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[Page H4228]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ARKANSAS FLOODING
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) for 5 minutes.
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the flooding back
in my home State of Arkansas and the need for prioritized spending and
more Federal investment in waterway infrastructure.
While national media attention is largely focused elsewhere, the
Arkansas River has swollen to historic levels, flooding homes and
businesses, breaching levees, and devastating farmland.
President Trump issued an emergency declaration last week allowing
FEMA to provide immediate relief to 16 counties most severely affected.
This Federal aid is extremely valuable as communities work tirelessly
to save businesses and homes.
Arkansas is not alone in experiencing flooding. Our neighbors in
Oklahoma, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Missouri, as well as South
Dakota, Iowa, and Kansas have all been affected by flooding this year.
These disasters beg the question: What can Congress do to prevent
future flooding?
More specifically, how can we improve infrastructure within our
States to reduce the risk of dam and levee breaches?
As ranking member on the Transportation and Infrastructure's
Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, I hope to add insight
into that very question.
Waterways tend to be out of sight and out of mind, but widespread
flooding has made navigable rivers impossible to ignore. In Arkansas
alone we have seen an estimated $23 million in daily economic loss
along the Arkansas River. When barges and boats can no longer navigate
inland waterways, the entire State and surrounding areas suffer.
Much of the infrastructure along these rivers was initially installed
in the 1960s and 1970s and is now reaching the end of its shelf life. A
backlog of maintenance projects compounds the issues, and we can't just
keep putting temporary patches on systemic problems.
For example, I recently cosponsored bipartisan legislation that would
unlock billions of dollars in already collected fees to maintain our
Nation's Federal ports and harbors. In many cases, we have the money
for infrastructure projects, however, red tape and bureaucracy slow
down the process and prevent necessary work from occurring.
The irony of delaying projects on our navigable waterways is that
these projects often have tremendous economic returns--as high as 10 to
1 and 16 to 1. It makes economic sense and it is common sense to invest
in waterways and infrastructure.
Unprecedented flooding such as we are observing should serve as a
chance for us to reexamine infrastructure to ensure it is updated and
capable of protecting life and property.
No doubt, as flood waters recede in the coming days, Congress'
attention will turn elsewhere. But I urge my colleagues in both the
House and the Senate to come together, address long-term projects that
have been on the back burner for years, and keep WRDA on its 2-year
schedule.
We can't control the weather, but we can and should do better than
accepting as the norm to have outdated and failing infrastructure,
flooded homes, and washed out farmlands. The American people deserve
better than this.
Before I close, I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge and thank
the countless first responders and volunteers who have worked around
the clock to fill sandbags, move livestock to higher ground, transport
possessions from homes at risk of flooding, and rescue people trapped
in moving floodwaters.
Governor Hutchinson, the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management,
the Arkansas National Guard, the Corps of Engineers, and many other
State and local officials have led an efficient and organized response,
and their swift action has certainly saved lives and property.
Arkansas doesn't back down when challenged, and we persevere through
the storms of life. I have heard so many stories of Arkansans rallying
around one another in their time of need, and this gives me hope for
the days ahead.
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