H.R. 9497
Water Resources Development Act of 2026
Sponsor: Sam Graves
3 cosponsors
Official summary
Written by the Congressional Research Service.
Water Resources Development Act of 2026
This bill authorizes and modifies certain water resource infrastructure projects and programs of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and makes related requirements. For example, the bill authorizes and modifies various water resources feasibility studies and projects of the Corps of Engineers, such as studies or projects to
- maintain ports and harbors,
- make certain waterways more navigable,
- reduce flood and storm damage,
- restore aquatic ecosystems and protect fish and wildlife,
- protect shorelines,
- address harmful algal blooms,
- rehabilitate dams,
- manage recreational sites and facilities,
- support water supply and storage projects, and
- support other water resources infrastructure.
The bill also directs the Corps of Engineers to establish an Office on Alternative Delivery Methods in order to accelerate project delivery of infrastructure.
In addition, the bill directs the Corps of Engineers to issue a rule that establishes categorical permissions for certain harbor or river improvements that will cause only minimal adverse environmental effects.
Text of the bill
I General Provisions
II Studies and Reports
III Deauthorizations and Modifications
Where this section came from
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Jun 29, 2026 · Introduced in House Referred to House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Jun 29
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Sep 3, 2026 · Reported in House Marked up by House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Jul 14 Reported by House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Sep 3 Committee members' individual votes aren't in our records.
… 2 unchanged passages …
(f) Limitation. The total Federal amount expended for a critical restoration project under this section (including a critical restoration project for which an agreement was entered into pursuant to this section before the date of enactment of the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 and construction is not complete as of such date of enactment) shall not be more than $20,000,000.
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What is a markup?
A markup is a committee meeting where members go through a bill and vote on changes before sending it to the full chamber.
Section 544(f) of the Water Resources Development Act of 2000 (114 Stat. 2675; 132 Stat. 3826) is amended to read as follows:
(f) Limitation. The total Federal amount expended for a critical restoration project under this section (including a critical restoration project for which an agreement was entered into pursuant to this section before the date of enactment of the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 and construction is not complete as of such date of enactment) shall not be more than $20,000,000.
IV Water Resources Infrastructure
V Dam Safety