Saxby Chambliss: “today the Senate passed the Water Resources Reform and Development Act. It has been too long since Congress last…”

“today the Senate passed the Water Resources Reform and Development Act. It has been too long since Congress last addressed our water infrastructure, and I want to applaud Chairwoman Boxer and Ranking Member Vitter for their diligent work and unswerving commitment to making this bill a reality. The fact that an infrastructure bill of this magnitude can be passed without earmarks and with a balance of reforms and authorizations for critical projects is a testament to good leadership and a desire by Members of Congress on both sides of the Capitol to better our Nation. One of the projects this bill advances is crucial to not only my State of Georgia but to the entire country. Passage of this bill, with the enhanced authorization it contains for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project, will be the culmination of years of work for the State of Georgia and project stakeholders--and my entire time serving in the Georgia congressional delegation. The idea to expand the Port of Savannah was in its infancy when I first came to Congress in 1994. The Port of Savannah had just been deepened, and we realized then that it was not enough; more and bigger ships were coming in. In 1996 a reconnaissance study was authorized to determine whether the port should be deepened even further.…”