The first Water Resources Development Act since 2000 is "inches away from the goal line," as National Corn Growers Association President Ken McCauley puts it.
The bill contains $21 billion in total authorizations, including lock and dam modernization that would aid grain barge traffic on Midwestern rivers, conservation projects around the country, and 940 Army Corps of Engineers water projects in all.
Members of the House and Senate held conference last week to finish a conference report. The House - which passed its WRDA bill in April - is expected to act on the report Wednesday, followed by the Senate, which approved its version in May.
The next step is the White House, and there is some concern about the administration concerns over the price tag. However, NCGA says it expects President Bush to sign the bill into law.