The Senate last week announced eight lawmakers who will serve on a conference committee to produce a final water resources bill in the coming weeks – while also deciding the fate of a Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Authority (WIFIA) pilot program that would offer competitive low-cost financing to major water and wastewater infrastructure projects expected to cost more than $20 million.
All eight Senate conferees – five Democrats and three Republicans – serve on the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee. EPW Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) will chair the conference committee and will be joined by fellow Democrats Max Baucus of Montana, Thomas Carper of Delaware, Ben Cardin of Maryland and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. EPW ranking member David Vitter of Louisiana, John Barrasso of Wyoming and James Inhofe of Oklahoma will represent Republicans on the panel.
Not appearing on the conference committee roster is Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley, who is a leading advocate for the WIFIA program. It is uncertain whether his absence will impact the chances for the program’s inclusion in the final bill. Chairman Boxer also strongly supports the proposal, and Sen. Inhofe successfully offered an amendment to WIFIA during the Senate’s floor debate, which could lead him to push for its inclusion in the final bill as well.
AMWA is encouraging its members to write their representatives and senators – especially those named to the conference committee – to reiterate support for WIFIA. For more information on writing to lawmakers, contact AMWA’s Dan Hartnett at [email protected].
The House of Representatives is expected to name its WRDA conferees as early as this week.