By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
A major legislative piece outlining management of the nation’s rivers as well as funding improvements to the country’s ports and harbors has passed both the House and Senate in Washington, D.C.
The versions from the two chambers differ, though.
Northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves guided the legislation, called the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), through the House as chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
“This is extremely important to those of us in north Missouri, whether you’re on the east side of my district along the Mississippi or the west side of my district along the Missouri River, this has huge impacts when it comes to river management,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.
Graves, a Republican, says the legislation takes significant steps toward making sure flood control and navigation are the top priorities in managing the Missouri River as well as the Mississippi. The House version makes changes to the federal PL 84-99 program managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The program guides the repair and rebuilding of river levees. Graves says it will give local communities more control in rebuilding levees damaged by floodwaters, such as those harmed during the 2019 Missouri River flood.
Graves has been fighting to change the priorities governing how the Army Corps of Engineers manages rivers. The Congressman wants the Corps to consider flood control and navigation higher priorities that environmental concerns, such as protecting endangered species.
“This goes a long way toward supporting policies that encourage that and push for that and makes sure that that happens rather than pushing policies and projects that obviously benefit other priorities instead of managing the river to make sure that we don’t devastate people’s lives,” Graves says.
The House approved WRDA by a nearly unheard of 359-13 vote on July 22nd. The Senate approved its version Thursday.
Graves feels confident differences between the House and Senate can be worked out this year so the bill can go to President Biden.
“There are some differences, not significant, but there are some differences in the way we approach projects and reporting by the Corps of Engineers,” Graves says. “There are a few differences, but nothing insurmountable that we can’t get worked out.”
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