"The legislation passed in the House is a small step in the right direction, adding more air marshals on flights and providing some federal oversight of the security screening at airports, but it doesn’t go far enough.  I am hopeful that, as these two bills now go to a conference committee, the House and Senate will work together in a bi-partisan way to come up with a strong bill that can be presented to the President soon so that we can truly take back our skies. 

"It’s been seven weeks since the September 11 terrorist attacks on our nation.  We cannot wait any longer to get an airline security measure enacted.  By professionalizing our airline security, we will make our skies safer, boost confidence in air travel, and help to restore our nation’s economy.  This is a matter of national security, and the American people deserve nothing less.  We must act now to take back our country and make American families feel safe again. "

In addition to various projects for South Arkansas, funding for several important projects affecting the Fourth District as well as other areas of Arkansas and the surrounding states approved in the Energy and Water Appropriations measure include money for the continued construction of the Montgomery Point Lock and Dam, navigation studies and levee and bank improvements for the Arkansas and Red Rivers, the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, Grand Prairie, and channel and levee improvements for the Mississippi River and tributaries. 

“The maintenance and navigability of our rivers and waterways are critical to the economy in our district.  This bill provides needed funding to continue important projects such as the construction of the Montgomery Point Lock and Dam and efforts to improve the navigability of the Red River, which will allow for flood control improvements and better use of our waterways,” Ross said.  “As a freshman member of Congress, I am pleased that we are continuing to demonstrate effectiveness in securing appropriations for the Fourth Congressional District.  I was glad to work closely with local officials in the district as well as my colleagues in the House and the Senate in ensuring the inclusion of these funds.” 

Projects benefiting the Fourth District included in the bill are: 

Construction:
McClellan-Kerr Ark. River Navigation System         $3,000,000
Montgomery Point Lock and Dam                              $23,000,000
Red River Waterway - Index, AR to Denison, TX    $3,000,000
Red River Emergency Bank Protection                       $3,000,000
Red River Below Denison Dam (AR, LA, OK, TX)   $2,000,000

Operation and Maintenance:
Blakely Mt. Dam, Lake Ouachita                                  $4,734,000
DeGray Lake                                                                    $4,235,000
McClellan-Kerr Ark. River Navigation System         $22,338,000
Narrows Dam, Lake Greeson                                       $4,308,000
Ouachita River and Black Rivers (AR, LA)               $7,127,000
Yellow Bend Port                                                          $150,000
General Investigations
Arkansas River Levees                                              $187,000
Arkansas River Navigation Study                           $1,200,000
Red River Waterway (AR, LA, OK, TX)                $100,000
Red River Navigation Study, Southwest, AR       $500,000
White River Basin Comprehensive (AR, MO)      $581,000
White River Minimum Flows                                   $363,000
White River Navigation                                           $169,000

Flood Control, Mississippi River and Tributaries -
General Investigations:
Bayou Meto Basin                                                   $1,500,000
Southeast, AR                                                           $400,000
Tensas River Basin                                                  $100,000

Construction:
Channel Improvement (AR, IL, KY, LA, MS, MO, TN) $45,000,000
Grand Prairie Region                                                           $12,000,000
Miss. River Levees (AR, IL, KY, LA, MS, MO, TN)      $50,057,000

Maintenance:
Channel Improvement (AR, IL, KY, LA, MS, MO, TN)  $61,462,000
Tensas Basin, Beouf and Tensas Rivers (AR, LA)         $3,250,000