To authorize the Secretary of the Army to carry out certain elements of the project for hurricane and storm damage reduction, Morganza to the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

(Mr. OBERSTAR asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Alaska, our committee chairman, for agreeing to bring this bill up in the interest of the Louisiana delegation, all of whom are concerned about moving this project ahead so it can be in line to receive funding to start work on this project before the next hurricane storm season reaches the gulf.

This project involves multiple features: 72 miles of levees south of Houma, Louisiana; pumping station protection; road closure floodgates and ramps; channel closure floodgates; and a lock structure where the project crosses the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway.

It is unfortunate we have to take this piece out of the bill that we passed twice in this body under the leadership of the distinguished chairman. The House has done its work and done its work well. We have done it over three Congresses, and the other body has failed to act. That is why we are here tonight to try to address a matter of significant importance to the people in the gulf region.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6428, a bill authorizing the Secretary of the Army to carry out certain portions of the hurricane and storm damage reduction project for the Morganza to the Gulf, Louisiana.

The Morganza to the Gulf project is vital for meeting the hurricane and storm damage protection needs of coastal Louisiana, especially its citizens in Houma, and the surrounding communities that were devastated by Hurricane Rita last year. This project is comprised of multiple project features, including approximately 72 miles of levees south of Houma, Louisiana, pumping station protection, road closure floodgates and ramps, channel closure floodgates, and a lock structure where the project crosses the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

The Morganza to the Gulf project was included in the Water Resources Development Act of 2000, as a conditional authorization. However, the Corps of Engineers failed to complete a favorable report of the Chief of Engineers for the project before the December 2000 deadline.

Since that time, the Congress has failed to enact any further water resources development acts. Unfortunately, tonight, we will adjourn another Congress without enacting a water resources bill.

The language in this legislation is modeled after the language contained in H.R. 2864, the Water Resources Development Act of 2005, which passed this House on July 14, 2005 by an overwhelming vote of 406-14.

While my preference would be to authorize this project through regular order in the passage of the broader Water Resources Development Act, at this late hour in the session, work will not be completed on the larger bill.

This is unfortunate because it only further delays the opportunity for the Corps of Engineers to provide essential flood control, navigation, and ecosystem restoration projects to our Nation, and vital public safety and economic benefits to our constituents.

We are now just a few days shy of six years since the last water resources bill was enacted. This is far too long.

I am certain that there will be questions as to why Congress was unable to enact a water resources bill in the 109th Congress, especially since this is the first time since 2000 that both the House and the Senate chambers were each able to approve legislation for the other body to consider.

A chief reason is that the current administration has no commitment to the Nation's premier water-related infrastructure agency.

The administration fails to understand the importance of the Corps of Engineers and the vital work that this agency does for the American people.

The administration's lack of support for a comprehensive water resources development act has only made Congress's work more difficult.

During consideration in both the House and Senate, the administration released two statements of administration policy that were highly critical of the Congress's efforts, especially over the administration's concern with the overall costs of the two bills.

However, what this administration fails to recognize is that the roughly $10 billion in project authorizations contained in the House- passed version, and the $12 billion in the Senate-passed version reflect 6 years of requests since the Water Resources Development Act of 2000.

With Congress's failure to approve the water resources development act this year, we should expect next year's bill to cost more than either the House or Senate-passed versions--perhaps as much as $15 billion.

These numbers are consistent with the historical costs of past water resources bills, and further delay only results in making these vital projects more expensive over time.

Congress must also share the blame for its failure to deliver a comprehensive water resources bill this year.

With both the House and Senate, and the White House, under Republican control, it would seem that passage of this legislation should have been achievable.

In spite of the significant efforts of both the chairman of the conference committee and my Chairman, Mr. Young, the House and the Senate have been unable to reach agreement on a final package.

I am confident that our Committee will make the passage and enactment of a water resources development act a number-one priority in 2007.

Mr. Speaker, by passing this legislation tonight, the House is agreeing to allow the Morganza to the Gulf project to move forward based on its individual merit, and the need to increase the level of flood protection for coastal Louisiana.

The House has resisted the temptation to add other meritorious Corps of Engineers project authorizations to the schedule this evening. I would advise the other body to resist this temptation and not turn this authorization into an attempt to move a miniature water resources bill before the end of the session.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6428.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Melancon).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to point out that I have toured St. Bernard Parish with my wife who is from New Orleans, and we have seen the extraordinary destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina to the residents and the absolute abject devastation of an area that hasn't experienced anything of this nature in 138 years.

This legislation is vitally important to correct the failures of the past and prevent them from happening in the future. The gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Melancon) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Baker), both members of our committee, have been strong advocates for this project.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately as the result of a death in the family and my need to return to Illinois by Saturday morning for the funeral services, I was unable to cast my votes on the following pieces of legislation. I request that the Record state my intentions on these votes had I been present to vote.

I would have voted ``aye'' for H. Res. 1100, the rule providing for consideration of H.R. 6406, to modify temporarily certain rates of duty and make other technical amendments to the trade laws, to extend certain trade preference programs, and for other purposes.

