an economic engine for the State of Maryland.
  To enhance the port's ability to serve commerce and provide safe 
navigation, the Army Corps is moving forward with a Mid-Chesapeake Bay 
Island Ecosystem Restoration Project, or Mid-Bay, which will put 
dredged material to beneficial use restoring our ecosystems in the 
Chesapeake Bay, a major win-win for commerce and the environment. Here 
we are taking dredged materials and using it for environmental 
restoration, providing a very popular place to put dredged material so 
we can keep our harbors and our channels dredged but we also can 
restore our environment at the same time.
  A project the size of Mid-Bay also has the opportunity to benefit 
smaller channels along the Chesapeake Bay. In Maryland, we have dozens 
and dozens of smaller channels that support economic activity, 
recreational opportunities, and are an integral part of the identity of 
the small communities they serve, but these channels have not received 
the maintenance that they require.
  I am proud that this year's WRDA bill provides the Corps with new 
authorization to address these underserved harbors and channels, 
directing the Corps to take a closer look at them according to the 
significance to their community and not just based on the total amount 
of cargo they move. This is going to help many of our communities 
around America.
  In doing so, this bill adds new perspective to the Army Corps' 
thinking so that the Chesapeake Bay is fully understood not just as an 
artery for commerce but as a national environmental treasure that is 
home to living waterfronts that support a variety of community, 
economic, and nature-based activities. The WRDA reauthorization takes 
an important step in that direction with its provisions for underserved 
harbors.
  I am also proud that this bill includes a new statewide authorization 
for the Army Corps to provide assistance to Maryland on environmental 
infrastructure. We very much will take advantage of this opportunity. 
We know that we have challenges with the Chesapeake Bay, and this 
environmental study assistance will certainly help us in meeting our 
obligations.
  This authorization will also help communities across my State deal 
with the impact of aging infrastructure and move forward on the backlog 
of critical repairs and upgrades to water supply, wastewater, and 
stormwater infrastructure.
  The bill recognizes that because the Army Corps work is in high 
demand around the country, the Corps needs to be accessible to 
communities and engage with them directly on the challenges they face. 
The Planning Assistance to States Program, which has been so important 
to Maryland, will now include a new authority for the Corps to conduct 
this outreach to communities.
  The Army Corps is carrying out its important work on navigation, 
flood risk mitigation, ecosystem restoration, and environmental 
infrastructure against the backdrop of a worsening climate crisis.
  This reality is forcing us to act with new urgency to protect our 
communities from multiple hazards that our country is already 
experiencing with increased frequency and severity, including 
concentrated catastrophic rainfall events, sea level rise, and the 
associated erosion and flooding that these impacts bring. It is also 
forcing us to prioritize the restoration of ecosystems harmed by 
climate change that can still play a role in building resilience. All 
of that is incorporated in this bill, and we will be able to have those 
tools that are available.
  I just want to mention that one example is marshlands, which absorb 
tons of carbon dioxide in the United States each year. They buffer 
waves and reduce flooding during storms. We had a hearing in the 
Environment and Public Works Committee yesterday--it was a good 
hearing--on how we can get carbon capture. Well, one of the ways we can 
get carbon capture through natural causes is to restore wetlands, which 
trap carbon, and this bill will allow us to move forward in that 
direction.
  Finally, I want to note that, this year, the Army Corps' Baltimore 
District is celebrating its 175th anniversary. I congratulate the 
Baltimore District on this important milestone. The district has played 
an instrumental role in the history of our Nation and the State of 
Maryland, dating back to the construction of Fort McHenry, and I am 
proud of the ongoing partnership of Colonel Pinchasin, the current 
regional director.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I again applaud the 
great leadership we have on our committee, the very open way that we do 
business, the way that we listen to each other and are able to get the 
priorities accomplished.
  To Senator Carper and Senator Capito and Senator Cramer, it is a 
pleasure to work with you, and thank you for making this possible.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia.
  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I would like to thank the Senator from 
Maryland, Mr. Cardin, for his good, hard work with Senator Cramer on 
the subcommittee. Senator Cardin and I share the Chesapeake Bay. He has 
got a lot more of it than I do, but we have worked on those issues for 
years together, and I think that shows his dedication not just to his 
State but to the environment. So I appreciate all of his efforts.
  I am very pleased to rise today in strong support of the bipartisan 
Water Resources Development Act of 2022. This is the bill we are 
considering today. We call it WRDA. Most of us know it as WRDA.
  Congress authorizes water resource projects and sets national 
policies for the Civil Works Program and for the U.S. Corps of 
Engineers. The work of the Corps facilitates commerce throughout the 
country and internationally. Projects along our inland waterways, which 
are important in my State, and in our ports enable the movement of 
cargo while also bolstering our supply chain. Their support and 
partnership during this process were integral for us to reach a solid 
agreement.
  So, Mr. Chair, I would like to thank you and your staff, and I am 
going to go through our staff list really quickly: Mary Frances Repko, 
John Kane, Jordan Baugh, Mayely Boyce, Tyler Hofmann-Reardon, Milo 
Goodell, and Janine Barr from your staff.
  So thank you all very, very much.
  Today proves, again, the ability of our EPW Committee to develop 
bipartisan infrastructure legislation that addresses the needs of 
Senators in the communities that we represent. Our colleagues submitted 
more than 800 policy and project priorities to the committee. We worked 
hard to thoughtfully incorporate a majority of their requests into this 
legislation, and I think that shows with the vote we got in committee.
  True to the Corps' tradition, the bill moves forward projects that 
benefit local communities and the entire country.
  We know that natural disasters such as floods and hurricanes can 
strike at any time and have devastating consequences for our 
communities. The Corps' work to protect the lives and livelihoods of 
millions of Americans is furthered by congressional authorization of 
flood and coastal storm risk management projects.
  Since 2014, Congress has enacted WRDA every 2 years, and I am 
thrilled that we are here again continuing that tradition. I again want 
to thank Chairman Carper for his leadership and dedication to this 
critical piece of legislation, as well as--and I think I already 
mentioned them, but I will mention them again because Senator Cardin 
and Senator Cramer have been

