House Passes Bill with Provision to Fund Chickamauga Lock Repairs

WASHINGTON – A bill championed by Congressman John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.) that would help fund repairs to the Chickamauga Lock passed the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday with large bipartisan support.

The measure—H.R. 647, the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act—included an industry-supported user fee provision that would bring in $112 million per year to the Inland Waterways Trust Fund, which funds repairs to the Nation’s inland waterways infrastructure like the Chickamauga Lock.  The trust fund has been underfunded for years.

The user fee of 9 cents per gallon of commercial barge fuel was strongly supported by the commercial barge industry. Rep. Duncan, Vice Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and former Chairman of the Water Resources Subcommittee, also pushed for the provision.

“Hopefully, this much needed funding will speed up the new Chickamauga Lock construction. Our Nation’s inland waterways infrastructure needs critical repairs, and I am pleased that we have found a solution supported by all interests,” Duncan said.

“According to a study by the Iowa Department of Transportation, one barge takes 58 large semi-trailer trucks off the road, and one 15-barge tow takes 870 large semi-trailer trucks off the road. We must keep our waterways fully operational,” Duncan continued. “Congressman Fleischmann and Senator Alexander have been great champions of this cause as well, and I am so thankful for all of their hard work to get this passed.”

The measure now goes to the Senate.