Date: 2007-04-19
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Thank you. Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to rise to support H.R. 1495. the Water Resources Development Act of 2007. This bill authorizes water resources projects and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers policy and programmatic changes that our Congress has failed to consider for far too long. Water resources legislation is most effective when it is considered biennially. I support this 2year cycle. as it provides stability to the program and assurance to the nonFederal sponsors who support Corps projects. When we let them go. they get to be more costly. And. unfortunately. no water resources bill has been enacted since 2000. the entire term of our current administration. This is a result. in part. of a failure of the current administration to engage in this important legislation. as well as a failure of the Congress to reach agreement. Last year. we came very close to resolving our differences with the other body in conference. However. we ultimately ran out of time. I hope this legislation that we consider today can take us to that point and further. releasing this backlog of authorizations to fix our existing infrastructure and to authorize new flood control. navigation and environmental restoration projects. We are trying very hard to move a little ahead of the next flooding. We must do that. And they are not going to kick out Democrats or Republicans for flooding. it is going to be whoever is in the way. It is purposeful that we have brought this bill to the floor as early as we have in this session. The authorizations in the language are time sensitive. and there should be no surprise that this bill contains a substantial number of provisions. Many of these authorizations have been waiting for action more than 6 years. Within the 110th Congress. the committee intends to move two water resources bill. This first one contains a logjam of more than 6 years of issues. The second bill will consider new projects and policy changes that we were not able to add to this legislatioi. that we will consider today. This approach may not be traditional. but it is necessary. Since Congress last passed a. Water Resources Development Act. we have seen Hurricanes Katrina and Rita tear up the gulf coast and my home State of Texas. flooding cities. damaging economies and businesses. and threatening public health. The Florida Everglades continue to need attention and restoration to save the unique treasures it brings to the State and our country. This bill also contains smaller projects that may be less publfcized but just as vital to communities that rely on various water resources for their livelihood. As in the past.. these projects were not considered on a partisan basis. but on individual merit. Their approval should not be considered solely on whether they are Democratic projects or Republican projects. these are human projects. They should be considered on their contributions to public safety and economics. H.R. 1495 "authorizes programmatic changes to the Corps of Engineers that previously have passed the House. but have stalled in the failed conference negotiations. During the 109th Congress we came close to resolving these differences with the Senate. I urge my colleagues to once again support these provisions. Everybody who has been here more than 6 years bught to know what everything is in this bill because they have seen it over and over and over again. We must engage the other body and together produce the best package for Corps reform. I would like to acknowledge Chairman OBERSTAR for his leadership and eloquence in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. as well as the interest and expertise that he shares on water resoarces issues. I also would like to thank our ranking member. Mr. MICA. and the ranking member of the subcommittee. Mr. BAKER. for their knowledge and effort and partnership with me. and for their support. I strongly support this legislation. I* hope and urge my colleagues tovote in favor of its final passage. The time is now.