[[Page S3758]]

very integral as the subcommittee chairs.
  Specifically, the WRDA bill authorizes 30 projects around the 
country, including projects for navigation, flood and coastal storm 
risk management, and ecosystem restoration. One such project is a 
coastal storm risk management project along the eastern coast of Texas. 
Think of all of the hurricanes and damage that we have heard over the 
years that have come in on the eastern shore at Galveston and Houston. 
This will help mitigate the impacts of future hurricanes and ensure 
that critical port assets can continue to serve our country's shipping 
and supply chain needs as we are moving forward.
  The bill also directs the Corps to expedite the completion of 24 
previously authorized projects, and it authorizes 36 studies that will 
develop solutions to water resources challenges that we have ahead.
  While this bill is very much oriented toward advancing critical 
projects and studies in our States, it also includes several policy 
changes that I would like to highlight. At the beginning of this 
process, I outlined areas in which I believe changes would be 
beneficial. I said we needed to reduce the confusion that some 
communities experience when they are dealing with the Corps and ensure 
more effective delivery of our projects--and efficient delivery. So the 
bill bolsters the Agency's technical assistance authorities, 
specifically the Floodplain Management Services and Planning Assistance 
to States Program--again, one that impacts my State greatly.
  This bill authorizes the Corps to conduct outreach to ensure that our 
communities are knowledgeable of the ways in which the Agency can help 
them with their water resources needs. It directs the Corps to 
designate staff in each district that can do this outreach.
  The bill makes important improvements to the Tribal Partnership 
Program and other authorities to assist Indian Tribes. It also expands 
existing programs and includes new authorities to assist communities 
that are economically disadvantaged, including those located in rural 
areas.
  It requires reporting on timelines for the environmental review 
process for projects. The bill directs the GAO to conduct a study: a 
review of projects that are overbudgeted and delayed--find out what is 
going on--as well as a review of the Corps' mitigation practices for 
projects.
  The bill includes several provisions that improve flexibility with 
regard to financial accounting; for example, the bill allows Federal 
Agencies to provide funding to help satisfy the non-Federal sponsor's 
contribution for a project or study under certain circumstances. It 
authorizes, for the first time, a dedicated research and development 
account for the Corps to spur innovation and provides contracting 
flexibility in undertaking these activities.
  The bill directs the Corps to support science, technology, 
engineering, and math--STEM--education and recruit individuals for 
careers at this Agency. The input of non-Federal entities is crucial to 
successfully resolving water resources challenges now and in the 
future.
  This bill establishes a new advisory committee for non-Federal 
interests to voice their opinions on how the Corps can better meet 
their needs.
  We preserve the integral part of the non-Federal cost share partners 
in the project delivery process by avoiding mandates from Washington, 
DC, and ensuring that the Corps continues to evaluate a full array of 
solutions during the feasibility study phase.
  In addition to my role as a ranking member, I represent the great 
State of West Virginia, and I worked to address the needs of my home 
State. Here are just a few highlights before I close.
  This legislation advances a critical flood control project of the 
city of Milton, WV. Authorized in the 1990s, this project is longtime 
coming, and I am proud to have helped move it forward.
  The bill also supports flood control studies for the Kanawha River 
Basin and the city of Huntington. And it continues to provide 
environmental infrastructure assistance to communities throughout the 
State.
  Finally, the bill will provide additional critical support to 
riverbank stabilizations such as those on the Kanawha River.
  In closing, there is a lot in this bill--I could go on and on, but I 
won't--for communities across the country. It is the culmination of a 
true bipartisan agreement and represents our shared goal of addressing 
the Nation's water resources needs.
  I am very proud of our committee. I am very proud to be here today 
with you. We are active; we are cooperative; and we are fruitful. We 
get things done. I like that. It is a testament to the values and goals 
that Chairman Carper and I share, and it is a testament to our personal 
friendship and our working relationship. Thank you for that.
  Before I close, I would like to thank my staff as well for all of 
their hard work and dedication to seeing that we get this across the 
finish line: Adam Tomlinson, Murphie Barrett, Max Hyman, Kim Townsend, 
Katherine Scarlett, Jacob Mitchell, and Haden Miller.
  I would also like to thank the technical assistance that we received 
from the U.S. Corps of Engineers staff: Amy Klein, Dave Wethington, and 
countless other technical staff.
  And, then, from Senate legislative counsel, we would like to thank 
Deanna Edwards.
  I look forward to a rousing vote here in a few minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
  Mr. CRAMER. Mr. President, I could not improve upon what has already 
been said about the work on this important bill. Senator Capito has 
articulated much more eloquently than I all of the priorities that are 
important in the bill.
  I am just going to add my thanks to Chairman Carper and to Ranking 
Member Capito and, of course, to subcommittee Chairman Cardin as well. 
It has been a great team effort, as is, I think, illustrated in the 
final product and the overwhelming vote. Let's keep the team together. 
And let's just pass a really big, important WRDA bill.
  And I emphasize again, we did this through regular order, colleagues. 
We stayed on the 2-year schedule, colleagues. And when we work 
together, we can do good work for the people we serve.
  With that, I urge a strong vote.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Delaware.
  Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, I want to thank Senator Cramer not just 
for his words but--I will take my mask off--not just for his words but 
for his great participation, he and his staff, in this effort.
  I don't think it has been said in our short time we have been on the 
floor here this morning: In the subcommittee, we don't just make up 
this legislation. We have a tradition of reaching out to other Senate 
offices. We reached out to all 100 Senate offices. We ask everybody--
Democrat, Republican, a couple of Independents--and say: What are your 
priorities? What would you like to see prioritized, included in this 
legislation?
  We received feedback and input from, I think, every single office. 
And we have tried to reflect that input in this legislation.
  So this is very much a community effort. And for everyone who has 
participated, thank you for doing so and putting us in a position today 
to vote and, hopefully, in an affirmative way.
  Before we do vote, I just want to express one more time my very, very 
strong support for the Water Resources Development Act of 2022. As we 
have heard before this bill: Affectionately known as WRDA, it is an 
ambitious, bipartisan water resources package that ensures the timely 
reauthorization of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer studies and 
projects. The bill also equips the Corps with critical authorities to 
restore ecosystems and protect communities from climate-change-
exacerbated events like flooding and drought.
  This legislation is a product of tireless commitment to 
bipartisanship and doing the right thing. Senator Capito, Senator 
Cardin, Senator Cramer, and myself and our staffs look past the party 
differences and find, once more, a path forward on critical 
infrastructure needs, just as we did last year on the bipartisan 
infrastructure bill that the President signed into law late last year.

