Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2013

Floor Speech

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Chair, I would first like to commend the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for working together on this bipartisan legislation. The collaboration between Chairman SCHUSTER, Ranking Member RAHALL and the rest of the committee demonstrates that we can work together to invest in our nation's infrastructure to make the U.S. more competitive and grow the economy. The backlog of unfinished water infrastructure projects and maintenance is hindering economic recovery and hurting small businesses by slowing trade. This bill helps address the backlog by updating critical infrastructure to allow goods to move more efficiently across our nation's waterways, ports and coasts.

However, like most pieces of legislation, this bill is not perfect. Although this bill makes some critical improvements to current law, I continue to be concerned with changes in environmental assessments and public comment periods in the U.S. Army Corps' project approval process. That is why I supported Rep. PETER DEFAZIO's (OR-04) amendment requiring the Army Corps to decrease their backlog of water infrastructure improvements to under $20 billion before the modified environmental assessment process can go into effect. There are currently over $40 billion in projects that have been authorized under the current approval process, but they lack sufficient appropriations to actually complete them. While I understand the need to improve the Army Corps' project approval process, it would be helpful to start addressing the lack of appropriated funds for previously authorized projects.

Although Rep. DEFAZIO's amendment failed, I still supported this legislation because it makes many important improvements to the Great Lakes water infrastructure that will improve transportation and trade as well as protect against invasive species. I will continue to fight for policies that help the Army Corps decrease its backlog of construction and maintenance projects and protect our precious natural resources.

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