I
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 5459
To direct the Secretary of the Army to recommend a water resources develop-
ment and conservation project for authorization by Congress only if
the project has projected benefits that are at least 1.5 times as great
as the project’s estimated total cost, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 12, 2000
Mr. SANFORD (for himself, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. TANCREDO, and Ms.
MCKINNEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Army to recommend a water
resources development and conservation project for au-
thorization by Congress only if the project has projected
benefits that are at least 1.5 times as great as the
project’s estimated total cost, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Corps of Engineers
Benefit-Cost Improvement Act of 2000’’.
SEC. 2. REQUIRED BENEFIT-COST RATIO.
(a) RECOMMENDATION OF PROJECTS.—Beginning in
fiscal year 2001, in the case of a water resources develop-
ment and conservation project that is subject to a benefit-
cost analysis (including any project that has been contin-
gently authorized subject to a favorable report from the
Chief of Engineers), the Secretary of the Army shall only
recommend the project for authorization by Congress, and
shall only choose the project as a recommended alternative
in any record of decision or environmental impact state-
ment, if the project, in addition to meeting any other cri-
teria required by law, has projected benefits that are at
least 1.5 times as great as the project’s estimated total
cost.
(b) 
REVIEW
AND
DEAUTHORIZATION
OF
PROJECTS.—
(1) REVIEW.—Not later than 180 days after
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary
shall review each water resources development and
conservation project described in paragraph (2) to
determine whether the project has projected benefits
that are less than 1.5 times as great as the project’s
estimated total cost.
(2) PROJECTS SUBJECT TO REVIEW.—A water
resources development and conservation project shall
be subject to review under paragraph (1) if—
(A) the project is currently authorized;
(B) the project is a project that is subject
to a benefit-cost analysis; and
(C) less than 33 percent of the project’s
estimated total cost (other than costs of pre-
liminary engineering and design) have been ex-
pended.
(3) DEAUTHORIZATIONS.—Upon completion of
the review under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall
transmit to Congress a list of each project that has
projected benefits that are less than 1.5 times as
great as the project’s estimated total cost. A project
included on the list is not authorized after the date
that is 3 years after the date of transmittal of the
list to Congress unless the project is reauthorized by
law.
(4) DEAUTHORIZED
PROJECTS
FOR
WHICH
CONSTRUCTION HAS BEEN INITIATED.—In the case
of a project that is deauthorized under paragraph
(3) and for which construction (other than prelimi-
nary engineering and design) has been initiated, the
Secretary may take such actions as may be nec-
essary with respect to the project to protect public
health and safety and the environment.
Æ