Political Quotes

“I want to thank my friend from Louisiana, a colleague, for offering this amendment. As the gentleman stated, what is happening right now, the Corps of Engineers is requiring non-Federal entities, like the State of Louisiana and other States around the country and other private partners and local governments to acquire land in fee title, and then that is then absorbed as part of the overall cost of a project. In many cases in our home State, 82 percent of coastal Louisiana is owned by private landowners. These landowners are willing to donate the project, servitude or easement to ensure these projects can be built. And these are environmental projects for coastal restoration and other wetland construction-type projects. It reduces overall project cost. It incentivizes cooperation between landowners and government entities trying to restore the coast. This is in the best interest of taxpayers. It is in the best interest of the Corps of Engineers. It is absolutely good policy, and I want to thank the gentleman for the amendment. I urge adoption of the amendment. Madam Chairwoman, I yield back the balance of my time.”