  This is not the first time we have done this, and it won't be the 
last. This Congress, the Environmental Public Works Committee, has 
consistently advanced bipartisan legislation on drinking water; 
legislation on wastewater;

[[Page S3759]]

legislation on transportation--roads, highways, bridges--and on 
recycling just today, just today. All of those bills passed EPW 
unanimously, just like this Army Corps of Engineers bill passed 
unanimously.
  As EPW chairman, I am quite proud of the committee's work. I just 
wish that everybody in the country who thinks that all we do is fight 
around here and agree on nothing--I wish they had a chance to kind of 
tune in and maybe be a fly on the wall and hear how when you work 
together, you can get some amazing stuff done and really important, 
really important things, as well, for all of our States, for every 
corner of this country.
  A word, if I could, about the Army Corps of Engineers. I am a Navy 
guy. I spent something like 23 years Active Reserve Duty. I am the last 
Vietnam veteran serving here. But I have huge respect--huge respect--
for the Army Corps of Engineers. I like to say: Different uniforms, 
same team. And in my State and, frankly, all 50 States, they do 
extraordinary work--sometimes without a lot of recognition, without a 
lot of thanks. And I just want to say, we recognize you in Delaware; we 
recognize you even in the Navy; and we are deeply grateful for the work 
that you do, the great work you do. We couldn't do a lot of what we do 
without your help. And this legislation is needed for the Army Corps to 
meet their responsibilities and obligations.
  But all the bills that I mentioned earlier passed committee 
unanimously, as did this bill. And, again, we are so proud of the 
committee's work.
  What a joy it is to work with Senator Capito. And I wish I could say 
the same thing about her staff. No. I am just joking.
  Adam, you know we love working with you and your team, and we are 
really privileged.
  We were privileged to be led on our side of the staff by Mary Frances 
Repko, who is new at this. She has not worked long for many weeks or 
months on the Hill. Actually, she has probably for a quarter of a 
century or so, and I think she started at the age of 12. She has done a 
lot, and she still has a lot of gas in the tank.
  But going back to the Corps--the Corps is the principal steward of 
our Nation's water infrastructure, and it serves both as a facilitator 
and protector of our diverse economy.
  This bill--WRDA 2022--recognizes that the Corps is an essential part 
of our lives. This bill takes critical steps to better support the 
Agency as it serves all parts of our country. From navigation to 
ecosystem restoration and flood control, the Corps is the backbone--
really, the foundation, if you will, on which our country was built.
  I would like to reiterate that every provision in this bill is the 
result of bipartisan work. I can confidently say that WRDA 2022 will 
benefit all corners of our nation--from Alaska to California to 
Kentucky to New York, from Maryland to rural towns and every place in 
between.
  Again, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to staff on the 
Democratic side, the majority staff, and to Senator Capito's staff on 
the minority side, the Republican side.
  Actually, you can walk into a meeting, some of the meetings we have 
with Senator Capito and myself and our staffs, and if you didn't know 
who worked for whom, you wouldn't know. You wouldn't know, which I 
think is an amazing thing, a wonderful thing.
  With that in mind, again, I want to thank again my staff and Senate 
Capito's staff who worked so hard. I want to recognize, again, Mary 
Frances Repko and Adam Tomlinson for their dedicated leadership on the 
Democratic side and the Republican side of our committee.
  I also want to thank Murphie Barrett, Max Hyman, Kim Townsend, 
Katherine Scarlett, Jacob Mitchell, Haden Miller, Mayely Boyce, Tyler 
Hofmann Reardon, Jordan Baugh, Milo Goodell, Janine Barr, and John 
Kane--especially John Kane--for their tireless efforts.
  John, you are a force of nature. And thank you very, very much for 
your great leadership.
  I would like to say, again--I just said that, so I am not going to 
