Bruce Westerman: “I thank the distinguished ranking member from Missouri for his leadership on continuing the biennial consideration for…”

“I thank the distinguished ranking member from Missouri for his leadership on continuing the biennial consideration for the Water Resources Development Act. Today, I rise in strong support of S. 1811, the Water Resources Development Act of 2020. WRDA 2020 will strengthen our Nation's ability to withstand severe weather and flood events, authorize the construction of key water infrastructure projects throughout the Nation, create jobs here at home, and directly contribute to our economic growth and competitiveness. All 60 project authorizations contained in WRDA 2020 were proposed by non-Federal sponsors and underwent a rigorous planning process before congressional review. This WRDA bill focuses on building more resilient infrastructure, increasing rural flood protection, addressing the maintenance backlog at our Nation's ports and harbors, and prioritizing our Nation's inland waterways. The House passed WRDA by voice vote nearly 5 months ago, continuing the strong bipartisan tradition that WRDA enjoys. After negotiations with the Senate, I am glad to support this compromise bill, which contains nearly all of our Chamber's priorities. S. 1811 is fiscally responsible, with new project authorizations fully offset by deauthorizations of projects that are outdated or no longer viable. Again, I want to stress that this legislation represents the continuing commitment to regular order for consideration of water resources projects.…”