89–010 

116TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 1st Session 116–64 

RESTORE THE HARMONY WAY BRIDGE ACT 

JULY 23, 2019.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. BARRASSO, from the Committee on Environment and Public 

Works, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 1833] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was 

referred the bill (S. 1833) to transfer a bridge over the Wabash 

River to the New Harmony River Bridge Authority and the New 

Harmony and Wabash River Bridge Authority, and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass. 

GENERAL STATEMENT AND BACKGROUND

The Harmony Way Bridge is a two-lane bridge that connects Illinois Route 14 with Indiana State Road 66 across the Wabash 

River. The bridge opened in 1930, but was permanently closed on 

May 21, 2012 after inspections revealed the aging bridge was unsafe for traffic. The bridge is owned by the White County Bridge 

Commission (Commission), a federal entity. The Commission originally intended to convey ownership of the bridge to either Illinois 

or Indiana, but conveyance never occurred. Since the bridge’s permanent closure in 2012, local entities have expressed significant interest in acquiring legal ownership of the bridge in order to make 

potential investment and repair determinations. 

This bill transfers ownership of the Harmony Way Bridge from 

the Commission to Illinois and Indiana via the New Harmony 

River Bridge Authority and the New Harmony and Wabash River 

Bridge Authority. Upon conveyance, the 1941 federal statute creating the Commission is repealed. 

OBJECTIVES OF THE LEGISLATION

The objectives of S. 1833 are to transfer ownership the Harmony 

Way Bridge from the Commission to the New Harmony River 


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Bridge Authority and the New Harmony and Wabash River Bridge 

Authority, and, upon conveyance, to repeal the 1941 federal statute 

creating the Commission. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title 

This section states that this Act may be cited as the ‘‘Restore the 

Harmony Way Bridge Act’’. 

Section 2. Transfer of bridge and land 

This section directs the White County Bridge Commission to convey, without consideration, to the New Harmony River Bridge Authority and the New Harmony and Wabash River Bridge Authority, 

any and all right, title, and interest of the Commission in and to 

the bridge across the Wabash River at or near New Harmony, Indiana, the approaches to the bridge, and the land underneath or adjacent to the bridge and the approaches to the bridge. 

Section 3. Repeal 

Repeals the Act of April 12, 1941 (creating the Commission), effective on the date that the Commission completes such conveyance. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

On June 13, 2019, Senator Braun introduced S. 1833, the Restore the Harmony Way Bridge Act, with Senators Duckworth, 

Durbin, and Young as original cosponsors. The bill was read twice 

and referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public 

Works. The Committee met on June 19, 2019, and ordered S. 1833 

favorably reported by voice vote. 

Similar legislation, H.R. 6793, Restore the Harmony Way Bridge 

Act, passed the House by unanimous consent in the 115th Congress. 

HEARINGS

No legislative hearings were held by the Committee on Environment and Public Works to consider S. 1833. 

ROLLCALL VOTES

On June 19, 2019, the Committee on Environment and Public 

Works met to consider S. 1833. The bill was ordered favorably reported by voice vote. No roll call votes were taken. 

REGULATORY IMPACT STATEMENT

In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee finds that S. 1833 does not create any additional regulatory burdens, nor will it cause any adverse impact on the personal privacy of individuals. 

MANDATES ASSESSMENT

In compliance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 

(Public Law 104–4), the Committee notes that the Congressional 


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Budget Office found that S. 1833 contains no intergovernmental or 

private-sector mandates. 

COST OF LEGISLATION

Section 403 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act requires that a statement of the cost of the reported bill, 

prepared by the Congressional Budget Office, be included in the report. That statement follows: 

U.S. CONGRESS, 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, 

Washington, DC, July 10, 2019. 

Hon. JOHN BARRASSO, 

Chairman, Committee on Environment and Public Works, 

U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 1833, the Restore the Harmony Way Bridge Act. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Robert Reese. 

Sincerely, 

PHILLIP L. SWAGEL. 

Enclosure. 

S. 1833 would convey all right, title, and interest in the Harmony 

Way Bridge to Indiana and Illinois. The bridge, which connects Indiana and Illinois over the Wabash River, and the land underneath 

and adjacent to the bridge are currently owned by the federally authorized White County Bridge Commission. The bridge was closed 

and has not been used since May 2012. 

Because the bridge is unused and the federal government would 

not lose any monetary benefit from conveying the bridge to the 

states, CBO estimates that enacting S. 1833 would have no effect 

on the federal budget. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Robert Reese. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 


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CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

Section 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate requires the committee to publish changes in existing law made by 

the bill as reported. Passage of this bill will make no changes to 

existing law. 

Æ 


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