Progress in Washington

October 23, 2013

Dear Friend,

The House will vote on the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) today, which is expected to pass. The basic purpose of a WRRDA bill is to prioritize and authorize water infrastructure projects.  This is the first time Congress has passed a WRRDA bill since 2007.

This bill is important to cities like Fort Worth for a number of reasons. WRRDA bills allow for projects like the Trinity River Vision to be modified and completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – the government agency tasked with completing major public works projects around the country. 

This WRRDA bill is different from how we used to do it because it reforms the way major infrastructure projects are vetted and takes a more realistic approach to large, long-term water projects. This bill is going to save taxpayers money by deauthorizing $12 billion in old and inactive water projects that are still on the books but have never been constructed.  It also cuts bureaucratic red tape by streamlining the environmental review process and reducing the time necessary to complete project studies from 15 years to three.  WRRDA also improves the ability for states and private companies to pitch in funding for projects, which is so important at a time when all levels of government are strapped for cash.

This is a bipartisan bill with major support from around the country, including from the Texas Transportation Commission. I’ll keep you updated as this bill moves toward being signed into law.

Sincerely,

Kay Granger
Member of Congress