House passes $8.2 billion water resources bill

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the Water Resources Reform and Development Act by a vote of 417-3. Rep. Jason Smith voted in favor of the bill.

The $8.2 billion bill would allow work to proceed on 23 shipping channel, flood management and other water projects the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has started studying, the Associated Press reported. It also would shelve at least $12 billion of inactive projects approved in the previous water resources bill.

"For farmers in Missouri and other states across the country, cost-effective transportation from farm to market is extremely important to American agriculture's overall competitiveness in the global marketplace," Missouri Farm Bureau president Blake Hurst said in a statement Thursday. "Our infrastructure is aging, and investments are needed to ensure we have a reliable system of inland waterways and ports for 21st century commerce."

The Senate passed its version of the water bill in May with a bipartisan vote.

The House and Senate must appoint members to conference committees that will work to create a combined version of the individually passed bills at a later date.

"We remain hopeful the WRRDA and a new five-year farm bill will be enacted before the end of the year," Hurst said in his statement.