IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 484 

Commemorating the unofficial start of the inland waterway system navigation 

season and the role of the Corps of Engineers in facilitating access 

and increasing efficiencies in the American agricultural and trade economy. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 11, 2019 

Ms. CRAIG (for herself, Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania, Mr. BOST, Ms. FINKENAUER, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. BALDERSON, and 

Mr. LOEBSACK) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 

the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

RESOLUTION 

Commemorating the unofficial start of the inland waterway 

system navigation season and the role of the Corps of 

Engineers in facilitating access and increasing efficiencies in the American agricultural and trade economy. 

Whereas the navigation of the inland waterway system is part 

of the United States marine transportation system, which 

provides for both passenger transport and domestic 

freight transportation infrastructure and coastal gateways for global trade; 

Whereas the St. Paul District of the Corps of Engineers considers the first tow to arrive at Lock and Dam 2 as the 

unofficial start of the inland waterway system navigation 


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•HRES 484 IH 

season, because it means all locks are accessible to commercial and recreational vessels; 

Whereas, on April 24, 2019, the first tow to reach Lock and 

Dam 2 was the Motor Vessel Aaron F. Barrett, pushing 

12 barges en route to St. Paul, Minnesota, and it was 

locked through Lock and Dam 2, near Hastings, Minnesota; 

Whereas, up and down the river, shippers and consumers 

from 38 States depend on the inland waterways to move 

about 600 million tons of cargo valued at over $300 billion annually; 

Whereas American farmers are reliant on the inland waterway system as a low-cost transportation mechanism for 

their goods traded internationally; 

Whereas 541,000 jobs are directly tied to our inland waterway system; 

Whereas the work by the Corps of Engineers to maintain the 

inland waterway system is vital to the Nation’s economy; 

Whereas the Corps of Engineers is responsible for maintaining 192 commercially active lock sites with 238 lock 

chambers, providing a minimum 9-foot navigation channel on nearly 12,000 miles of inland and intracoastal waterways; 

Whereas, in addition to lock maintenance, the Corps of Engineers promotes environmental enhancement, river navigation, flood damage reduction, water and wetlands regulation, recreation site preservation, and disaster response; 

Whereas more than 78 percent of the locks and dams operated by the Corps of Engineers on the system are well 

beyond their 50-year design life, and nearly half of vessels experience delays; 


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•HRES 484 IH 

Whereas the Mississippi River contributes the largest percentage into the Inland Waterways Trust Fund to contribute in the construction and rehabilitation of locks and 

dams, yet has received limited investment return to its 

infrastructure; and 

Whereas proportional investment in the inland waterway system infrastructure would directly result in efficiency and 

productivity gains across sectors and significantly impact 

the competitiveness of American commodities in international markets: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes the start of the inland waterway 

3 system navigation season; 

4 (2) acknowledges the work of the Corps of En5 gineers in maintaining the inland waterway system 

6 as vital to the Nation’s economy; 

7 (3) recognizes that more than 78 percent of the 

8 locks and dams operated by the Corps of Engineers 

9 on the system are well beyond their 50-year design 

10 life; and 

11 (4) expresses its sense that investment in the 

12 inland waterway system infrastructure is needed and 

13 would significantly impact the competitiveness of 

14 American commodities in international markets. 

Æ 


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