House Energy & Water Subcommittee Approves Fy ’15 Appropriations Bill; President Signs WRRDA

WCI Release
10 June 2014

This morning the House Appropriations Committee’s Energy & Water Subcommittee approved, by unanimous voice vote, the FY ’15 appropriations funding bill.  No amendments were offered.  This bill funds the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works program.  

FY ’15 funding for the Corps’ Civil Works mission is $5.493 billion, an increase of $25 million above the FY ’14 enacted level and nearly $1 billion ($959.5 million) above the President's budget request.

According to Subcommittee Chairman Mike Simpson (R-ID), highlights include:

--Navigation projects (undesignated) will receive an increase of $484 million above the Administration’s request. 

--Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF) supported projects received an increase of $112 million or a total of $281 million for priority projects in FY ’15. As is normally the case,  project-specific details are being withheld until the full committee marks up the bill.

--Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) spending will increase by $185 million above the Administration’s request.

--Inland Operations & Maintenance (O&M) will increase by $45 million over the Administration’s request.

--There are no new starts or earmarks in the bill.

The expectation is that the bill will be considered in full committee next week and WCI will pass along additional information as it is received. 


President Signs WRRDA

Also this morning, President Obama signed the Water Resources Reform Development Act (WRRDA) into law in a ceremony at the White House. 

On this important day, WCI thanks its members and many stakeholders for their support for WRRDA’s passage in Congress and today, into law.