A bipartisan proposal U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) has put forth would make clear that anyone handling operations and maintenance work at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers navigation projects around the country are government employees.
“Our Founding Fathers understood the important role our government should play in our nation’s infrastructure and this bill continues to protect this important role of managing our locks and dams and commerce along our waterways,” Rep. Davis said in a May 11 statement.
The Navigation Workers Protection Act of 2018, H.R. 5688, would amend the Water Resources Development Act of 1990 relating to the operation and maintenance of navigation facilities, among other purposes, according to the congressional record summary.
Davis introduced H.R. 5688 with U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL) on May 7. Both members serve together on the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which has received the bill for consideration.
“The locks and dams along our waterways are critical to our economy and getting corn, soybeans and other ag products our farmers produce to market and we must ensure they remain a priority,” Rep. Davis said.
The congressman added that H.R. 5688 “has the support of business and labor groups alike” and he looks forward to working with them “to move this important legislation forward.”