Blunt Applauds Court Ruling Ordering Compensation for Missouri River Flood Victims
Press Release
U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) released the following statement today applauding a ruling by the U.S Court of Federal Claims ordering the federal government to compensate property owners along the Missouri River who sustained flood damage due to mismanagement by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE):
"The families, farmers, and business owners who were hurt by the Army Corps of Engineers' mismanagement of the Missouri River deserve to be compensated immediately. The court has made clear that the Corps is responsible for historic flooding that occurred along the river for several years. Their continued efforts to deny victims the compensation they deserve is completely unacceptable. The Corps needs to acknowledge they are at fault and settle the claims that should have been resolved years ago so property owners can put this chapter behind them. Moving forward, I again call on the Corps to prioritize flood control infrastructure along the lower Missouri River and the protection of lives and property in its river management plans."
In 2018, Blunt commended the U.S. Court of Federal Claims decision finding the USACE liable for historic flood damage that occurred in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013 and 2014. Last month, Blunt joined U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (Kan.), Joni Ernst (Iowa), Deb Fischer (Neb.), Chuck Grassley (Iowa), Ben Sasse (Neb.) and Pat Roberts (Kan.) in sending a letter to Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy urging the USACE to abide by the 2018 ruling and resolve claims promptly and fairly.
In March, Blunt introduced legislation to overhaul the USACE's process for managing water resource projects along the lower Missouri River system. The Lower Missouri River Flood Prevention Program Act, cosponsored by all of the senators from the lower Missouri River basin states, would establish a new program that would require the USACE to implement a system-wide approach to water development projects to reduce flood risk and improve flood protection along the lower Missouri River.
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