The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday unanimously approved legislation led by U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R-PA) that would increase congressional oversight of three Mid-Atlantic river basin commissions, which coordinate the management of a river system’s water resources across political boundaries.
The commissions included in the Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commissions Review Act, H.R. 3428, are the Delaware River Basin Commission, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, and the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin.
“Over the years, rivers in the Mid-Atlantic have grown in importance as our populations have grown and water usage has increased,” said Rep. Bresnahan. “Due to this expansion, the commissions that manage these rivers have been handed a growing amount of responsibility that has largely gone unchecked by the federal government, despite their involvement across state lines.
“My legislation will address this lapse by directing studies for recommendations and increasing federal oversight on these organizations, and I look forward to advocating for its passage in the Senate,” the congressman added.
The U.S. Senate on Sept. 9 received H.R. 3428 for action and referred it to the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
If enacted, H.R. 3428 would require the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a review focusing on each river basin commission’s ethics practices, communication with the public, and how each commission carries out federal responsibilities, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Bresnahan’s staff.
Rep. Bresnahan sponsored H.R. 3428 on May 15. The U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee passed the bill on June 11.
“Congress has a duty to conduct its oversight responsibilities over the Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commissions,” said T&I Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO). “This legislation increases accountability and oversight of the Mid-Atlantic River Basin Commissions, especially after a state-level audit of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission raised concerns about ethics compliance and appropriate use of funds. I want to thank Rep. Bresnahan for his work on this bill and his leadership on this issue.”