Press Releases

WCI PRAISES PASSAGE OF STRONG FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2020 ENERGY & WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS BILL THAT FUNDS
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS

INCREASED FUNDING, COST-SHARE CHANGE, MORE THAN FULL-USE OF INLAND WATERWAYS TRUST FUND

Washington, DC – Today, WCI praised Congress for passage of the Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) Energy
and Water Development (E&WD) and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The House passed the
bill on December 17 by a vote of 297-120, and the Senate approved the bill today by a vote of 71-23.
The President is expected to sign the bill into law. Passage of FY20 appropriations bills was critical,
as short-term Continuing Resolution (C.R.) funding for the Federal government was set to expire at
midnight December 20.

The FY20 E&WD bill funds the Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works mission at $7.65 billion, $652
million above the FY19 enacted level and $2.69 billion above the President’s budget request.
Very significant in the bill is the adjustment by Congress of the Construction cost-share for
Chickamauga Lock, this time to 65% General Revenue funding/35% Inland Waterways Trust Fund
(IWTF) (from 50%/50%) for one fiscal year (FY20). This change enables efficient funding of all
ongoing construction projects to advance their delivery date and lower final project costs. The bill
utilizes more than full-use of the estimated receipts of the IWTF that includes additional prior-year
revenues to yield a very strong investment level of $317 million for FY20.

The Construction account will receive $2.68 billion or $1.37 billion more than the President’s FY20
request, and $498 million more than the FY19 enacted level.

The Corps’ Operations & Maintenance (O&M) account is funded at $3.79 billion, which is $1.86
billion above the President’s record-level FY20 budget request.

Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) projects will receive $1.63 billion, an increase of $665
million above the President’s FY20 request. Once again, Congress will meet -- and exceed by more
than 11% -- the HMTF target set by the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA)
of 2014.

Mississippi Rivers and Tributaries (MR&T) will receive $375 million in FY20.
The Investigations account funding is $151 million, which is $74 million above the FY20 Administration request and $26 million above the FY19 enacted level. Included in the President’s budget, as well as the FY20 bill, is Pre-Construction Engineeering Design (PED) funding for the Three Rivers Project in Arkansas at $1.5 million.

The Inland Waterways Investigations account received a 50% increase in funding ($3.25 million more than the FY19 level) that will allow for authorized projects and on-going studies to compete for additional funding in the Corps’ 2020 Work Plan, expected 60 days after enactment of this bill.

WCI President & CEO Mike Toohey said, “We are extremely grateful to the bipartisan leadership of Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) and House Appropriations Committee Chair Nita Lowey (D-NY), Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Kay Granger (R-TX) that resulted in this strong funding bill with a critical cost-share change.”

Waterways Council, Inc. is the national public policy organization advocating for a modern and well-maintained national system of ports and inland waterways. The group is supported by waterways carriers, shippers, port authorities, agriculture, labor and conservation organizations, shipping associations and waterways advocacy groups from all regions of the country. Visit www.waterwayscouncil.org

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