On the recordOctober 23, 2013
I would like to thank our committee chair, Mr. Shuster, and the ranking member, Mr. Rahall, from my state of West Virginia. I rise in very strong support of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act, or WRRDA. West Virginia is in the Ohio River Basin, where coal makes up 59 percent of the shipped tonnage. Waterways and ports support 9,900 local jobs and directly contribute $1.6 billion to the West Virginia economy. Domestic power plants rely on our rivers to maintain a steady supply of coal, and our country's coal exports have nearly doubled in the last 4 years. Efficient and effective water transportation has never been more important to West Virginia's economy. Projects like the Marmet Lock and Dam in my district demonstrate the importance of these projects. I am especially pleased that this WRRDA bill takes steps to preserve the Inland Waterways Trust Fund so we can reduce the $8 billion backlog of construction projects on our rivers. This will create jobs and spur growth. WRRDA's passage today will be a significant victory for West Virginia jobs, for American jobs, and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this bill.
