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Sen. Cornyn Reintroduces Levee Reimbursement Legislation In 111th Congress

Joins with Rio Grande Valley leaders and members of the Texas delegation in stressing importance of bipartisan effort to pass legislation

2009-01-22 - cornyn salinas hinojosa

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, today met with Hidalgo County Judge J.D. Salinas to announce he has reintroduced his Valley levee reimbursement legislation. Sen. Cornyn and Judge Salinas were also joined by Congressman Rubén Hinojosa, D-Texas, who recently reintroduced a similar version in the House of Representatives.

“I remain committed to securing much-needed federal funding for this important project, so I am pleased to announce that I have reintroduced my Valley levee reimbursement bill,” Sen. Cornyn said. “These levees serve a critical role for the safety of Valley residents, and also play a significant role in our national security. I want to also thank my fellow Texans in the House of Representatives, Congressmen Hinojosa, Cuellar and Ortiz, for their combined work to help ensure that local leaders have additional funding to safeguard and protect their communities and local taxpayers are reimbursed. I know that by working together we can ensure the levees protect Valley residents from flooding, help boost security and provide the federal support these communities need.”

Sen. Cornyn’s legislation, which is co-sponsored by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, would allow county governments in the Lower Rio Grande Valley to make immediate repairs to their outdated levee system and be reimbursed by the federal government at a later date. The International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) reported that the levees along the Rio Grande River were inadequate to protect Texas communities in a 100-year flood event, and a number of levees in the Lower Rio Grande Valley would have to be raised to protect against flooding.

"For too long, South Texas has been at serious risk of flooding due to the deterioration of the levee system," Congressman Hinojosa said. "I want to commend Hidalgo County's initiative in taking over the federal responsibility to reconstruct the levees. Senator Cornyn, the South Texas delegation, and I will do everything we can to make sure the County is reimbursed for the expenses it has incurred in repairing these federal levees."

“We are encouraged today that Sen. John Cornyn and Congressman Rubén Hinojosa have so quickly filed levee reimbursement language that will help Hidalgo County recover local funds spent on federal projects. We are hopeful that this time around, the levee reimbursement language will gain traction in Congress,” said Hidalgo County Judge Salinas. “Our levee system is more than shovel-ready. This is a huge project where roughly 40 miles of levee are very close to having already been completed. Yet, Hidalgo County taxpayers have been paying for it despite the fact that rehabilitating the river levees, which are owned by the IBWC, is a federal responsibility. We cannot continue to sink local funds into a federal project with no hope of ever getting it back.”

“Especially in these challenging economic times, it is critical that states have the financial support they need to keep our levees strong, safe, and secure,” said Congressman Henry Cuellar. “Today’s legislation has the support of both Democrats and Republicans because safety is an issue that transcends party lines. This isn’t about politics; it’s about protecting Texans.”

“Our levee system in South Texas has long passed the point of effectiveness, and our communities along the Rio Grande Valley are at great risk of flooding and natural disasters,” Congressman Solomon Ortiz said. “South Texas is a densely populated area and we saw the necessity to repair the levees when Hurricane Dolly caused considerable damage along the floodplain. I appreciate Sen. Cornyn, Reps. Hinojosa and Cuellar, and our local officials for their commitment to improving our infrastructure and funding our levee system.”

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www.cornyn.senate.gov

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