Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024

Floor Speech

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Mrs. CAPITO. 401, S. 4367, the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024.
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Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I would like to talk about the bill here for a few minutes with my friend and the chair of our committee for which this bill is named, Thomas R. Carper.

The enactment of biennial water resources legislation over the last 10 years has been critical to meeting the Nation's water and infrastructure needs.

I am so pleased that the Senate just took the next step to continue that strong tradition by passing the bipartisan Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024. This bill was developed based on more than 1,000 requests submitted by our colleagues on both sides of the aisle.

Following the unanimous approval of the bill by the Environment and Public Works Committee, Chairman Carper and I endeavored to resolve a number of priorities from our colleagues.

The resolution of these priorities is reflected in the latest amendment in the nature of a substitute that was just approved by unanimous consent. I want to thank my colleagues who worked with us on this bill and supported our efforts to move the legislative process forward.

During the Environment and Public Works Committee's markup, I and a couple of my colleagues offered an amendment to name this bill after my friend Tom Carper.

The chairman and I worked together over the years to advance bills that improve all types of infrastructure. It is a fitting tribute to the decades of public service that this bill is named after him, and I would like to take a few moments to highlight some of the benefits of the legislation.

It authorizes critical water resources studies and projects across the country. These studies and projects will support navigation along our waterways and at our ports, protect communities from flooding, and improve our environment.

The bill avoids a one-size-fits-all solution and maintains important flexibilities, so that the corps and non-Federal partners can continue to address the unique water resources needs of all communities.

It also contains directives for the corps to develop comprehensive implementation plans for this bill and prior WRDAs. This will enable the corps to focus its energy and resources on fully implementing this WRDA and prior WRDA provisions in order to better reflect the intent of Congress.

I also want to highlight some of the ways this bill will directly benefit my State of West Virginia. Almost 8 years ago, in June 2016, West Virginia experienced flooding at the highest levels, leading to tragic deaths and devastation. This bill provides support for future projects identified by the corps' feasibility study for flood risk management along the Kanawha River basin.

The legislation also increases the ability of the corps to carry out certain smaller projects for emergency streambank and shoreline protection, ecosystem restoration, and debris and obstruction removal, which are critical to many areas in my State.

The bill directs the corps to expedite feasibility studies for the Upper Guyandotte and Kanawha River basins, as well as to expedite projects in Milton and at the Bluestone Dam in Hinton.

This bill supports drinking and wastewater projects all across our State.

These are just some of the benefits from my home State, but the bill contains several similar wins for States all across the country.

I want to take a moment to thank both my staff and Chairman Carper's staff, as well as the staff at the corps and the Senate legislative counsel, for their work on this bill and their continued efforts as we move to conference.

I also want to recognize the leadership of the EPW Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Chairman Mark Kelly and Ranking Member Kevin Cramer, for their and their staffs' dedication to this legislation.

Again, I would like to thank my colleagues for supporting this substitute amendment to the Thomas R. Carper--should I say that again?--Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024.

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