[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Pages 6772-6773]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           TEXT OF AMENDMENTS

  SA 916. Mrs. BOXER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
her to the bill S. 601, to provide for the conservation and development 
of water and related resources, to authorize the Secretary of the Army 
to construct various projects for improvements to rivers and harbors of 
the United States, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       At the end, add the following:
       This Act shall become effective 1 day after enactment.
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  SA 917. Mr. DURBIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 906 proposed by Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mr. Blunt, Mrs. 
McCaskill, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Franken, Mr. 
Cochran, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Pryor, and Ms. Landrieu) to the 
bill S. 601, to provide for the conservation and development of water 
and related resources, to authorize the Secretary of the Army to 
construct various projects for improvements to rivers and harbors of 
the United States, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       On page 3, line 15, insert ``, consistent with the 
     authorized purposes of the water resource projects in the 
     greater Mississippi River Basin'' after ``navigation''.
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  SA 918. Mr. DURBIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 797 proposed by Mr. Inhofe to the bill S. 601, to provide 
for the conservation and development of water and related resources, to 
authorize the Secretary of the Army to construct various projects for 
improvements to rivers and harbors of the United States, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 4, strike line 2 and insert the following:
     the United States.

     SEC. 12____. GREATER MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASIN SEVERE FLOODING 
                   AND DROUGHT MANAGEMENT STUDY.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Greater mississippi river basin.--The term ``greater 
     Mississippi River Basin'' means the area covered by 
     hydrologic units 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11, as identified by the 
     United States Geological Survey as of the date of enactment 
     of this Act.
       (2) Lower mississippi river.--The term ``lower Mississippi 
     River'' means the portion of the Mississippi River that 
     begins at the confluence of the Ohio River and flows to the 
     Gulf of Mexico.
       (3) Middle mississippi river.--The term ``middle 
     Mississippi River'' means the portion of the Mississippi 
     River that begins at the confluence of the Missouri River and 
     flows to the lower Mississippi River.
       (4) Severe flooding and drought.--The term ``severe 
     flooding and drought'' means severe weather events that 
     threaten personal safety, property, and navigation on the 
     inland waterways of the United States.
       (b) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out a study of 
     the greater Mississippi River Basin--
       (1) to improve the coordinated and comprehensive management 
     of water resource projects in the greater Mississippi River 
     Basin relating to severe flooding and drought conditions; and
       (2) to evaluate the feasibility of any modifications to 
     those water resource projects, consistent with the authorized 
     purposes of those projects, and develop new water resource 
     projects to improve the reliability of navigation and more 
     effectively reduce flood risk.
       (c) Contents.--The study shall--
       (1) identify any Federal actions that are likely to prevent 
     and mitigate the impacts of severe flooding and drought, 
     including changes to authorized channel dimensions, 
     operational procedures of locks and dams, and reservoir 
     management within the greater Mississippi River Basin, 
     consistent with the authorized purposes of the water resource 
     projects;
       (2) identify and make recommendations to remedy challenges 
     to the Corps of Engineers presented by severe flooding and 
     drought, including river access, in carrying out its mission 
     to maintain safe, reliable navigation, consistent with the 
     authorized purposes of the water resource projects in the 
     greater Mississippi River Basin; and
       (3) identify and locate natural or other physical 
     impediments along the middle and lower Mississippi River to 
     maintaining navigation on the middle and lower Mississippi 
     River during periods of low water.
       (d) Consultation and Use of Existing Data.--In carrying out 
     the study, the Secretary shall--
       (1) consult with appropriate committees of Congress, 
     Federal, State, tribal, and local agencies, environmental 
     interests, agricultural interests, recreational interests, 
     river navigation industry representatives, other shipping and 
     business interests, organized labor, and nongovernmental 
     organizations;
       (2) to the maximum extent practicable, use data in 
     existence as of the date of enactment of this Act; and

[[Page 6773]]

       (3) incorporate lessons learned and best practices 
     developed as a result of past severe flooding and drought 
     events, including major floods and the successful effort to 
     maintain navigation during the near historic low water levels 
     on the Mississippi River during the winter of 2012-2013.
       (e) Cost-sharing.--The Federal share of the cost of 
     carrying out the study under this section shall be 100 
     percent.
       (f) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress 
     a report on the study carried out under this section.
       (g) Savings Clause.--Nothing in this section impacts the 
     operations and maintenance of the Missouri River Mainstem 
     System, as authorized by the Act of December 22, 1944 (58 
     Stat. 897, chapter 665).

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