{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://ocasio-cortez.house.gov/media/press-releases/ocasio-cortez-secures-351-million-flood-prevention-bronx-and-queens", "Ocasio-Cortez Secures $351 Million for Flood Prevention in The Bronx and Queens", "2026-09-17", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "NY", "Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez", "O000172", "ocasio-cortez.house.gov", "ocasio-cortez", "https://ocasio-cortez.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Funding is a $161 million increase from the Water Resources Development Act of 2024\n\nWashington, D.C. - Today, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) announced the House of Representatives\u2019 passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 (WRDA), which includes a provision she requested with her New York Delegation colleagues to authorize the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to spend $351 million to combat flooding in The Bronx and Queens.\n\nThe funding authorizes projects that would directly improve water and wastewater infrastructure, including new flood control and stormwater infrastructure projects in New York\u2019s 14th District.\n\n\u201cIn 2021, Hurricane Ida devastated New York City, taking the lives of 13 community members in flash floods and causing extensive damage to homes in The Bronx and Queens. Since then, the climate crisis has increased the prevalence and intensity of severe weather events,\u201d said Alexandria Representative Ocasio-Cortez. \u201cI am very proud to have secured $351 million in the House-passed Water Resources Development Act of 2026. This funding will allow us to strengthen our existing flood infrastructure, protect our community from future weather events, and help communities better engage with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.\u201d\n\nIn 2024, Representatives Ocasio-Cortez and Grace Meng (NY-06), along with Senator Schumer (D-NY), secured $190 million to combat flooding in Queens. This year\u2019s funding increase adds to that amount.\n\nIn addition to funding for flood management, Representative Ocasio-Cortez and her colleagues secured the creation of a new Office of Technical Assistance and Community Outreach and support for oyster restoration projects in the East River, Flushing Bay, and the Bronx River.\n\nThe impacts of climate change are being felt across our communities, particularly in The Bronx and Queens. By the end of the century, it\u2019s estimated that sea levels could rise by seven feet along the United States coastline.\n\nThe Water Resources Development Act of 2026 provides the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with the authority to carry out development projects and studies that improve water resources infrastructure, including for rivers and harbors.\n\nThis legislation will now be reconciled with the Senate version of the Water Resources Development Act before being signed into law by the President.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-18T09:27:43Z", "2026-09-18T09:29:09Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://ocasio-cortez.house.gov/media/press-releases/ocasio-cortez-secures-351-million-flood-prevention-bronx-and-queens"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.568821258842945, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}