Gibbs Applauds Passage of Water Resources Bill

WASHINGTON, DC – After two days of consideration on the House floor, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2016 was passed this evening with bipartisan support. This legislation provides authorization for critical Army Corps of Engineers projects to our nation’s ports, inland waterways, locks, and dams while containing no earmarks.

After major reforms were signed into law in 2014, the process that proposes and approves water infrastructure projects has been streamlined, saving taxpayers time and money.

After passage of H.R. 5303, Congressman Bob Gibbs, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment, released the following statement:

“Water infrastructure is a key component to our nation’s transportation and logistics network. A reliable port and inland waterway system ensures goods can move quickly and affordably to facilitate trade and benefit American consumers. This bill utilizes the reforms from WRRDA 2014, using a transparent process driven by local stakeholders and promoting fiscal responsibility by fully offsetting costs with de-authorization of outdated projects.”

WRDA 2016 is fiscally responsible by offsetting new authorizations and returning to a two-year consideration cycle for water projects. This biennial calendar keeps projects on schedule and on budget while preventing delays in approval, construction, or modification.

During debate, Congressman Gibbs spoke on the House floor in support of H.R. 5303. 

A fact sheet for WRDA 2016 can be found here.

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