Kaptur Statement at Hearing on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers FY16 Budget Request

February 11, 2015
Press Release

Assistant Secretary Darcy and General Bostick, we appreciate you appearing before the Subcommittee this afternoon.

I look forward to our hearing today on an issue of acute interest to me: the stewardship of our nation’s precious water resources.

Over the last few years, the Western part of our country has been ravaged by drought.  Meanwhile, the freshwater-rich region I represent has fallen victim to troubling mismanagement.

The Corps of Engineers has an important role to play in building a water secure future for our country and I am eager to hear about progress in adopting innovative approaches to make that future a reality.

The Corps’ work also provides a great opportunity for job creation.  Federal support of water resource projects creates construction jobs and indirect economic benefits that encourage local businesses and individuals to make critical investments in their communities.

Unfortunately, this budget request continues the trend toward disinvestment.  Last year, Congress overwhelmingly supported a nearly $1billion increase for the Corps.  With the return of sequestered budget caps, I am worried about negative effects to our infrastructure, absent another Congressional intervention.

Additionally, the passage last year of a new Water Resources Development Act has significant implications for the Corps.  I am interested to learn more about plans to implement these provisions, including new funding mechanisms, invasive species control, and language relevant to the Great Lakes.

The WRDA bill also addressed the Corps’ massive backlog—currently estimated at $60 billion.  I understand that a full accounting of those projects is being developed and I hope you will share some of the emerging details with us today. 

Finally, as a Great Lakes legislator, I would ask you to address serious and widely-held concerns about Asian carp, Great Lakes dredging needs, and a broader environmental awareness that currently seems to be lacking.

Especially in light of the water crisis that hit Toledo last August, there is a need for innovative thinking.  Great Lakes ports are critical to the regional and national economy—supporting our critical manufacturing base—and we must keep these ports open for business; however, this need not come at the expense of our water security, the safety and quality of our drinking water, or the environmental integrity of this precious ecosystem.

I expect that you will speak to these concerns and I look forward to our discussion today.

114th Congress