[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 14687-14688]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




FACILITATING CONSTRUCTION OF A BRIDGE ON CERTAIN PROPERTY IN CHRISTIAN 
                            COUNTY, MISSOURI

  Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 810) to facilitate construction of a bridge on certain 
property in Christian County, Missouri, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                 S. 810

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

     SECTION 1. RIVERSIDE BRIDGE PROJECT.

       (a) In General.--The Riverside Bridge Project is authorized 
     to be carried out notwithstanding--
       (1) any agreement entered unto under, or restriction 
     pursuant to, section 404(b)(2) of the Robert T. Stafford 
     Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
     5170c(b)(2)); or
       (2) any easement or other Federal restriction pursuant to 
     that Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) that requires the covered 
     property to be maintained for open space, recreation, or 
     wetland management.
       (b) Conditions.--As a condition of the authorization under 
     subsection (a)--

[[Page 14688]]

       (1) Christian County, Missouri, or an assignee shall--
       (A) carry out the Riverside Bridge Project in a manner that 
     ensures that no flood damage attributable to the Project 
     occurs; and
       (B) be liable for any such flood damage that does occur; 
     and
       (2) the Federal Government shall not be liable for future 
     flood damage that is caused by the Project.
       (c) Disaster Assistance Prohibited.--No future disaster 
     assistance from any Federal source may be provided with 
     respect to the covered property or any improvements thereon.
       (d) Definitions.--In this Act, the following definitions 
     apply:
       (1) Covered property.--The term ``covered property'' means 
     the property--
       (A) in Christian County, Missouri;
       (B) conveyed to such County by the Riverside Inn, Inc.; and
       (C) that is approximately 1.5 acres and 482 lineal feet 
     adjacent to the westerly line of Riverside Road to the center 
     of Finley Creek.
       (2) Riverside bridge project.--The term ``Riverside Bridge 
     Project'' means the project to construct, maintain, and 
     operate a bridge on and over the covered property.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Ferguson) and the gentlewoman from the District of 
Columbia (Ms. Norton) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on S. 810.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Georgia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 810 would allow the community of Ozark, Missouri, to 
finish the Riverside Bridge project, which spans the Finley River. 
After repeated major flooding in the area, the community purchased the 
land next to the existing bridge.
  As a condition of the Federal funds used to purchase this land, FEMA 
prohibits the building of any structures on the property. Replacing the 
current one-lane bridge is essential and will alleviate traffic for 
families, small business owners, and emergency responders traveling in 
the region.
  I would like to thank the entire Missouri delegation for their work 
on this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support its passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 810. This bill authorizes 
construction of a bridge on property acquired for open space under 
section 404 of the Stafford Act.
  Riverside Bridge in Christian County, Missouri, is a 100-year-old 
one-lane bridge that currently frequently closes due to flooding. Local 
transportation officials have agreed on a plan to replace the existing 
one-lane bridge with a wider bridge that has a larger footprint.
  However, expanding the bridge involves building on land that has 
received FEMA disaster mitigation funds in the past.
  After repeated flooding, FEMA provided funding to Christian County in 
2009 to demolish a structure adjacent to the bridge, the Riverside Inn, 
and to purchase the land. As a condition of providing the funding, FEMA 
required that the land be maintained for open space, recreation, or 
wetland management. Unless Congress removes the restriction on 
construction on that site, the county cannot replace Riverside Bridge.
  S. 810 provides that Christian County must ensure the bridge 
replacement project does not result in flood damage and is liable for 
any flood damage that occurs. No further disaster assistance from any 
Federal source may be provided for the property or the structure.
  This bill provides a narrow exemption from existing FEMA rules that 
will allow Christian County, Missouri, to solve a transportation 
problem. I am not aware of any opposition to this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge its adoption, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Ferguson) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, S. 810.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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