Congresswoman Lois Frankel joined today, with colleagues on both sides of the aisle, to pass the bi-partisan Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) out of the House of Representatives. As a member of the Transportation & Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment, the committee that generated the bill, Frankel worked with Democrats and Republicans to advance forward important local projects.

“Transportation moves our economy, and our waterways play a vital role,” Frankel said, while speaking on the House floor. “This bill is about jobs. It promotes our ports and protects our most precious wetlands, the Everglades.”

Port Everglades located in Fort Lauderdale is the 12th leading container port in the United States, moving 5.2 billion tons of containerized cargo annually.

It is the one of South Florida's top economic engines, impacting more than 201,000 jobs and creating approximately $26 billion in economic activity, according to Port Everglades.

The bill as passed, will allow the Port to progress towards the dredging that is needed to accommodate the larger post-Panamax vessels that will frequent the seas once the Panama Canal is widened in 2015.

Once completed, the dredging project will surge economic growth in South Florida, creating 7,000 new additional jobs and 135,000 indirect jobs. That’s a half billion dollars in economic impacts, far outweighing its potential costs.

The WRRDA bill will allow four Everglades projects to break ground, one of which will be constructed in backyard of Frankel’s district. The Broward County Water Preserve Area will help conserve water and boost water supply to South Florida.

As with Port Everglades, four more Everglades projects, will be allowed to proceed to planning, design and construction by a nonfederal interest, once a federal feasibility study is finalized. Most significantly, the non-federal interest as shall be eligible for a credit or reimbursement for any work carried out.

Through WRRDA, Congress authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to carry out its missions to dredge our ports, renourish our beaches and restore important environmental ecosystems like the Everglades. Historically, Congress has passed this legislation every two years to provide clear direction to the Administration and the Corps, but no bill has been signed into law since 2007. In May, the Senate passed a bipartisan WRRDA bill.

Text of Frankel’s Speech As Delivered and Video Here.

 Thank you Mr. Speaker, I of course stand in support of this bill and I want to thank the Chairmen and ranking members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for extraordinary leadership in bringing this bipartisanship and very important bill to the floor.

Transportation moves our economy, and our waterways play a vital role.

This bill is about jobs for America, and as a Floridian I am pleased to support this legislation that promotes our ports and protects our most precious wetlands, the Everglades.

Today's proposal will allow Florida's east coast ports in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Jacksonville to advance in preparation for the widening of the Panama Canal, accommodation of larger and heavier loaded post-Panamex freight ships is expected to create tens of thousands of jobs and add multi-billion dollar impact to Florida's economy.

And today's bill authorizes important projects that help to restore Florida's most important watershed, the Everglades, with a 4 to 1 return on every dollar spent. This restoration means improving water quality for millions of people, protecting our natural habiting, increasing property values and expanding recreational opportunities for Florida.

As this bill progresses I hope we can extend the period of authorization as in year’s past/ But with that said, Mr. Speaker, this is a very good bi-partisan bill. It’s good for Florida, it’s good for our country.

I urge its support. And I yield back.

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