{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-and-whitehouse-steer-extra-9m-to-ridot-in-bipartisan-water-infrastructure-bill", "Reed & Whitehouse Steer Extra $9M to RIDOT in Bipartisan Water Infrastructure Bill", "2024-12-20", "2024", "2024-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", "jackreed", "https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 In an effort to bolster Rhode Island\u2019s water infrastructure, help the state tap into transportation dollars, and promote Ocean State economic development, U.S. Senators Jack Reed, a leading member of the Appropriations Committee, and Sheldon Whitehouse, the next Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, helped pass the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024.\n\nThis legislation authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to carry out projects that enhance our nation\u2019s ports, harbors, inland waterway navigation, flood and storm protection, and other critical water infrastructure.\n\nThis year\u2019s bill also includes provisions to help states, including Rhode Island, unlock unused transportation funds that have accumulated under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program. The bill directs the U.S. Secretary of Transportation (USDOT) to transfer $1.8 billion in unused TIFIA funding to the states through the existing Surface Transportation Block Grant program, which provides flexible funding to states for key transportation projects. It also directs USDOT to redistribute 75 percent of any future unused amounts out of the $250 million provided to TIFIA annually in each of FY 2025 and 2026.\n\nAs a result, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will receive an additional one-time allocation of roughly $9 million that the state may use toward key transportation priorities.\n\nThis year\u2019s WRDA also reauthorizes the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to help spur development in distressed local communities across the country. Through its grant programs, EDA helps local communities plan for economic development activities, construct \u2018last-mile\u2019 infrastructure, and mitigate the effects of short- and long-term economic challenges and disasters.\n\n\u201cWRDA invests in our waterways and help keeps commerce flowing. I worked on a bipartisan basis to help unlock an estimated $9 million in transportation funding for RIDOT this year and ensure more upfront money is going to states so they can better plan and budget for the future. This provision will help state transportation agencies effectively allocate federal dollars while advancing key transportation projects,\u201d said Senator Reed.\n\n\u201cThis year\u2019s water resources package will help Rhode Island advance long-term climate resilience and transportation priorities, while supporting economic development,\u201d said Senator Whitehouse, who serves on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee where the WRDA bill was crafted, and will be its Ranking Member next year. \u201cThis bill also provides an avenue to deploy more funding to the Ocean State in the future to rehabilitate old or unsafe dams.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"]], "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.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-and-whitehouse-steer-extra-9m-to-ridot-in-bipartisan-water-infrastructure-bill"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6792076639831066, "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"}