McConnell Announces $465 Million to Fully Complete the Kentucky Lock and Dam Project

Press Release

U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will provide $465,492,000 to fully complete the construction of the Kentucky Lock and Dam Project in its Fiscal Year 2022 Work Plan. Since Congress authorized this project in 1996, Senator McConnell has delivered over $1 billion to construct a new and larger lock.

According to the USACE, the incomplete Kentucky Lock creates among the longest shipping delays in the country, hindering the more than $5 billion worth of commodities that flow through the lock every year. Once completed, the new lock addition will effectively eliminate these delays well into the future.

Congress appropriated the funding for this project through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which passed last year with Senator McConnell's support. In addition to helping fully complete the Kentucky Lock and Dam Project, this bipartisan legislation will provide the largest infrastructure investment in a generation, helping Kentucky improve its roads, bridges, railroads, riverports, rural broadband, and more.

"For decades, I have used my leadership roles in the United States Senate to advocate for improvements to Kentucky's infrastructure, with a special focus on the long-awaited Kentucky Lock and Dam Project. Last year, I supported a landmark bipartisan infrastructure bill because it would help fund these projects fully and speed up their completion. With today's announcement, those years of hard work, investment, and advocacy are finally coming to fruition," said Senator McConnell. "Once finished, the new Kentucky Lock and Dam will allow the Commonwealth to take full advantage of our location at the heart of America's inland waterways system and provide numerous advantages to Kentucky businesses and families. I am committed to continuing my partnerships with our local, state, and federal leaders to ensure the Army Corps can finish the job and finally complete this overdue improvement."

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