Recognizing the contributions of the National Waterways Conference on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1639, a resolution recognizing the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Waterways Conference.

I applaud the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hare) for introducing this resolution and for his advocating the recognition of this auspicious anniversary of the Conference.

Mr. Speaker, the National Waterways Conference was established in 1960 to advocate before Congress for ``common-sense water resources policies that maximize the economic and environmental value'' of the nation's inland, coastal, and Great Lakes waterways.

Throughout its history, the Conference has been a vocal supporter for continued Congressional attention in meeting the nation's water-related needs, including navigation, flood damage reduction and risk management, environmental restoration, hydroelectric power, recreation, and water supply.

The Conference is guided by its purpose of promoting better understanding of the public value of the American waterways system, and to document the importance of far-sighted navigation and water resources policies to a sound economy, industrial and agricultural productivity, regional development, environmental quality, energy conservation, international trade, defense preparedness, and the overall national interest.

The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, understands the importance of the nation's waterways in preserving both the economic and environmental health and prosperity of the nation. Water is our common heritage. America's greatest population centers are cities because they have ports. Seventy-five percent of the nation's population lives along the water, either on the coasts or the inland waterways. Despite the relative scarceness of potable water supplies, generations of Americans have taken water for granted. For most Americans, the only time to think about water is when there is too much or not enough. Today, our nation and the world face significant water resources challenges; yet, there are clear signs that water-use is not being properly used or planned at home or throughout the world.

For over a century, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has served our nation well in investigating and addressing our most critical water resources challenges. Whether it is the construction and maintenance of our coastal and inland navigation systems, protecting the lives and livelihoods of our constituents from flooding or coastal storms, or restoring some of the nation's greatest natural treasures, such as Yellowstone National Park or the Everglades, the nation has relied on its premier water-resources related agency, the Corps, to meet its current and future challenges.

The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, is a vital partner to that effort. It is through the periodic enactment of a water resources development act that Congress provides direction to the Corps to meet both the current and future water resources challenges of the nation, including authorizing critical navigation, flood damage reduction, environmental restoration projects, and studies carried out by the Corps.

Following the successful enactment of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-114), the Democratic and Republican leadership of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure committed to enactment of a water resources development act every Congress.

Throughout its history, these water resources development acts have provided the Corps with the authority to carry out nationally significant projects that have improved the economic prosperity of the nation, have protected its citizenry from the threat of flooding and coastal storms, and have put in place restoration efforts for many of America's natural treasures.

Throughout this effort, the National Waterways Conference has been a vocal advocate for regular authorization of water resources development acts. In the view of the Conference, regular consideration of such laws, such as that taken by our Committee in support of H.R. 5892, the ``Water Resources Development Act of 2010'', is ``essential to the nation's environmental well-being and our economic vitality.'' I applaud the valuable role that the Conference has played in the formation of water resources laws, and commend them for bringing the often-competing views of the various waterway users to the forefront of the debate on nationally significant water resources policies.

I also commend the Conference for its vocal support for funding of the Corps of Engineers in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (P.L. 111-5). Under the Recovery Act, Congress provided $4.6 billion to the Corps to address both a significant portion of its backlog of operation and maintenance needs, as well as plan and begin construction of the next-generation of water-related infrastructure.

According to the Corps, as of August 31, more than 92 percent of the $4.6 billion is under obligation, with the remainder likely to be obligated by the end of the fiscal year. By almost all accounts, this investment of $4.6 billion has been a huge success in meeting the water-related infrastructure needs of the nation. I applaud the foresight of the National Waterways Conference in its advocacy for this effort.

Mr. Speaker, I commend the Conference for its commitment to meeting the water-resources-related challenges of the nation, and for marking its 50th anniversary.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 1639.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution recognizes the 50th anniversary of the National Waterways Conference-- an organization founded as a national advocate for effective policy and robust funding to meet our Nation's water-related infrastructure needs. I commend the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hare) for introducing this resolution.

This resolution recognizes the valuable work of the National Waterways Conference, and congratulates them on marking 50 years of effective advocacy for meeting the Nation's water-related infrastructure challenges.

Mr. Speaker, as the Chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) frequently states, we are a Nation that was formed along the waters. While initially used as the main thoroughfare for commerce and trade, the utility of our Nation's rivers, streams, and coastal areas to our communities has expanded through the years; however, their importance has never waned.

Throughout its history, our Nation has been well served by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the lead-Federal agency charged by Congress with meeting the growing water-related challenges facing the Nation.

For centuries, the Corps has served as the Nation's premier water resource agency, charged by Congress with responsibility over its three principal mission areas of navigation, flood damage reduction, and environmental restoration.

Throughout this history, the Corps has had great successes in addressing many of the major water resource challenges presented to the agency by Congress.

From the development of major U.S. ports and the inland waterway system, to the protection of thousands of American cities and towns from the risk of flood damage, to the restoration of some of the Nation's most valuable natural treasures, such as Yellowstone National Park and the Everglades.

