[StBernard] Update: Senate to Debate Economic Stimulus Tuesday, Landrieu Pushes to Increase Corps Funding

[Westley Annis]

Update: Senate to Debate Economic Stimulus Tuesday, Landrieu Pushes to  
Increase Corps Funding 

 

WASHINGTON - United States Senator Mary Landrieu, D-La., today reaffirmed
her commitment to working on the Senate floor to significantly increase
funding for the Army Corps of Engineers in the economic stimulus
legislation. It will be debated on the Senate floor beginning Tuesday.  Sen.
Landrieu is working with her Senate colleagues and the Obama Administration
to double funding for "shovel ready" Corps projects, including many in
Louisiana. She also will discuss the issue this afternoon with Lt. Gen.
Robert Van Antwerp, Chief of the Army Corps of Engineers. 

"I believe the $4.6 billion for the Corps in this bill is woefully
inadequate and dangerously underfunded," Sen. Landrieu said. "It fails to
address the $61 billion backlog in Corps projects across the country, and
particularly in Louisiana. For decades, we have underfunded critical flood
protection and water resource infrastructure. I am working with my
colleagues to reverse that trend and increase this critical Corps funding on
the Senate floor next week."

The Senate Appropriations Committee-approved economic stimulus bill contains
$4.6 billion for Corps projects nationwide, which would address just seven
percent of the $61 billion backlog of authorized projects. The State of
Louisiana alone has identified $6.2 billion in authorized Corps flood
protection and coastal restoration projects that meet the criteria of
"shovel ready."