say that again. I also want to thank Amy Klein and David Wethington of 
the Corps--Amy Klein and David Wethington of the Corps--for their 
countless hours of technical assistance and support as the bill was 
developed.
  In closing, I want to encourage all of our colleagues to join us in 
supporting this excellent bill, because every State stands to benefit 
from the legislation before us today.
  Mr. President, the Senate is now considering the Water Resources 
Development Act of 2022, affectionately known as WRDA. Not only is this 
biennial legislation an ambitious water resources bill, it is also the 
product of a tireless commitment to bipartisanship. Earlier this year, 
we reached out to all 100 Senators to solicit their input for this 
legislation. We developed this legislation using that feedback, and in 
May, we advanced this legislation out of the Environment and Public 
Works Committee by a vote of 20 to 0, something I am quite proud of as 
EPW chairman.
  In these times of partisan divide, it is not often we see legislation 
receive unanimous support. But, as we all know, bipartisan solutions 
are lasting solutions. That is how I think we should approach much of 
our work in the Senate--by reaching across the aisle to find lasting 
solutions, where possible, to the problems we face as a nation. The 
bill before us today is a result of that partnership.
  Before I delve into all we accomplish in this bill, let me thank 
everyone who played a role in its development--especially our EPW 
committee ranking member, Senator Capito, our Transportation and 
Infrastructure Subcommittee chair, Senator Cardin, our subcommittee 
ranking member, Senator Cramer, every member of our committee, and the 
members of our staffs. I also want to thank the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers for supporting us throughout the drafting process.
  This legislation continues the 2-year cycle for WRDA. By passing it, 
we will ensure timely authorization of the Army Corps' studies and 
projects. This work is critical in supporting our economy, restoring 
critical ecosystems, and protecting communities from climate change and 
extreme weather events like flooding and drought.
  When we talk about WRDA, I cannot overstate just how important the 
Army Corps' work is in the lives of Americans across the country. The 
Corps is the principal steward of our Nation's water infrastructure. 
That includes our beaches, our waterways, and our flood control 
systems. Without the enactment of WRDA, our economy could well grind to 
a halt.
  The Corps operates and maintains America's water highway, a 12,000-
mile-long system of inland waterways with 209 locks that are vital to 
domestic and international commerce. Each year, more than 500 million 
tons of commodities move through this system, including 60 percent of 
our Nation's agricultural exports. Operating and maintaining this 
extensive network results in an economic benefit of nearly $14 billion 
each year for our country.
  In addition to managing the waterways that connect our ports to world 
commerce, the Army Corps of Engineers is also responsible for ensuring 
safe, reliable, and efficient navigation at our coastal ports. As we 
have seen over the past 2 years, navigable shipping channels are 
essential to keeping global supply chains moving.
  More than 99 percent of U.S. overseas trade volume moves through the 
13,000 miles of coastal channels maintained by the Corps, supporting 
over 30 million jobs across the country. Cargo activity at our Nation's 
ports supports more than a quarter of the U.S. economy. And, over the 
next decade, an estimated $66 billion in future investment will be 
needed to ensure continued domestic job creation and economic growth.
  Recognizing the economic importance of our Nation's inland shipping 
channels, WRDA 2022 adjusts the Inland Waterways Trust Fund cost share 
to expedite much needed project improvements.
  The legislation also addresses the harbor deepening and maintenance 
needs of commercially significant ports, as well as underserved 
community harbors. While commercially significant ports are vital to 
our Nation's economy, community harbors are similarly important to 
local and regional economies.

