Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017
Floor Speech
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Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer an amendment that will help reduce the large backlog of important Army Corps of Engineers' projects. This amendment transfers $1 million from the Department of Energy's departmental administration budget to the Army Corps of Engineers' investigations account to bring it up to fiscal year 2016 enacted levels.
The investigations account funds the planning and environmental studies required under the law for important Corps projects prior to construction.
There is a backlog of worthwhile Corps projects throughout the country that are essential to improving water infrastructure for communities, improving ecosystem restoration, providing clean water, and expanding much-needed water storage. These projects are especially critical to the drought-stricken communities in the West, and many other parts of the Nation.
The committee showed great insight in recognizing that the administration's request for the Corps' investigation budget was much too low, stating in the committee report: ``Once again, the administration's claims to understand the importance of infrastructure ring hollow when it comes to water resource infrastructure investments. In fact, if enacted, the budget request would represent the lowest level of funding for the Civil Works program since fiscal year 2004.''
At a time of historic drought and major water challenges, we shouldn't be reducing investigation dollars that will allow worthwhile community projects to move forward.
The committee has provided significant safeguards in the report to ensure that the funds transferred by this amendment will go to planning for the most viable projects and ``studies that will enhance the Nation's economic development, job growth, and international competitiveness; are for projects located in areas that have suffered recent natural disasters; or are for projects to address legal requirements.''
Support for this amendment is definitive action we can take to directly support timely development of critical water infrastructure projects.
I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I thank the distinguished chair and ranking member for their work on this bill.
Mr. Chairman, I ask for a positive vote on this amendment.
I yield back the balance of my time.
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