Rep. McDonald Rivet Helps Pass Bipartisan Funding for Water Infrastructure Through Committee

WASHINGTON— Today, Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08) released the following statement after helping pass the bipartisan water infrastructure reauthorization bill through the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. 

“This is a big deal. Investing in our Great Lakes, clean waterways, and water infrastructure keeps our communities safe, our water clean, and our economy strong, not just today, but for generations to come,” said Congresswoman McDonald Rivet. “Today, we brought Democrats and Republicans together to create a bill that does all that, delivering on some really important priorities for mid-Michigan, and I’ll keep pushing until it has President Trump’s signature.” 

The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026 authorizes two years of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works projects to improve America’s water infrastructure and protect the nation’s water resources. Congress has passed a bipartisan WRDA every two years since 2014. 

Congresswoman McDonald Rivet secured several key provisions to support mid-Michigan communities in the final text of this year’s WRDA, including…

• Authorizing $50 million for water and wastewater infrastructure projects in Bay, Midland, Saginaw, and Genesee Counties. 
• Advancing the plan to deepen the Saginaw River to accommodate more commercial activity. 
• Accelerating projects for ecosystem restoration and erosion prevention in Midland in the wake of the 2020 floods. 
• Increasing wages for operators at the Soo Locks Canal. 
• Authorizing $5 million to support the Great Lakes Commission. 
• Establishing an Army Corps of Engineers office on Technical Assistance and Community Outreach to help communities navigate the process involved with WRDA projects.

The Congresswoman also secured several provisions to address threats from the climate crisis and support environmental protection and restoration…

• Restoring, protecting, and strengthening the Great Lakes ecosystem by doubling the federal contribution cap for Army Corps projects.
• Advancing new authorities to implement natural and nature-based alternatives for flood risk reduction, address algal blooms and invasive species, beneficially use dredged materials, mitigate wildfire risk, and develop comprehensive plans to address complex flood risk, including coastal, back bay, riverine, and stormwater flows.
• Creating a new Office of Water Supply, Water Conservation, and Drought Resilience to work with communities on projects to protect people and the environment from increasingly severe and prolonged drought.
• Establishing two new programs to carry out projects for drought resiliency and for flood control structure enhancement.