Defending our Dams Act

Bill: 119-hr-2073
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4]
Introduced: 2025-03-11
Policy area: Water Resources Development
Subjects: Dams and canals

Washington State

Water resources funding
Latest action: action_date: 2025-09-03
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2073 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 11, 2025 Mr. Newhouse (for himself, Mr. Baumgartner , Mr. Fulcher , and Mr. Bentz ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources , and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To prohibit the use of Federal funds to allow or study the breach or alteration of the Lower Snake River dams, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Defending our Dams Act . 2. Lower Snake River dams (a) Prohibition on use of Federal funds No Federal funds may be used to allow, lead to, or study the breach or functional alteration of, including study of power, flood control, or navigation replacement of, or provide dam removal technical assistance for, the Lower Snake River dams. (b) Prohibition on spillage operations (1) In general The Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, may not carry out any spillage operations on any of the Lower Snake River dams unless such operations are approved by the Secretary and the Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration. (2) Considerations In determining whether to approve spillage operations under paragraph (1), the Secretary and the Administrator shall consider all Columbia River System operations. (c) Definition In this section, the term Lower Snake River dams means the following dams in the State of Washington, authorized by section 2 of the Act of March 2, 1945 (chapter 19, 59 Stat. 21): (1) Ice Harbor Dam. (2) Lower Monumental Dam. (3) Little Goose Dam. (4) Lower Granite Dam.