Washington, D.C. – Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-16) joined U.S. Representatives Mary Miller (IL-15), Mike Bost (IL-12), and Eric Sorenson (IL-17) to introduce the Upper Mississippi River Levee Safety Act in the House on Tuesday. This legislation will give local levee districts along the Upper Mississippi River more flexibility to maintain their systems and allow them to better prepare for future floods by addressing the federal regulatory challenges that make levee maintenance and improvements difficult.
In 2020, Rep. LaHood successfully advocated for the designation of the Mississippi River Ports of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois (MRPEIWI), the Mid-America Port and the Illinois Waterways Ports and Terminals as the Corn Belt Port Statistical Areas, which made it easier for the ports to attract business and investment, grow the local economy, and create new jobs.
“In central and northwestern Illinois, inland waterways are critical to the economic viability of our communities and allow small businesses, farmers and manufacturers to export commodities around the world,” said Rep. LaHood. “I am proud to join members of the Illinois Delegation to introduce this important legislation to improve levee operations along the Upper Mississippi River and provide local levee districts greater flexibility to maintain their systems.”
“This bill is a critical step to ensure that levee operators have the tools and flexibility they need to do essential maintenance along the Mississippi River,” Rep. Miller said. “The Mississippi levees protect countless homes and thousands of acres of farmland, and I’m proud to lead the effort in the House to protect Illinois communities from future flood threats. I am pleased to be joined on this bill by several of my colleagues from the Illinois Delegation. We look forward to working with Chairman Sam Graves and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on this important issue, especially as the House begins work on the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) next year.”
"Farmers and families living along the Mississippi River know how devastating floods can be to our low-lying communities,” said Rep. Bost. “Oftentimes, our levees are all that stand between our people and the dangerous effects of a natural disaster. Investing in strengthening the levee system can truly be a matter of life and death. I am proud to support this legislation and will continue to do all I can to keep Southern Illinoisans safe.”
“As the only meteorologist serving in Congress, I know how devastating the impacts of extreme weather can be to families, neighborhoods, and property,” said Rep. Sorensen. “I’m proud to work across the aisle to advance this bill that protects our region from the impacts of flooding along the Mississippi, supports our agriculture industry, and helps keep people safe.”
The Upper Mississippi River Levee Safety Act is also being supported by the Upper Mississippi, Illinois & Missouri Rivers Association, Corn Belt Ports, and the Illinois Farm Bureau.
“This legislation maintains what Congress and the Corps originally intended, or prior approved based on benefits, so it would not change the impact to any other levee districts along the Upper Mississippi River, and as locally funded, would not be taking any federal dollars away from other districts,” said said Mike Klingner, chairman of the Upper Mississippi, Illinois & Missouri Rivers Association (UMIMRA). “The act would also benefit environmental conservation areas protected by levees."
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