Passes Water Infrastructure Bill

A water infrastructure bill – H.R. 8, the Water Resources Development Act – easily passed the House on Wednesday, June 6, on a 408-2 vote. This legislation, known as WRDA, ensures the viability of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works programs, including navigation, water resources management, recreation, infrastructure, flood control, mitigation and environmental stewardship. NAR supported passage of this legislation.
Projects funded by this legislation impact real estate and economic development, and help protect communities from natural disasters. Homeowners need clean and drinkable water, neighborhoods depend on the construction and maintenance of water management structures, the private sector depends on clear waterways and ports to receive and transport goods, and a healthy environment requires that we have the ability to clean and treat wastewater. WRDA authorizes and funds all of these critical projects.
A Senate WRDA bill passed out of the Environment and Public Works Committee last week but it remains unclear when this might come to the Senate floor for discussion.