Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012

Floor Speech

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chair, I would like to address some concerns from my constituents about the Army Corps of Engineers permitting process.

As I travel around Virginia's First District, I hear from many constituents about their frustration with policies and regulations from Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, large federal government bureaucracies can get out of control and fail to protect the citizens and taxpayers.

The Army Corps of Engineers is an important agency in coastal Virginia. They have many responsibilities to promote navigation, commerce and environmental restoration. However, there are some occasions where I believe the multiple levels of bureaucracy and lack of accountability of decision makers can lead to situations that are unfair to Americans.

I've worked on the behalf of one of my constituents, a small marina owner who believes he was harmed due to a permitting mistake by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In this case a permitting decision ultimately cost this small business a significant amount of money.

I raise these issues to highlight the impact Agency action can have on main street businesses. I raise these issues to suggest the need for additional accountability to ensure that Army Corps permitting decisions are made appropriately and that the Corps works hand in hand with small businesses to mitigate financial harm.

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