[[Page S3760]]

  WRDA 2022 ensures that these community harbors, which provide 
essential fishing, recreation, and navigation services, will continue 
to receive maintenance that will allow for their continued use.
  As a recovering Governor, I often like to say that it is our 
responsibility as elected officials to create a nurturing environment 
for job creation and job preservation. Maintaining our ports and 
coastal waterways is a cornerstone of that nurturing environment.
  The Corps is also a leader in flood and storm damage mitigation and 
ecosystem restoration. In addition to managing over 700 dams and more 
than 13,000 miles of levees and floodwalls, it restores and nourishes 
the Nation's dunes and beaches, constructs and maintains wetlands and 
floodplains, and protects shorelines and riverbanks.
  In total, the Corps' flood and coastal storm risk management 
activities, and infrastructure portfolio, provide the nation an 
economic benefit of nearly $260 billion in damage prevention and 
reduction. This is critical to understand because more than 40 percent 
of our Nation's population lives in coastal counties. If coastal 
counties were their own nation, they would rank third in the world in 
gross domestic product--beaten out only by China and the United States 
as a whole.
  This work is especially important for the communities I represent in 
Delaware. Earlier this year, on the Saturday before Mother's Day, a 
nor'easter pummeled beaches up and down the Delmarva Peninsula. When I 
toured the damage, it was staggering to think that in 2 weeks, these 
communities needed to be ready for the first real beach season since 
the start of the COVID pandemic.
  While many beaches had experienced severe erosion and destruction, 
the dune system that the Corps had built worked as designed and 
protected Delmarva communities from the storm. Homes and buildings 
remained intact. Businesses could still operate. States were prepared 
to handle the storm because of the work that the Army Corps had done. 
Now, we are working with the Corps to rebuild these beaches, which are 
the lifeblood of our States' economies.
  Water, as we all know, is essential for life and a critical input 
into virtually all economic activity. It is hard--in fact, it is 
impossible--to have life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, 
without the use of water and water-related infrastructure. 
Unfortunately, climate change is fueling extreme weather in the form of 
longer and stronger noreasters, hurricanes, and droughts. This 
threatens the Corps' ability to be a good steward of our water 
infrastructure, as well as that infrastructure's ability to protect and 
support our economy.
  And this is not just a problem for coastal communities. For inland 
communities like those along the Missouri River, climate change means 
heavier and more frequent precipitation events, inland flooding, 
riverbank erosion, and the inundation of water treatment systems with 
sediments and contaminants in some areas. For other communities out 
west, climate change means historic droughts, water shortages, and 
deeply destructive wildfires.
  The Water Resources Development Act of 2022 recognizes these 
challenges posed by climate change. It accounts for the new realities 
that the Corps faces in carrying out its primary missions and takes 
critical steps to address these looming concerns. How?
  First, WRDA 2022 overhauls the Corps' project development 
authorities, allowing the agency to better address the impacts of 
climate change. This will make a big difference in States like Arizona, 
where we are witnessing the worst drought conditions along the Colorado 
River in 12,000 years.
  Under our legislation, the Corps and local project sponsors will, for 
the first time, be able to partner and develop cost-shared plans to 
address drought risk management and water supply conservation during 
the planning, constructing, and operating of water resources 
development projects.
  Communities in coastal States will also be able to develop projects 
