House Passes WRDA 2026, Advancing Inland Waterways Construction Office

The U.S. House of Representatives took an important step towards strengthening the nation’s inland waterways Wednesday night, passing the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026 by a vote of 415-9. The bipartisan legislation passed under a suspension of rules and now moves to the U.S. Senate.

The bill included the Office of Inland Navigation Construction Management, a provision that creates an office within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers focused specifically on inland waterways construction programs. They will be responsible for developing and managing inland waterways construction plans, overseeing construction and major rehabilitation projects, and providing updates to the Waterways Users Board.

“Passage of WRDA 2026 in the House is an important step forward for the future of our inland waterways and the farmers and communities that depend on them,” stated Mark Bunselmeyer, President of IL Corn Growers Association and Maroa farmer. “Establishing an Inland Navigation Construction Office will help bring greater accountability to the construction and major rehabilitation of our locks and dams. This will hopefully prevent projects on the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers being passed over due to political interests. We appreciate the House recognizing the importance of this infrastructure and hope the Senate will pass this legislation to see WRDA 2026 become law.”

The Senate has not announced when they plan to act on WRDA 2026 but should act quickly as the December deadline to pass the bill approaches. IL Corn will continue to follow the legislation and encourage the Senate to pass the bill swiftly.