Dan Webster: Water Bill Will Help Florida

While Washington is focusing on a potential federal shutdown and attempts to repeal or defund President Barack Obamas health care law, U.S. Rep. Dan Webster, R-Fla., pointed to his support of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA), which passed out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Webster insisted on Thursday the legislation would help the Sunshine State.

Surrounded by water on three sides and thirsty for jobs, WRRDA unlocks the competitiveness, prosperity and job growth that our states natural potential holds, Webster said. This bill allows four of our states seaports to further prepare for the expected boom in shipping from the Panama Canal expansion. It streamlines the approval process for future development projects and reduces duplicative government bureaucracy without imperiling our states environment. It also continues and builds upon existing efforts to revive the unique natural heritage of the Florida Everglades. Perhaps most importantly, the bill we just passed out of committee does this without a single earmark.

Given our bloated federal budget, I am constantly looking for ways to invest in needed infrastructure and the jobs it creates while saving taxpayers money,
Webster added. By removing old projects from the federal books that continue to receive unneeded authorization, and expediting the approval process for those that are critical to our economic growth and competitiveness, WRRDA saves taxpayers $2 billion.

This bill is a perfect example of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committees bipartisan efforts to focus on jobs and unite around a common goal of moving our nation forward while also focusing on reducing wasteful spending, Webster said in conclusion.