Letter to the Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, to the Hon. Kevin McCarthy, House Minority Leader - Stanton Continues Push for Significant Water Infrastructure Investment

Letter

Dear Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy:

As Congress continues to debate the size and scope of a major infrastructure package, we are hopeful that the legislation continues to focus on the fundamental themes of national economic impact and critical infrastructure resilience. To that end, we believe it is critical that a final package include supplemental funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Work Program.

The Corps' Civil Works Program has a broad range of important responsibilities that include commercial navigation to support our coastal and inland ports, flood and storm damage reduction to protect our communities from riverine and coastal flooding, shoreline protection, and ecosystem restoration to protect, improve and sustain our watersheds. In addition, as the largest and oldest manager of water resources in the nation, the Corps has also become a key player in efforts to promote resilience against natural disasters.

Congress provides approximately $7 billion per year for the Civil Works Program, and funding for the Corps has historically been bipartisan due to the importance of its mission of protecting communities from natural disasters and supporting local economies. However, the Corps has a Congressionally authorized project backlog of approximately $108 billion and new projects continue to be authorized, with seven construction "New Starts" planned for 2021 alone.

As a result, funding for the Corps' Civil Works Program should be a priority in any infrastructure
package passed by Congress this year. Including at least an additional $10 billion for construction and $5 billion for operation and maintenance would be a good start to address the agency's backlog of projects and help the Corps strengthen communities across the nation.

We look forward to working with you to ensure that the Corps receives the funding it needs to carry out its mission.

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