Water Resources Development Act of 2013

Floor Speech

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Mr. VITTER. Madam President, I also strongly support the amendment. This is a commonsense ``Buy American'' provision, which is completely consistent with what we did on the recent highway bill in a bipartisan way which created no controversy, no debate at the time. I support the amendment.

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Mr. VITTER. I thank the chairman for including this provision, and I would note that the Corps of Engineers has long worked to ensure the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint, ACF, River Basin and Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa, ACT, River Basins are able to meet the demands of users in Georgia, Alabama and Florida through its operation of dams and reservoirs, and performs an important role in regulating the flow of surface water in these basins. Further, it is the intent of WRDA Section 2015 to recognize that role and to assist the States' efforts to reach an end to their disputes. While the committee does not intend to express any opinion about reallocations under the existing authority of the Water Supply Act and its application to these basins, we do believe these States should work to come to an agreement. Additionally, the Chairman and I intend to express these same sentiments to the Corps of Engineers through a letter that will be submitted into the Record soon after passage of this bill.

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Mr. VITTER. Madam President, I join in all of the comments of the distinguished chairman of the committee, and I strongly support this bill as well.

This is a jobs bill as well as a water maritime infrastructure bill that is good for the economy, and it does it in a way that doesn't increase the deficit a penny. This bill contains no earmarks. It institutes important reforms to deauthorize projects that are not moving forward, so it should even be authorization net neutral. It provides reforms which are needed in terms of the Corps of Engineers.

This is a very strong bipartisan bill. I hope it is also some little suggestion of how we can move forward in this body, work in a bipartisan way, and have real debate, amendments, and votes on the floor, which is another whole aspect of this experience that has been very positive.

I urge a ``yes'' vote.

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