Legislation Includes $6 Million for Levee Construction and Repairs

Washington, DC (June 27, 2006) – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations passed H.R. 5672, the FY2007 Science, State, Justice, Commerce Appropriations Bill.  Included in this legislation is $6 million secured by Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX), for the Construction Account of the International Boundary and Water Commission.

Congressman Hinojosa has worked with members of the Appropriations Committee, including Subcommittee Chairman Frank Wolf (R-VA) and Ranking Member Alan Mollohan (D-WV), to secure these funds. 
 
Levees and floodways require substantial upkeep and repairs to ensure that municipalities, airports, hospitals, schools and colleges, commercial districts, and foreign trade zones are not flooded through breaches in the existing levees.  Since the region relies so heavily on retail sales and trade to Mexican nationals, a severe flood would halt retail activity and decimate the economy; a region that already experiences some of the highest poverty rates in the country.
 
“This week, the House of Representatives debated topics like flood insurance reform, floodplain maps, and restitution,” said Hinojosa.  “All are important components when trying to offset damage and devastation from natural disasters.  However, we also must be as proactive as possible.  Ensuring that our levee and flood control systems are able to withstand storm damage is extremely important – and this money is a much needed first step.”
 
To date, the IBWC has not received the federal funding necessary to complete the required assessments and design for critical levee construction and/or rehabilitation.  The IBWC’s Lower Rio Grande Flood Control Project’s total costs will be $125 million. 

Congressman Hinojosa has been working with his colleagues on the Congressional Border Caucus to obtain additional federal money to repair and raise the levees to avoid potential catastrophic flooding in the Valley.  The International Boundary and Water Commission recently completed a study with the Army Corps of Engineers that concluded that many sections of the levees are sub-standard and would not hold up under severe rain events.

“We all learned hard and valuable lessons following hurricane season last year, and we must learn from them,” said Hinojosa.  “The mistakes of Hurricane Katrina must not and cannot be repeated.”