Providing $5 Billion for Water Infrastructure Projects (With Funding for Flint) (H.R. 5303)

What is H.R. 5303?

(Updated February 23, 2018)

Update September 28, 2016: A bipartisan amendment to provide $170 million in emergency funding for Flint, Michigan was introduced yesterday and was added to the bill on a 284 to 141 vote.

This bill would authorize the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to carry out projects aimed at improving the nation’s harbors, locks, dams, flood protection, and other water resources infrastructure. It would provide $5 billion in funding for Corps activities which would be offset by de-authorizing $5 billion in funding for projects that had been approved but have since been de-prioritized.

The legislation would authorize a variety of navigation, flood risk management, hurricane and storm damage, ecosystem restoration, and recreation or riverline shoreline projects in the following states: Arkansas, California, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Assistance for states would be available to go toward water conservation during drought emergencies, flood damage reduction projects, and combined funding for drainage basins, watersheds, or ecosystems that encompass multiple states.

Funding for flood management could be granted in installments in the form of credits or reimbursements as portions of a project are completed. The Corps would be able to accept non-federal funds to revise reservoir operations based on flood-risk and navigational concerns. Non-federal interests (such as states or cities) that partially fund a flood damage reduction project would be able to receive a credit instead of a reimbursement for covering the federal share of a project for a longer period of time.

This legislation would require that priority funding be used for operation and maintenance projects at emerging harbors. Increased funding for commercial navigation costs would be provided beginning in fiscal year 2027.

Argument in favor

This is a sensible bill that will ensure that America’s ports, harbors, and waterways are maintained and communities receive support for flood prevention and recovery projects.

Argument opposed

No funding bill for water infrastructure projects should be passed unless it contains significant funds to address the lead contamination in Flint, Michigan’s drinking water.

Impact

Non-federal interests like state and local governments that fund water infrastructure projects; and the Army Corps of Engineers.

Cost of H.R. 5303

The CBO estimates that enacting this bill would cost about $3.1 billion over the 2017-2026 period, with about $970 million of that coming in the next five years.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA) introduced this bill to get Congress back on track for reauthorizing water infrastructure projects on a regular basis to create jobs and strengthen the economy:

“Water resources infrastructure is fundamental to a sound economy, and WRDA 2016 gets Congress back to basics and the business of regularly addressing the needs of our ports, waterways, lock and dam systems, flood protection, and other infrastructure.

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), the top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, supported this bill when it moved out of committee but reversed his stance in part because of a lack of funding for Flint, Michigan:

“Despite [Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R-WI)] comments that the House should use [the WRDA] as a vehicle to address the ongoing tragedy facing the citizens of Flint, Michigan, the Republican leadership has opposed every effort to include any assistance in this bill to help the city of Flint protect its citizens and children from ongoing health risks.”

This legislation was passed unanimously by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on a voice vote. It currently has the support of three bipartisan cosponsors in the House — two Democrats (including DeFazio) and a Republican.

Media:

• House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Press Release
• CBO Cost Estimate
• The Hill
• Morning Consult
• National Law Review
• Washington Examiner