David Rouzer U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 7th district | Official U.S. House Headshot
David Rouzer U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 7th district | Official U.S. House Headshot
The U.S. Senate has approved the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, sending it to the President for consideration. The bill, led by Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO-06) and Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Chairman David Rouzer (R-NC-07), was passed in the U.S. House last week with a vote of 399-18.
This legislation aims to authorize projects within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Program, focusing on enhancing ports, harbors, inland waterways navigation, flood protection, storm protection, and other water resources infrastructure.
"After months of negotiations, the longstanding tradition of passing a biennial, bipartisan bill continues with WRDA 2024," stated Chairman Rouzer. "This landmark legislation will make communities across the country resilient in the face of flooding and will increase our economic edge through improved efficiency of our ports, harbors, and inland waterways."
WRDA 2024 includes more than 1,900 requests from Members and stakeholders. It authorizes over 200 new feasibility studies for locally proposed projects and approves 22 projects that have been thoroughly reviewed by the Corps.
The act introduces reforms to empower non-federal project sponsors by increasing transparency and improving delivery processes. These measures are intended to strengthen existing alternative delivery methods for smaller projects. Additionally, a Community Project Advisor is designated at each Corps district to assist non-federal interests in accessing resources for new project studies and construction.
Moreover, WRDA reauthorizes FEMA’s National Dam Safety Program through 2028 while strengthening requirements for rehabilitated dams to have proper operations and maintenance plans.
Since 2014, WRDA legislation has been developed on a bipartisan basis every two years by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The WRDA 2024 continues this tradition by allowing Congress input into projects managed by the Corps.
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