This legislation might be different, but we will soon find out if the US Senate and the House will sustain their votes by the overwhelming margins in passing the original Water Resources Development Act.

The Senate is expected to take up the water bill as early as Wednesday.  It originally passed the legislation 81-12.

The House is expected a vote on Tuesday.  That House passed the legislation 381-40.

Proponents of the legislation include the entire Louisiana delegation especially due to the havoc of Katrina.  Also, the US Chamber of Commerce favors passing the legislation. 

However, President Bush did not like the $23 billion legislation that would authorize 900 projects and studies.

Bush said the legislation “lacks fiscal discipline”.  He also said it “does not set priorities.

On Friday, Bush said, "This is not fiscally responsible, particularly when local communities have been waiting for funding for projects already in the pipeline".

However, the WRDA bill would includes locks for freight traffic on the Mississippi River, and many who do business along the upper Mississippi River want to expand navigation capacity.

The legislation is also critical for Louisiana in both the Southern part of the state and for projects in the Northern part of Louisiana.

Louisiana Governor Blanco in a news conference last month said she was concerned that a veto would mean that Congress would have to start from scratch.  Bush did in fact fulfilled his threat and did veto the legislation.

At the same news conference, Bobby Jindal, Governor elect of Louisiana said he felt that Congress had enough votes to override the veto.

 

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