{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=6D59CA02-5653-41F8-95F2-9C0E0DC10BB9", "Portman Secures Bipartisan Wins in Water Resources Development Act", "2016-12-10", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "OH", "Rob Portman", "P000449", "www.portman.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) announced today that bipartisan language he co-authored was included in The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) was passed by the Senate today. These Portman-led reforms aim to end Flint-like water crises, prevent inappropriate disposal of dredged materials from the Cleveland Harbor, and renew the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.\r\n\u201cWe must ensure that every Ohioan has access to safe drinking water and protect our Great Lakes, and this bipartisan legislation makes important progress on both goals,\u201d said Portman. \u201cThis bill provides the resources necessary to upgrade our water infrastructure around the country, and I\u2019m glad my bipartisan initiatives were included in the legislation that passed the Senate today. I look forward to the President signing it into law as quickly as possible.\u201d\r\nThe Water Resources Development Act includes the following Portman-led initiatives:\r\n\u00a0\r\n \r\nThe legislation includes language that would prevent the Army Corps of Engineers from determining that dredged material is safe to dump into Lake Erie from the Cleveland Harbor dredging project unless the Ohio EPA agrees.\u00a0It ensures that the Army Corps of Engineers complies with state water quality standards when determining the Federal Standard for disposing of dredged material.\u00a0\r\n \r\n\u00a0\r\n \r\nThe measure reauthorizes the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). GLRI is a results-driven program\u00a0to address\u00a0the most serious issues\u00a0that\u00a0threaten\u00a0the ecological and economic wellbeing of the\u00a0Great Lakes\u00a0basin, including invasive species, pollution, and toxic contamination. The legislation authorizes GLRI to receive $300 million a year, which is $50 million more than President Obama requested in his budget.\u00a0 Portman helped develop this legislation with Senator Mark Kirk.\r\n \r\n\u00a0\r\n \r\nThe legislation includes a bipartisan compromise designed to end crises like the one in Flint, Michigan, which will provide $170 million for states, including Ohio, to address lead in our water supply, improve all forms of water infrastructure, and fund health programs to treat lead exposure. Portman helped developed this bipartisan compromise with Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), and Gary Peters (D-MI).\u00a0\r\n \r\n\u00a0\r\n \r\nThe legislation requires the Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a study on the final flood control, ecosystem restoration, and recreation components of Cincinnati Riverfront Park. This will authorize an additional $30 million to complete the park if the study determines the components are feasible.\r\n \r\n\u00a0\r\n \r\nThe final bipartisan Portman reform included is the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act, which he worked on with Senator Amy Klobuchar. This legislation provides critical resources to conserve and restore fish and wildlife populations in the Great Lakes. The legislation would authorize the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to partner with other federal agencies, states, and tribes to develop and execute proposals for the restoration of fish and wildlife resources in the Great Lakes Basin. The Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act serves an important role in implementing the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) and will renew continued cooperative efforts to address impacts associated with invasive species throughout the Great Lakes Basin.\r\n \r\nNOTE: Portman has championed numerous pieces of legislation to protect and preserve clean drinking water and the health of Lake Erie. Portman, received a Clean Water Award from the\u00a0National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) for his efforts, and has worked diligently to make drinking water safe for all Ohioans, protect Lake Erie from dredged materials, harmful algal blooms, harmful plastic microbeads and invasive species, and more.\r\n\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=6D59CA02-5653-41F8-95F2-9C0E0DC10BB9"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.7578250262886286, "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"}