This Congress, on a regular basis, has provided the Corps with the authority to carry out nationally significant projects that have improved the economic prosperity of the Nation, have protected its citizenry from the threat of flooding and coastal storms, and have put in place environmental restoration efforts for the Nation's natural treasures.

These authorities are typically included in a water resources development act, under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and my Subcommittee. Our Committee has a tradition of saying there are ``no Republican levees, and no Democratic navigation projects''--but, I would contend, these projects are essential to the lives and livelihoods of the constituents we represent.

Investment in our water-related infrastructure should be one of those areas where we can come together as a nation--to meet the ever-growing challenges facing our Nation. As in the past, with the historic override of the Presidential veto of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007, this Congress has a history of transcending our political differences to address the needs of the Nation.

I look forward to continuing this work with my colleagues, and on completing our efforts on the Water Resources Development Act of 2010, which was approved by the Committee before the August District Work period.

Similarly, I join my colleagues in commending the work of the National Waterways Conference in the furtherance of our efforts to move water resources bills on a biennial basis. Throughout its 50-year history, the Conference has been an effective National advocate for water resources policy and law, as well as a strong supporter for robust funding of the authorities for the Corps of Engineers.

Fundamental to this effort is the Conference's attempts to maintain a diverse membership that reflects many of the uses of the Nation's waterways, including flood control associations, levee boards, waterways shippers and carriers, industry and regional associations, port authorities, shipyards, dredging contractors, regional water districts, engineering consultants, and local governments.

As is clear from the diversity of the Conference's membership, few areas of National policy have more divergent views, often competing needs, and potential for controversy than the Nation's waters.

However, to aid this effort, organizations, such as the National Waterways Conference, can bring together often competing view points to promote effective National policy with respect to the management and protection of the Nation's waters.

In that light, I applaud the Conference for its support of the Recovery Act, and its appropriation of $4.6 billion for the Corps to address the water-resource needs of the Nation. This investment, of which, as of August 31, over 93 percent has been obligated, has allowed the Corps to address much of the critical backlog for operation and maintenance of projects in the Corps' jurisdiction.

I also applaud the Conference's support for the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's efforts to move the Water Resources Development Act of 2010. This effort is consistent with the traditions of the Committee to consider a water resources development act in every Congress to address the current and future water resource needs of the Nation.

Again, I congratulate the National Waterways Conference on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, and urge my colleagues to join me in support of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 50th anniversary of the National Waterways Conference.

I would like to begin by thanking Chairman Jim Oberstar of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for his support of the National Waterways Conference and for cosponsoring this resolution.

I am proud to have introduced H. Res. 1639 because the National Waterways Conference has worked tirelessly since 1960 in educating the public and elected officials about the importance of our nation's inland waterways system. The Conference reaches all corners of inland waterways, the Great Lakes, and coastal stakeholders because it consists of a diverse group of professionals who all work toward a common goal: utilizing the waterways in an efficient and responsible manner, while being accountable to the environment in and around our waters.

The Conference has also worked closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in planning valuable economic and environmental water-based projects in nearly every geographic region of the U.S. and territories. For example, in the 17th District of Illinois, the Sny Island Levee District and the Upper Mississippi, Illinois and Missouri Rivers Association have for years worked to ensure that Congress does not forget about the catastrophic flooding in the Midwest, and they have advocated for maximizing urgently needed flood protection and flood control. The Corps in turn has closely studied and crafted a plan for protecting the Upper Mississippi River Valley communities. The Conference and Corps complement each other extremely well.

In addition to recognizing and commending the Conference, the resolution recognizes the solid commitment and excellent work done by the Corps of Engineers--the nation's premier waterways infrastructure operators, designers and builders. The Corps is responsible for waterways navigation, flood damage reduction, and environmental restoration for more than 11,000 miles of channels in 41 States, in addition to the important role it plays in supporting our troops.

I believe it is in the best interest of the American people that the National Waterways Conference continues to work with the Congress, the Corps' Civil Works Division, and local communities because of its expertise in planning for a sound economy, industrial and agricultural productivity, regional development, environmental quality, energy conservation, international trade, and national defense preparedness.

Mr. Speaker, I know the National Waterways Conference will have another successful 50 years advocating for improvements to our nation's water infrastructure. I would like to thank the National Waterways Conference for all of their hard work, and I wish them the best of luck in their next chapter.

I urge all of my colleagues to support passage of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1639) recognizing the contributions of the National Waterways Conference on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on House Resolution 1639.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 1639 recognizes the contributions of the National Waterways Conference as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.

I applaud Mr. Hare of Illinois, the sponsor of this legislation, for introducing this resolution, and I urge its adoption.

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

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

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the National Waterways Conference on their 50th anniversary.

The United States Army Corps of Engineers operates and maintains more than 12,000 miles of commercial inland channels--12,000 miles. The Corps of Engineers maintains waterways leading to 926 coastal, Great Lakes and inland harbors, which are things that we take for granted every single day regarding our economy. So I am actually pleased to be here today, speaking on behalf of this recognition and, again, of this 50th anniversary.

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