Graves, Scalise, Capito commend passage of water development bill in year-end relief package

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and U.S. Reps. Sam Graves (R-MO) and Steve Scalise (R-LA) on Monday applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for approving U.S. Senate changes to the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020 as part of the year-end omnibus and COVID relief legislative package, which heads to the president’s desk to be signed into law.

“I’m glad to see this legislation included as part of the final bill to fund the federal government,” said Sen. Capito, who in April joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers to introduce a draft of WRDA 2020 in her chamber.

Specifically, WRDA 2020 is included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, H.R. 133.

“Strengthening America’s infrastructure has traditionally been a bipartisan priority because of the enormous benefits such projects can generate,” Sen. Capito said, adding that the WRDA “makes important updates to our nation’s water resources infrastructure and provides resources that will benefit the health and well-being of West Virginians and others in communities across the country.”

Rep. Scalise also helped secure the inclusion of WRDA 2020 in the final relief package and worked to get several provisions added to the bill that strengthen flood protection for families and communities in southeast Louisiana, and improve the navigation projects essential for Louisiana’s economy and America’s maritime industry. 

“Among these provisions, this year’s bill includes authorizations for deepening Baptiste Collette, the Houma Navigation Canal, and Port Fourchon Belle Pass, all of which will improve Louisiana’s ability to move commerce on our waterways, strengthening our position as a leading export state and a top producer of our nation’s oil and natural gas supply,” said Rep. Scalise. “I look forward to President Trump signing this into law so we can finalize a WRDA package before the end of this year.”

The bipartisan legislation, which the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has developed and passed on a biennial basis since 2014, is essential to the nation’s ports, harbors and inland waterways, as well as ecosystem restoration and flood mitigation in both rural and urban communities. The language approved on Dec. 21 is the result of negotiations with the Senate since House passage of H.R. 7575 in late July and S. 1811 in early December, according to Rep. Graves’ office. 

“WRDA 2020 will help strengthen the nation’s global competitiveness, grow the economy, protect our communities, and create jobs,” said House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Graves. “In particular, the vital flood control and risk-reduction improvements in this bill will help safeguard communities throughout north Missouri and around the country.”

Rep. Graves also thanked his colleagues in both chambers of Congress for working to finalize WRDA 2020.

“It’s important that Congress is maintaining its regular oversight of the Corps of Engineers and continuing consideration of WRDA every two years,” he said. “This bipartisan, bicameral legislation remains a model for how Congress can work together to address our nation’s infrastructure needs.”