The U.S. Senate passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) by a vote of 95-3, reports the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA).
According to NSSGA, the $10.6 billion Senate bill includes money for water infrastructure projects across the country, as well as authorization for more than 20 port, levee and dam projects. It also includes $220 million for aid to communities affected by high levels of lead in water.
The U.S. House of Representatives still has to pass the bill. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed a slimmer bill earlier this year without funding for lead treatment or many of the other project authorizations. The Senate version includes many projects not included in the House version and is significantly larger, NSSGA reports.
NSSGA adds that several House members have indicated the Senate bill will be contested in the House, because up to eight different House members have jurisdiction over projects included in the Senate version. The House and Senate must reconcile differences between the two versions in order to create a final bill for approval.
