Congresswoman Matsui Statement Praising the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's WRRDA Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, September 11, 2013

CONTACT: JONELLE TRIMMER
(202) 225-7163

Congresswoman Matsui Statement Praising the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's WRRDA Bill

Bipartisan Bill Would Authorize Natomas Levee Improvement Project andamp; Includes Rep. Matsui's Vegetation on Levees Legislation

Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-06) released the following statement on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's bipartisan Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2013 (WRRDA) unveiled today:

"I strongly support the House Transportation andamp; Infrastructure Committee's WRRDA bill and its inclusion of the Sacramento region's top flood protection priorities, including the authorization of the Natomas Levee Improvement Program (NLIP). Natomas' levees protect over 100,000 Sacramento residents and billions of dollars of property and infrastructure. The inclusion of language that authorizes the NLIP is a critical step in advancing Sacramento's flood protection efforts, and I commend Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member Rahall for their bipartisan leadership in crafting this bill.

"I am also pleased that the bill includes language similar to my legislation, the andlsquo;Levee Vegetation Review Act' to address the issues surrounding the Corps vegetation on levees policy. Our levees are our first line of defense, so we need to use the best science to make them as reliable as possible. By requiring the Corps to move to regional variances from a one-size fits all policy, this WRRDA would implement the flexibility needed to ensure funds are used where they are most needed to strengthen and fix our levees.

"Congress has not passed a WRDA bill since 2007. It is time to fix and strengthen America's levees. We cannot let this important legislative effort linger any longer. The introduction of the bill today is the first step in the process for the House, and there is still a lot of work ahead of us. I will continue to urge my colleagues in the House to support this bipartisan WRRDA. It is my hope that this bill will move quickly through Committee and be passed by the House in a timely manner with strong bipartisan support. The people of Sacramento have waited long enough, now is the time to move forward with legislation that will authorize the NLIP."

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