Date: 2010-09-28
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. this resolution recognizes the 50th anniversary of the National Waterways Conferencean organization founded as a national advocate for effective policy and robust funding to meet our Nations waterrelated infrastructure needs. I commend the gentleman from Illinois for introducing this resolution. This resolution recognizes the valuable work of the National Waterways Conference. and congratulates them on marking 50 years of effective advocacy for meeting the Nations waterrelated infrastructure challenges. Mr. Speaker. as the Chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. the gentleman from Minnesota frequently states. we are a Nation that was formed along the waters. While initially used as the main thoroughfare for commerce and trade. the utility of our Nations rivers. streams. and coastal areas to our communities has expanded through the years. however. their importance has never waned. Throughout its history. our Nation has been well served by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. the leadFederal agency charged by Congress with meeting the growing waterrelated challenges facing the Nation. For centuries. the Corps has served as the Nations premier water resource agency. charged by Congress with responsibility over its three principal mission areas of navigation. flood damage reduction. and environmental restoration. Throughout this history. the Corps has had great successes in addressing many of the major water resource challenges presented to the agency by Congress. From the development of major U.S. ports and the inland waterway system. to the protection of thousands of American cities and towns from the risk of flood damage. to the restoration of some of the Nations most valuable natural treasures. such as Yellowstone National Park and the Everglades. This Congress. on a regular basis. has provided the Corps with the authority to carry out nationally significant projects that have improved the economic prosperity of the Nation. have protected its citizenry from the threat of flooding and coastal storms. and have put in place environmental restoration efforts for the Nations natural treasures. These authorities are typically included in a water resources development act. under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. and my Subcommittee. Our Committee has a tradition of saying there are "no Republican levees. and no Democratic navigation projects"-but. I would contend. these projects are essential to the lives and livelihoods of the constituents we represent. Investment in our waterrelated infrastructure should be one of those areas where we can come together as a nationto meet the evergrowing challenges facing our Nation. As in the past. with the historic override of the Presidential veto of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007. this Congress has a history of transcending our political differences to address the needs of the Nation. I look forward to continuing this work with my colleagues. and on completing our efforts on the Water Resources Development Act of 2010. which was approved by the Committee before the August District Work period. Similarly. I join my colleagues in commending the work of the National Waterways Conference in the furtherance of our efforts to move water resources bills on a biennial basis. Throughout its 50year history. the Conference has been an effective National advocate for water resources policy and law. as well as a strong supporter for robust funding of the authorities for the Corps of Engineers. Fundamental to this effort is the Conferences attempts to maintain a diverse membership that reflects many of the uses of the Nations waterways. including flood control associations. levee boards. waterways shippers and carriers. industry and regional associations. port authorities. shipyards. dredging contractors. regional water districts. engineering consultants. and local governments. As is clear from the diversity of the Conferences membership. few areas of National policy have more divergent views. often competing needs. and potential for controversy than the Nations waters. However. to aid this effort. organizations. such as the National Waterways Conference. can bring together often competing view points to promote effective National policy with respect to the management and protection of the Nations waters. In that light. I applaud the Conference for its support of the Recovery Act. and its appropriation of $4.6 billion for the Corps to address the waterresource needs of the Nation. This investment. of which. as of August 31. over 93 percent has been obligated. has allowed the Corps to address much of the critical backlog for operation and maintenance of projects in the Corps jurisdiction. I also applaud the Conferences support for the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructures efforts to move the Water Resources Development Act of 2010. This effort is consistent with the traditions of the Committee to consider a water resources development act in every Congress to address the current and future water resource needs of the Nation. Again. I congratulate the National Waterways Conference on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. and urge my colleagues to join me in support of this resolution.