Water Resources Development Act of 2018

Floor Speech

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Ms. JAYAPAL. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment, which simply adds an important aspect to a GAO study that is already in the underlying bill.

Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member DeFazio for their leadership in crafting this bill, and also my friend on the other side of the aisle, Representative Woodall, for his support as well.

The underlying bill directs GAO to report to Congress on the preparedness of the Army Corps of Engineers to truly make it a 21st century agency. The study will investigate how the Corps of Engineers is supporting efforts to invest in recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce. It will examine how the Corps of Engineers is coping with the steady trickle of the baby boomer generation retiring, and it will also look at the Corps of Engineers and how it can better utilize available and existing technologies in fulfilling its mission.

At the same time, Mr. Chairman, it is important for us to understand how the Corps of Engineers' primary partner in the delivery of its services, the navigation industry workforce, is also managing the impending retirements of the baby boomer generation. We need to get a grasp on what the Corps of Engineers needs to do to prepare for the graying not only of its workforce, but also the workforce of the maritime and shipping sectors. What is more, it is critical to understand how all of this has a bearing on safety and operations within the navigation industry.

Mr. Chairman, in my home State of Washington, the average age of a maritime worker is 54 years old. And while the maritime sector is growing at a rate of 6.4 percent a year, there is a so-called silver tsunami looming in the next 5 to 10 years. The industries that the Corps of Engineers intimately works with are expected to be fighting to fill open positions even more than they are now. That is why, Mr. Chairman, my amendment directs GAO to make these additional considerations as it conducts its study.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Ms. JAYAPAL. Mr. Chair, I thank Chairman Shuster very much for accepting the amendment, and I urge support.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
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Ms. JAYAPAL. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment, which simply asks the Corps of Engineers to explore what opportunities exist to incorporate noise abatement and noise mitigation technologies and practices in the Corps of Engineers.

Noise has a bearing both on the land and in water, and as maritime transportation and travel increase and as vessels increase in size, communities along our Nation's waterways stand to be affected the most.

Seattle's residential population and our maritime sector are both growing. And importantly, the liveability of our communities and the strength of our maritime sector will depend on how we address the challenges that come with that growth. At the same time, as sound travels more efficiently in the water, we need to be certain that we understand how we minimize the disruption to maritime environments.

Underwater wildlife--like the endangered southern residents, orcas-- are especially vulnerable to noise destruction, because they are so dependent on underwater sounds for basic life functions. The Port of Vancouver, BC, recently investigated whether limiting the speed of ships would reduce noise and help our overall community. Over the period of the study, ambient noise dropped 44 percent. So research into this area is emerging, but it is clear that more needs to be done.

In providing guidance to mitigate noise in 2014, the International Maritime Organization identified more than just speed, but also ship design, on-board machinery, and navigation as factors to take into consideration.

In the Puget Sound region, the Corps of Engineers is uniquely placed to lead this effort and unite stakeholders behind solutions that protect the maritime environment, ensure the liveability of our communities, and support our growing maritime sector.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Ms. JAYAPAL. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman very much and I urge support. I yield back the balance of my time.

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