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House Leadership Delays Consideration of Critical Flood Control Dam Funding

House Republican leadership continues to delay consideration of a farm bill, which includes $85 million a year through FY 2017 for the Small Watershed Rehabilitation (SWR) program, the nation’s only dam rehabilitation program. This program assists local communities with improving aging flood control dams, thereby helping to address public health and safety needs before a tragic dam failure occurs.   The House Agriculture Committee approved the legislation for floor consideration on July 12.  Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) recently said the farm bill will be "done before we're out of the year," but noted that House members know very little about the bill's contents, raising concerns that it would not pass. Bringing the farm bill to the floor would put congressional members on both sides of the aisle in a difficult pre-election voting situation. Fiscal conservatives from rural districts would find themselves in a position of having to vote against federal subsidies for farmers and Democrats would have to vote for cuts to the federal food stamp program. Watershed infrastructure is a vital component to the nation’s flood control efforts and this infrastructure sorely needs improvement.  Currently, $15 billion worth of 11,000 flood control dams and conservation practices in 2,000 watersheds provides $2 billion in annual benefits to over 47 million citizens. As it stands, nearly one-fifth of those 11,000 dams have reached the end of their 50-year planned service life. By 2016, almost two-thirds of the watershed dams will reach this milestone. In addition to these watershed protecting measures, the House version also cuts grants to the Rural Utilities Service’s Rural Water and Wastewater Facility Grants from $30 million annually to $15 million annually. The Senate approved a farm bill in June that includes the same $85 million authorization level, but not additional funds for the Civilian Conservation Corps. The Rural Utilities Service Grants are held at $30 million annually. AGC continues to strongly advocate for sorely needed investment in our nation’s aging infrastructure, including its dams and water/wastewater facilities. For more information, please contact Jimmy Christianson at 703-837-5310 or christiansonj@agc.org.