Washington, D.C. –U.S. Representative Charles W. Boustany, Jr. (R-Lafayette), a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today voted to override the President’s veto of the Water Resources Development Act, WRDA.

 

“After seven years, WRDA is finally set to become law,”said Boustany. “This bill is long overdue, but now the Army Corps of Engineers can continue their work on priorities set by Congress to address our critical infrastructure problems in Louisiana and around the nation.”

The House voted to override the President’s veto of WRDA, H.R. 1495, by a vote of 361-54. 290 votes were required for the constitutional procedure. The measure now goes before the Senate, which is also expected to override the veto. If the Senate overrides the veto, WRDA becomes law.

 

WRDA authorizes more than $1.9 billion for the Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA), including the Chenier Plain, making it the largest coastal restoration project in American history. Boustany fought to include the Southwest Louisiana Hurricane and Flood Protection Study as a national funding priority for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The measure authorizes the Corps to expedite the current study, and if the projects are feasible, the Corps is directed to expedite their implementation. This provision ensures Southwest Louisiana is a priority for the Corps.

 

Boustany concluded, “The projects authorized by WRDA will greatly benefit all Louisianans. I am grateful to my colleagues for their support of this important measure.”

 

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