Congressmen Cleaver, Graves Announce Passage of a Water Infrastructure Bill

Statement

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the 2016 Water Resources Development Act bill, S.612, the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act. This bill authorizes water resources development projects to be carried out by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and also authorizes funding to address the Flint water crisis.

Several flood protection projects in the Kansas City area are included in the final House bill. In a successful bi-partisan effort, Missouri Congressmen Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-05) and Sam Graves (R- 06) advocated for the inclusion of these Kansas City projects in WRDA, which authorizes flood control and other water infrastructure projects conducted by the Army Corps of Engineers.

"I am pleased to see the passage of the 2016 WRDA bill, S.612. This bill contains several flood control projects that are imperative for Kansas City area. I'm pleased that Congressman Graves and I were able to work together to advocate for these improvements that will help protect families and businesses against the devastation of floods," said Congressman Cleaver.

"Proper maintenance of the Missouri River affects everyone and everything in the Kansas City area," Rep. Graves said. "Over the past year, Congressman Cleaver and I have worked to highlight the importance of levee systems that protect thousands of homes and millions of dollars in economic activity across our region. I am pleased to see those projects prioritized here, ensuring KC has the best possible defense against floods that could threaten lives and devastate local business." Congressman Graves continued.

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