Press Releases

July 29, 2021

Infrastructure Package Advances

Last night, the Senate by a vote of 67 yeas – 32 nays, passed a motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed on the bipartisan infrastructure package; in other words, agreed to move forward with debate for the bipartisan infrastructure bill. The total amount of new spending is $550 billion over 5 years. This sets up a potential final vote in the Senate in the coming weeks.

While legislative text has not been released, a summary of the package is attached. The inland waterways are included under the Ports and Waterways section. $17.3 billion is split among Army Corps of Engineers – Civil Works, Department of Transportation, Coast Guard, General Services Administration, and Department of Homeland Security.

$9.55 billion is provided for the Corps’ Civil Works mission. Of that, $5.15 billion is for construction to help address the backlog of authorized projects. According to the summary, there are specific funding set-asides for navigation, inland waterways, aquatic ecosystem restoration, environmental infrastructure, continuing authorities’ program, shore protection, and remote and subsistence harbor projects. The specific amounts of funding for lock and dam construction projects have not yet been released.

$4 billion is provided for operation and maintenance to be spent over three years, with funding for dredging federal navigation projects and repairing damages to Corps projects caused by natural disasters.

There are several pay-fors, ranging from repurposing unspent Covid relief dollars, reinstating certain superfund fees, and extending customs users fees.

WCI is encouraged that the Senate infrastructure proposal is taking positive steps forward and that inland waterways are included in the package. We will keep our members apprised once we have more details.

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