POLISCOPE
Back to feed
Part ofwater infrastructure →
FEDERALhearing transcript
High Impact

Senate Hearing on 2020 Water Infrastructure Legislation

Original title: IMPROVING AMERICAN ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS THROUGH WATER RESOURCES INFRASTRUCTURE: FEDERAL PANEL

January 1, 2020

water infrastructureArmy Corps of EngineersEPAflood controleconomic developmentwater supplyinvasive species

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

The Frame

What this does

This hearing sets the policy agenda for the 2020 Water Resources Development Act, which will authorize federal funding and projects for flood control, waterway navigation, and water storage across the United States.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Farmers and Ranchers

They rely on water infrastructure for irrigation and are impacted by flood control and water storage policies.

Army Corps of Engineers

The agency is responsible for implementing the projects authorized by the legislation.

Environmental Protection Agency

The agency is responsible for implementing water and wastewater infrastructure provisions.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2020.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing to discuss priorities for the 2020 Water Resources Development Act. Officials from the Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA provided testimony on project implementation and future infrastructure needs.

Key Facts

  • The Committee is preparing the 2020 Water Resources Development Act to authorize new projects and funding.
  • The 2018 America's Water Infrastructure Act passed the Senate with a 99-1 vote.
  • The 2020 legislation aims to prioritize flood prevention and levee system modernization.
  • The Committee intends to address water storage capacity and sediment reduction in reservoirs to support western states.
  • The legislation will address the management of invasive species that degrade water quality and infrastructure.
  • The bill will focus on increasing the navigability of inland waterways to support commercial transport.
  • Ryan Fisher replaced R.D. James as the witness representing the Army for Civil Works at this hearing.
  • The hearing included oversight of EPA water and wastewater infrastructure provisions enacted in 2018.

Why It Matters

This hearing sets the policy agenda for the 2020 Water Resources Development Act, which will authorize federal funding and projects for flood control, waterway navigation, and water storage across the United States.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of the 2020 Water Resources Development Act?
It is intended to authorize federal projects and funding for water infrastructure, including flood control, reservoir management, and waterway navigation.
How does this legislation affect water supply in western states?
The committee is looking at provisions to increase water storage capacity and reduce sediment in reservoirs to improve water access.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Biannual Legislative Cycle

The committee maintains a consistent two-year cycle for passing water infrastructure legislation, having done so in 2014, 2016, and 2018.

Committee on Environment and Public Works

Connected Entities

personRyan Fisher“Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works”Map →
personCharlotte Bertrand“Deputy Assistant Administrator for Policy, Office of Water, EPA”Map →
personJohn Barrasso“Chairman of the Committee on Environment and Public Works”Map →
organizationU.S. Army Corps of Engineers“Federal agency responsible for civil works and water infrastructure”Map →
organizationCommittee on Environment and Public Works“Senate committee overseeing water infrastructure legislation”Map →
organizationEnvironmental Protection Agency“Federal agency responsible for water and wastewater infrastructure”Map →
personTodd Semonite“Lieutenant General, Commanding General and Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army Corps o”Map →
personThomas R. Carper“Ranking Member of the Committee”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy10
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz20
    Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools

Share or embed this record

POLISCOPE publisher tools

Share or embed this record