Political Quotes

“Unfortunately, the President's 2015 budget request cuts O&M funding by 28 percent, reflecting an overall $1 billion cut in the Corps of Engineers' civil works budget from the levels set in the fiscal year 2014 omnibus budget bill. While I appreciate the House Appropriations' mark of $44 million above the fiscal year 2014 level, more must be done to help ensure our waterways are properly maintained. This is especially true with the Water Resources conference report, which allows for 100 percent of the funds generated by the cargo tax to be utilized for harbor maintenance and dredging by the year 2025. We need to help bridge this gap now, as nearly 1,000 Federal ports and harbors have not been adequately maintained, and are dredged to their authorized depths and widths only 35 percent of the time. The amendment myself and my colleague from Louisiana are coauthoring directs $1 million from the Department of Energy's administrative offices and directs $1 million to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' operation and maintenance accounts. The purpose of the funding redirection is to make strategic and justified investments in our Nation's port and waterway infrastructure, such as the Calcasieu Ship Channel. For example, Port of Lake Charles officials announced yesterday that vessel traffic is expected to increase by more than 50 percent over the next 5 years and double within the decade.…”