that address their specific climate-related impacts. This means that we 
will see projects better formulated to combat sea level rise, as well 
as back bay flooding or even sunny day tidal changes instead of just 
storm surge protection.
  In addition to overhauling the Corps' project development 
authorities, WRDA 2022 makes clear that the protection and restoration 
of shorelines and riverbanks from erosion and other damaging forces is 
a primary responsibility. It also improves the Corps' ability to make 
shorelines and riverbanks more resilient.
  In crafting this legislation, we also made equity a top priority. I 
am pleased to report that WRDA 2022 builds on the significant inroads 
made in WRDA 2020 to rectify historical inequities for Tribal and 
disadvantaged communities.
  WRDA 2022 establishes a new Tribal and Disadvantaged Communities 
Advisory Committee to help the Corps more effectively deliver projects, 
programs, and other assistance to these communities. It also makes 
permanent the 2020 pilot programs that cover cost shares for 
economically disadvantaged communities.
  In addition, this legislation reauthorizes the Corps' Tribal 
Partnership Program and makes a series of targeted improvements to 
increase opportunities for Tribal communities to partner with the Corps 
on essential projects in a more cost-effective way.
  Finally, WRDA 2022 establishes a new workforce development and STEM 
outreach program at the Corps with a priority to recruit new engineers 
from historically disadvantaged communities.
  As we move to the consideration of the Water Resources Development 
Act of 2022, I am reminded of an old African proverb that goes 
something like this: ``If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to 
go far, travel together.'' On this bill, we can proudly say that we 
have chosen to travel together.
  With that in mind, I would like to take a moment to thank my staff 
and Ranking Member Capito's staff who together spent tireless hours 
drafting and negotiating each provision in this bill.
  I would like to recognize our staff directors, Mary Frances Repko and 
Adam Tomlinson, for their dedicated leadership.
  I would also like to thank Murphie Barrett, Max Hyman, Kim Townsend, 
Katherine Scarlett, Jacob Mitchell, Haden Miller, Mayely Boyce, Tyler 
Hofmann-Reardon, Jordan Baugh, Milo Goodell, Janine Barr, and John Kane 
for their tireless efforts.
  I like to say that if you walked in a room and saw our staff in 
discussions, you would be impressed at how well they work together--
even when discussing difficult issues.
  I would also like to thank Amy Klein and David Wethington of the 
Corps for the countless hours of technical assistance and support as 
this bill was developed.
  In closing, I urge all of my colleagues to join Senator Capito and me 
in supporting this excellent bill because every State stands to benefit 
from the legislation before us today.
  I yield the floor.
  With that, Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that all time be 
yielded back.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Under the previous order, the bill, as amended, is considered read a 
third time.
  The amendment was ordered to be engrossed and the bill to be read a 
third time.
  The bill was read the third time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill having been read the third time, the 
question is, Shall the bill, as amended, pass?
  Mr. CARPER. I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There appears to be a sufficient second.
  The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. SCHUMER. I announce that the Senator from Illinois (Mr. Durbin), 
the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Leahy), and the Senator from West 
Virginia (Mr. Manchin) are necessarily absent.
  Mr. THUNE. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator 
from North Carolina (Mr. Burr), the Senator from Alaska (Ms. 
Murkowski), and the Senator from Nebraska (Mr. Sasse).
  The result was announced--yeas 93, nays 1, as follows:

