House Transportation Committee starts work on WRDA
View SourceA House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee will question Biden administration officials on water infrastructure legislation.
The Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee is diving into crafting the latest Water Resources Development Act authorization.
The panel on Tuesday will prod Army Corps of Engineers leaders on the "status of past provisions and future needs" with an eye toward kick-starting the bill's biennial cycle.
WRDA lays out what projects Congress wants to see move forward — including locks, dams and ports — with a focus on climate resiliency.
Even though the bill has traditionally united Democrats and Republicans eager for progress on projects back home, GOP lawmakers are likely to quiz the Army Corps officials on some of the agency's more controversial work.
Committee Republicans are against the administration's waters of the U.S. definition and are likely to question Michael Connor, assistant secretary of the Army for civil works, and Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon, the chief of engineers, about the corps' work enforcing the Biden WOTUS rule.
WRDA talks have also kicked off in the Senate, which began its process in July through the Environment and Public Works Committee.
Schedule: The hearing is Tuesday, Oct. 24, at 10 a.m. in 2167 Rayburn and via webcast.
Witnesses:
• Michael Connor, assistant secretary of the Army for civil works.
• Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon, commanding general and chief of engineers, Army Corps of Engineers.
