Political Quotes

“My amendment adds universities to the list of entities the Secretary of the Army Corps of Engineers should consider when submitting their report to Congress on the use of innovative materials in water resource development projects. Section 128 requires the Secretary of the Army to submit to Congress a report that describes the activities of various entities involved in the development of innovative materials for water development projects. Currently, as written, the bill mentions centers of expertise, technological centers, technical centers, research and development centers, and other similar centers. Universities are often at the cutting edge of research and, therefore, should be specified for consideration in preparing the report. While the current language could already include universities in the category of ``other similar centers,'' such consideration would be discretionary. As such, a relevant area of activity may not be considered for the report because a single word was not added to the text. As Members of Congress, we ask for reports and recommendations from government entities so their expertise can be utilized in assisting the legislative process. Here, the activities conducted at universities should be considered so we can best capture the relevant information on the testing, research, development, and identification to best inform the Army Corps report and their congressional recommendations to resources development projects. Mr.…”