Political Quotes

“I will support this legislation to strengthen our Nation's water infrastructure. For Michigan, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act, WRRDA, means that harbors, channels, breakwaters, and locks in the Great Lakes will be better maintained; Federal assistance for wastewater system upgrades will be more flexible and affordable; and the Great Lakes fishery will be better protected from destructive invasive species. Surrounded by water on all but one side, Michigan is a water state and our waters fuel our economy, create jobs, offer a vast array of recreational opportunities, and provide drinking water to millions. I am pleased this bill will help protect our waters and improve their navigability. The report makes progress on increasing funding for harbor maintenance, with the goal of aligning revenues collected in the harbor maintenance trust fund with those expended for this purpose. Over 5 years have passed since I led a bipartisan and multiregional group of Senators to call to the attention of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee the imbalance in collections and spending for harbor maintenance. I am pleased the committee worked with us to reduce this disparity. This conference report aims to increase spending on harbor maintenance so that it is more in line with the fees collected for maintaining our Nation's navigation infrastructure.…”