‘As Texas communities continue to rebuild from Hurricane Harvey and prepare for future storms, it’s critical we take these steps to ensure the coastal region can better withstand major weather events. I’m grateful that once we vote on this bill we’ll be one step closer toward completing these projects as well as many others.’
Texas Border Business
WASHINGTON – Today on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed America’s Water Infrastructure Act, which includes two of his provisions to advance storm mitigation projects along Texas’ coast. Excerpts of his remarks are below, and video can be found here.
Sen. Cornyn helped secure nearly $4 billion in federal appropriations to advance this project in the Bipartisan Budget Act, which was signed into law in February. Today’s passage of this authorization provision marks the final Congressional action prior to the USACE and the relevant local governments breaking ground on this project.
“This week we are voting and considering an important bipartisan piece of legislation known as America’s Water Infrastructure Act, the most sweeping infrastructure package to be considered by Congress this year. It will literally reauthorize billions of dollars of spending for our nation’s ports, harbors, and waterways, and it will end wasteful spending on water projects that are no longer necessary.”
“I want to thank Chairman Barrasso, Ranking Member Carper for spearheading this legislation through the Environment and Public Works Committee.”
“One piece of the bill we’ll be voting on this week will be to allow the Army Corps of Engineers to expedite a study on the so-called Coastal Spine that will run up and down portions of the Gulf Coast. This is a new multi-layered system of storm surge and flood mitigation improvements to address our most acute vulnerabilities. The crucial first step is fully funding the proper engineering study, and that’s what we’re going to do in this bill.”
“I want to emphasize, this is not just some parochial matter. It’s not just something that matters to the City of Houston and the Gulf Coast region.”
“The second thing this bill does for Texas is to authorize a project from an area known as the Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay. Across more than 4,000 square miles of South Texas, this bill will update the levee system and in some cases construct new ones in order to better protect the area from storms and hurricanes.”
“In places that were dramatically affected by Hurricane Harvey like Clear Creek and Brays Bayou, funds will be used to widen channels, construct detention basins, replace bridges, and renovate dams.”
“As Texas communities continue to rebuild from Hurricane Harvey and prepare for future storms, it’s critical we take these steps to ensure the coastal region can better withstand major weather events. I’m grateful that once we vote on this bill we’ll be one step closer toward completing these projects as well as many others.”
 discussed America’s Water Infrastructure Act, which includes two of his provisions to advance storm mitigation projects along Texas’ coast.){kind=link}