I would have voted ``aye'' on H.R. 5948, the Belarus Democracy Reauthorization Act of 2006. Passage of the Belarus Democracy Reauthorization Act supports Belarus as an emerging democracy with U.S. assistance by strengthening democratic institutions and processes within the country. Our country has a long history of promoting democracy worldwide and this bill will assist the people of Belarus with foreign aid and the risk of U.S. sanctions should the recent political upheavals and the repression of democratic groups in the country continue.

I would have voted ``present'' in response to the Call of the House. I am sorry to have missed Speaker J. Dennis Hastert's farewell speech. I respect and admire him, and am proud to serve with him in the Illinois congressional delegation. His long tenure as the Speaker of the House is historic, and he will be celebrated as an esteemed statesman.

I would have voted ``aye'' on H.R. 6406, to modify temporarily certain rates of duty and make other technical amendments to the trade laws, to extend certain trade preference programs, and for other purposes. This package contains trade provisions I have supported in the past and will continue to do so in the future. These provisions will help expand the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers and exporters within the global marketplace.

I would have voted ``aye'' on the Conference Report on H.R. 5682, the Henry J. Hyde U.S.-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act of 2006. India has been a longtime and important ally to the U.S. and U.S. assistance in the development of a civilian nuclear energy program will only cement the strategic partnership between our two countries. With the passage of the cooperation agreement with India the U.S. can be assured the peaceful sharing of nuclear energy technologies under international safeguards while preventing the spread of nuclear weapon information to rogue countries, such as North Korea and Iran.

I would have voted ``aye'' on H.J. Res. 102, making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2007. While I am disappointed that we were not able to pass the remaining appropriations bills under regular order, I feel that it is important that we continue to fund our government program at adequate levels until we can address the appropriations bills in the next session of Congress.

Finally, I would have voted ``aye'' on the following bills, considered under suspension of the rules:

1. H.R. 6407--Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act

2. H. Res. 1104--Providing for a severance payment for employees of leadership offices and committees of the House of Representatives who are separated from employment solely and directly as a result of a change in the party holding the majority of the membership in the House

3. H.R. 6060--Department of State Authorities Act of 2006

4. S. 4050--Sergeant First Class Robert Lee `Bobby' Hollar, Jr. Post Office Building Designation Act

5. S. 4093--A bill to amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to extend a suspension of limitation on the period for which certain borrowers are eligible for guaranteed assistance

6. H.R. 5304--Preventing Harassment through Outbound Number Enforcement Act

7. S. 3821--COMPETE Act of 2006

8. S. 4042--A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit disruptions of funerals of members or former members of the Armed Forces

9. H.R. 6427--To increase the amount in certain funding agreements relating to patents and nonprofit organizations to be used for scientific research, development, and education, and for other purposes

10. H.R. 6428--To authorize the Secretary of the Army to carry out certain elements of the project for hurricane and storm damage reduction, Morganza to the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana

11. S. 2735--Dam Safety Act of 2006

12. S. Con. Res. 123--A concurrent resolution providing for correction to the enrollment of the bill H.R. 5946

13. H.R. 5946--Stevens-Inouye International Fisheries Monitoring and Compliance Legacy Act of 2006

14. H.R. 4075--Marine Mammal Protection Act Amendments of 2006

Mr. Speaker, in the Water Resource Development Act of 2000, Congress authorized a project for hurricane protection known as Morganza to the Gulf. This contingent authorization would protect over 200,000 people in their homes, but the contingent authorization expired due to a delayed chief's report.

The citizens of Louisiana that live behind this future levee system have passed a tax on themselves that generates roughly $5 million per year in funds dedicated strictly to fund this hurricane protection system. They have waited 6 years to begin construction on this project that Congress directed to be constructed due to a delayed report from the Corps of Engineers.

H.R. 6428, introduced by Congressmen Baker and Melancon, authorizes only

a small portion of the project as a whole. This bill would allow the people in Terrebonne Parish to begin protecting themselves while we work towards a complete water resources bill.

The Melancon-Baker partial authorization bill includes only two reaches of levees, tying into the already existing system of levees. These levees would provide the most protection possible with the limited resources currently available.

The bill also authorizes the lock complex on the Houma Navigation Canal to protect against devastating storm surges, such as the one during Hurricane Katrina that ran up the Mississippi River-Gulf outlet and destroyed St. Bernard Parish. In addition, Houma would be protected from salt water intrusion in their drinking water and the degradation of the wetlands.

I urge passage of H.R. 6428. I wish to thank Mr. Oberstar and Mr. Young and the committee for all of their kindnesses to help us move this forward.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6428) to authorize the Secretary of the Army to carry out certain elements of the project for hurricane and storm damage reduction, Morganza to the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6428 was introduced by the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Melancon) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Baker).

This bill simply authorizes the Secretary of the Army to carry out certain elements of a project known as the Morganza to the Gulf of Mexico, which was included in a report by the Chief of Engineers.

This is part of an important hurricane and storm damage reduction project that is sorely needed. I urge support of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bills just passed, H.R. 6428 and