Early December 2017

Happy December and a warm welcome to our many new WaterLog subscribers!!  Here’s the latest from your Nation’s Capital. With Senate passage of the tax bill, that chamber’s version will have to be reconciled with a somewhat different tax bill previously passed by the House.  I mention this issue for two reasons.,  First, the future…

Thanksgiving Day Update 2017

A House Appropriations Committee panel will hold a hearing on the new disaster resilience Community Development Block Grant (which will actually be a competitive grant) proposed in the latest Administration-requested supplemental we reported on to our subscribers last week.  For new subscribers who didn’t get that update, please email me and I’ll send it to…

November 2017 Update

The Administration send its third request for a post-disaster supplemental appropriation last Friday.  Congress has already passed $35.8 billion for the hurricanes and flooding events plus $16 billion in debt forgiveness for the NFIP.  This latest request is for $44 billion.  Given the fact that this won’t be the last request for the slew of…

House passes flood insurance revamp

The House has passed a measure to make several significant changes to the National Flood Insurance program by a vote of 237-189.  Of most immediate importance, it reauthorizes NFIP, whose statutory authorization expires on December 8th.  The Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), has previously called the NFIP “a bankrupt…

Early November 2017 Update

* New ASA(CW) The Senate Armed Services Committee held a hearing last week on the nomination of R.D. James to be Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works.  Here’s a summary put together by my colleague, Zack Moody – Sen. Blount (R-MO) introduced James and vouched for him as a civil engineer, farmer, and…

WRDA 18 starts to get legs

The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee will hold a Nov. 2 hearing focused on Central Takeaways from the Unprecedented 2017 Hurricane Season.  Details have not been posted yet, but check back here in a few days.  You can still listen to the roundtable discussion the committee held on Friday the 27th by clicking here.  This…