[[Page S3761]]

  


                      [Rollcall Vote No. 273 Leg.]

                                YEAS--93

     Baldwin
     Barrasso
     Bennet
     Blackburn
     Blumenthal
     Blunt
     Booker
     Boozman
     Brown
     Cantwell
     Capito
     Cardin
     Carper
     Casey
     Cassidy
     Collins
     Coons
     Cornyn
     Cortez Masto
     Cotton
     Cramer
     Crapo
     Cruz
     Daines
     Duckworth
     Ernst
     Feinstein
     Fischer
     Gillibrand
     Graham
     Grassley
     Hagerty
     Hassan
     Hawley
     Heinrich
     Hickenlooper
     Hirono
     Hoeven
     Hyde-Smith
     Inhofe
     Johnson
     Kaine
     Kelly
     Kennedy
     King
     Klobuchar
     Lankford
     Lee
     Lujan
     Lummis
     Markey
     Marshall
     McConnell
     Menendez
     Merkley
     Moran
     Murphy
     Murray
     Ossoff
     Padilla
     Paul
     Peters
     Portman
     Reed
     Risch
     Romney
     Rosen
     Rounds
     Rubio
     Sanders
     Schatz
     Schumer
     Scott (FL)
     Scott (SC)
     Shaheen
     Shelby
     Sinema
     Smith
     Stabenow
     Sullivan
     Tester
     Thune
     Tillis
     Toomey
     Tuberville
     Van Hollen
     Warner
     Warnock
     Warren
     Whitehouse
     Wicker
     Wyden
     Young

                                NAYS--1

       
     Braun
       

                             NOT VOTING--6

     Burr
     Durbin
     Leahy
     Manchin
     Murkowski
     Sasse
  The bill (H.R. 7776), as amended, was passed.


                             Change of Vote

  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. President, on rollcall vote No. 273, I voted no. 
It had been my intention to vote yea. Therefore, I ask unanimous 
consent to change the vote since it will not affect the outcome.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (The foregoing tally has been changed to reflect the above order.)
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. King). Under the previous order, the 
motion to reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table.
  The majority leader.


                           Order of Procedure

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to executive session to consider the following nomination: 
Calendar No. 1063, David Pressman, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and 
Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Hungary; that the 
Senate vote on the nomination at 1:45 p.m. today, without any 
intervening action or debate; that, if confirmed, the motion to 
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table; that any 
statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record; that the 
President be immediately notified of the Senate's action; further, that 
the July 19, 2022, order with respect to the Milstein nomination remain 
in effect.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________