AISI Applauds House Passage of Water Resources Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. – American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) President and CEO Kevin Dempsey today applauded passage by the House of Representatives of legislation to make key investments in critical U.S. Army Corps of Engineers water infrastructure projects, including the construction and maintenance of ports, inland waterways, locks and dams across the U.S. The measure represents the final version of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which has been negotiated over recent months to reconcile the two different versions of the bill passed earlier this year by the House and Senate. WRDA legislation has been signed into law in each of the previous five Congresses.

“The health and stability of our nation’s marine transportation system are critical to the economic competitiveness of the domestic steel industry. AISI member companies rely heavily on inland waterways, seaports, locks and dams for transporting raw materials to their plants and finished products to end users in the market. As such, it is essential that repairs and construction of important inland navigation projects be approved and completed as efficiently as possible,” Dempsey said. “In addition to authorizing 21 new water projects, the steel industry also supports WRDA’s updated project cost-share formula. Modernizing this formula will facilitate the timely construction of important inland navigation projects that are critical to the steel industry and our customers. We urge the Senate to pass this measure as soon as possible.”

AISI yesterday sent a letter to members of the House urging passage of the bill and was cited in the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s press release as a key supporting stakeholder.

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Contact: Lisa Harrison

202.452.7115 / lharrison@steel.org

AISI serves as the voice of the American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI’s membership is comprised of integrated and electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmakers reflecting the production of both carbon and stainless steels which are critical to the everyday lives of all Americans — including national security, roads and bridges, the electrical grid, clean energy technologies and the automotive market. AISI also represents associate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI’s website at www.steel.org. Follow AISI on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter (@AISISteel) or Instagram.