by Ken Root
Congress could pass the Water Resources Development Act following the elections next month. The American Farm Bureau Federation says the bill will provide critical funding to ensure a viable inland waterways system.
AFBF congressional relations director Andrew Walmsley says passing the bill will keep WRDA on track.
He says work is ongoing to merge the two bills so lawmakers can pass WRDA during the lame-duck session.
WRDA’s are not typical re authorization bills (required to continue ongoing agency functions), nor do they appropriate any funds to be spent. Instead, they authorize new activities in addition to previously authorized projects. They also require an appropriations act to provide funding for authorized projects, generally contained in the annual Energy and Water appropriations bill. Because WRDAs are not re authorization or appropriations bills, there is no deadline for passage that must be met in order to continue normal Corps functions.
