ASCE applauds the Senate today for passing the Water Resources Development Act (S. 601). The 83 – 14 vote on final passage caps off a huge bipartisan effort from Environment and Public Works Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Ranking Member David Vitter (R-LA).
The final $12 billion package includes several of ASCE top priorities for WRDA such as the reauthorization of the National Dam Safety Program, the creation of a National Levee Safety Program, the eventual move toward trust in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, and reforms to accelerate project review and delivery.
With Senate passage, attention now turns to the House, where things are moving at a slower pace. Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) has said his committee hopes to produce a bill by “summer-ish”, while some Republican aides have said that the committee hopes to take action in June on a WRDA package.
For now ASCE is pleased to see that WRDA is out of the Senate and urges the House to not be too far behind.