House Committee Advances Bipartisan Marine Transportation Legislation

What happened: The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee May 18 approved by voice vote the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022. This biennial legislation authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to study and construct port and waterway transportation improvements. The committee’s vote marks its fifth consecutive passage of a bipartisan WRDA bill.

Why it matters: Enactment of WRDA legislation would help alleviate supply chain challenges by strengthening our nation’s inland waterways and ports. While WRDA laws authorize these projects, funding approval is still required through the annual appropriations process. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) also provided $17 billion in one-time spending for water transportation projects.

What’s next: The WRDA bill now heads to the full House for a vote. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee unanimously adopted its version of WRDA 2022 on May 4 but has not scheduled full chamber consideration. If approved in both chambers, the separate bills will have to be reconciled and passed as one package before advancing to the president for consideration.