by Ben Nuelle LISTEN: Money Matters 9-19-16
The Senate version of Water Resources Development Act of 2016 passed last week. The key step to watch now is how much money will be allocated to projects in the bill.
The Senate passed the WRDA bill last week 95-3. The House will debate their version this week.
Mike Steenhoek of the Soy Transportation Coalition says there are two major steps to watch as this bill moves through congress.
?Step 1 is the authorization step which is what a WRDA bill does. Step 2 is the appropriations step where the checks actually get written to fulfill the strategy of step number 1.?
Steenhoek hopes the House passes a similar bill this week.
?We?re hopeful the appropriations will follow suit. We are very pleased the Senate was actually able to get something done but work does continue. The WRDA bill authorizes projects administered by the Army Coors of Engineers for $9 billion worth of projects. That relates to a certain number of lock and dam projects, levees and a number of things that are important to ensure a well-maintained inland waterway system.?
Steenhoek adds the Soy Transportation Coalition is happy the WRDA bill passed the Senate by an overwhelming margin. He says this is the bipartisan support needed to help fix America?s inland waterways.
