Congressman Paul Mitchell (MI-10) released the following statement following House passage ofH.R. 8, the Water Resources Development Act of 2018, also known as WRDA. WRDA is the vehicle by which Congress authorizes critical improvements to our nation’s water resource infrastructure including ports, locks, dams, flood protection and more.

The bill included a bipartisan amendment authored by Congressman Mitchell and Congressman Rodney Davis (IL-13) that will protect the Great Lakes from invasive species like Asian carp by requiring the Army Corps of Engineers to expedite completion of the Brandon Road Study.  The Brandon Road Lock and Dam system is one of the last stops along the Des Plaines River keeping Asian carp out of Lake Michigan and the entire Great Lakes system. Thebill also included language addressing the severe economic and national security need to upgrade the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
“The United States’ water resource infrastructure is essential to our nation’s economic prosperity, and passage of the Water Resources Development Act strengthens our nation’s economic growth and competitiveness while enhancing oversight, transparency, and accountability,” said Mitchell. “Further, this bill makes positive progress on two projects important to my district and Michigan; upgrading the Soo Locks, and ensuring that invasive species like Asian carp do not reach the Great Lakes. I will continue working with my colleagues in Washington to ensure these projects see completion.”