Water Resources Development Act sinks taxpayer dollars

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) urged Congress to vote no on the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2002.  The current version will maintain the status quo of mismanagement and wasteful spending by the Army Corps of Engineers.  A vote is expected to take place on Monday.

“WRDA, as it currently stands, will only drain taxpayer dollars from more important needs,” CCAGW President Tom Schatz said.  “It calls for new water projects that are not needed and do not correspond with the Corps’ mission.”

The bill authorizes $2.6 billion in new projects, includes more than $100 million in new drinking and wastewater projects which overlap other existing EPA programs, and cost billions of dollars more by cutting back on cost sharing rules.

There are several reforms supported by CCAGW and endorsed by the Bush Administration, that if added to WRDA, would help restore taxpayer confidence in the Corps of Engineers.  Such provisions include adding an independent review process for costly projects, reprioritizing backlogged projects, modernizing its planning process, and allowing for better cost allocation.

“There are currently 234 ‘inactive projects’ belonging to the Corps that could be eliminated with a savings of $5.4 billion to taxpayers with the proper provisions added to this bill,” continued Schatz.  “I strongly advise Congress to reject WRDA as it now stands.”

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, the nation's largest (one million members and supporters) nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.