At A Glance
- Unanimous Committee Approval: The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee officially voted to advance H.R. 9497 (WRDA 2026) to the full House floor.
- Project Authorizations: Greenlights 133 new feasibility studies for local water resources and 14 construction-ready projects vetted by USACE.
- Process Streamlining: Optimizes project delivery by strengthening alternative delivery programs and encouraging USACE to increase the use of multi-year contracts.
- Flood and Safety Reforms: Drives flood risk management infrastructure alongside the reauthorization of FEMA’s High Hazard Potential Dam program.
- Partner Enhancements: Establishes dedicated USACE expertise offices covering inland navigation, alternative delivery, water supply, and technical assistance.
Editor’s Note: The following is an official update from the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, curated by America’s Engineers for commercial contractor and industry visibility. The original report can be found at the U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee official repository.
The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today unanimously approved H.R. 9497, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026, a bipartisan bill that addresses improvements for the nation’s ports and harbors, inland waterway navigation system, flood and storm risk management, environment, and other aspects of our water resources infrastructure.
Communities nationwide and the U.S. economy rely on WRDA-authorized investments in water resources infrastructure and projects of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). Since 2014, Congress has enacted a WRDA every two years to help improve water resources infrastructure. WRDA-authorized projects of the Corps are locally-driven projects that deliver regional and national benefits.
“Not only does WRDA 2026 help build and maintain safe and reliable waterways, flood protection, and other water infrastructure for our country, it streamlines Army Corps of Engineers’ processes, provides reforms to improve project delivery, and empowers local stakeholders,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO). “For North Missouri in particular, WRDA 2026 advances a comprehensive flood control plan on the Missouri River, ensuring that people and property are the main priority when managing the river. It also expands the ways our levee owners can work with the Corps to build flood risk management infrastructure and provides necessary, streamlined assistance to levee districts facing maintenance challenges. It also strengthens my state’s representation in Missouri River basin management. I want to thank the other chief sponsors of this bill – T&I Ranking Member Rick Larsen, Subcommittee Chairman Mike Collins, and Subcommittee Ranking Member Frederica Wilson – for their work on this bill, and I look forward to moving it through the House of Representatives.”
We’re so glad you are here! Like what you’re reading? Make America’s Engineers a Google preferred news source.“The Water Resources Development Act of 2026 (WRDA 2026) continues our committee’s biennial efforts to improve water resources infrastructure across the country, grow our economy, ensure communities can affordably access U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ expertise, and build resilient infrastructure in the face of more frequent and severe storms,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Larsen said. “In the Pacific Northwest and across the country, investments in ports, harbors, and inland waterways support good-paying jobs and are key to long-term economic growth. I look forward WRDA 2026 passing the full House soon.”
Numerous stakeholders have also expressed support for passing WRDA 2026.
As approved by the Committee today, WRDA 2026 authorizes 133 new feasibility studies for locally proposed water resources infrastructure projects and 14 projects that have been vetted by the Corps and are ready for construction authorization by Congress.
In addition, WRDA 2026 includes various policy changes to improve infrastructure project delivery. These include strengthening and reauthorizing alternative project delivery programs, emphasizing non-federal interests’ input for feasibility studies, and helping ensure non-federal interests can find the right Corps resources to get projects off the ground.
The bill improves the partnership between the Corps and non-federal interests by establishing offices with expertise on inland navigation, alternative delivery, water supply, and technical assistance. Policies in this bill will improve non-federal interests’ ability to obtain valuable technical assistance and to fund construction more quickly, as well as to encourage the Corps to increase use of multi-year contracts.
WRDA 2026 provisions will better support the Corps’ navigation mission, improve the Corps’ accountability to Congress, strengthen flood and coastal storm risk management, and address dam safety through the reauthorization of the High Hazard Potential Dam program under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) National Dam Safety Program.
This article was originally published by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure under the title, “Committee Approves Bipartisan Water Resources Development Act.” Reposted with permission.
