WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08) today released the following statement regarding the House passage of the Conference Report to the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA), which authorizes the development and maintenance of the nation’s waterway infrastructure, among other critical projects.

The Water Resources Reform and Development Act passed the House by a vote of 417 to 3 on October 23, 2013. Conference Committee Members from the House and Senate reached an agreement on a final measure last week, and now both Houses of Congress must approve the Conference Report in order to send it to the President to be signed into law.

“I applaud the House for passing the Conference Report to the Water Resources Reform and Development Act,” said Congressman Scott. “This legislation is important for Georgia and for the Port of Savannah, which plays a crucial role in our agriculture and manufacturing industries. I encourage the Senate to act on this Conference Report so we can create jobs, improve our nation’s water infrastructure, and increase America’s competitiveness in the global marketplace.”

The legislation includes a key provision that authorizes the funding necessary for the continued work on the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project to move forward.  The provision would end a 14-year delay of the project to deepen the harbor from 42 to 47 feet in order to accommodate new supertankers that will soon be coming from the Panama Canal. The expansion of the harbor will ensure it remains a vital piece of the national infrastructure and have a major economic impact on Georgia and the nation.

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