US Senate approves waterways infrastructure bill

The US Senate today unanimously approved a waterways infrastructure bill authorizing river navigation improvements, setting the stage for negotiations later in the year with the US House of Representatives, which has passed its own legislation.

This is "crucial bipartisan legislation to invest in our nation's water infrastructure, protect our communities and support good-paying jobs," said senator Tom Carper (D-Delaware), chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Carper introduced the biennial bill earlier this year.

The bill would authorize US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) projects focused on navigation, flood control and ecosystem restoration. In all, the Senate bill measure would authorize 83 feasibility studies and 13 new and modified projects.

The bill regularly draws bipartisan support because its projects and programs impact all 50 states. "By passing this legislation, the Senate took a significant step toward strengthening our water infrastructure, supporting our national economy, better protecting communities from flood risks, and helping the Corps carry out its mission now and in the future," senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia).

The House approved a companion but somewhat different bill on 22 July. Lawmakers now will have to hammer out difference between the two versions in a conference committee, unless one chamber opts to pass the other house's language.

But no action is expected before September at the earlier.

The Senate adjourned today for its August recess and is not expected to reconvene until 9 September. The House left town last week.

Passage of a final bill could be further complicated by election year politics.

By Abby Caplan