{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ricketts-discusses-2019-floods-water-management-with-army-corps-of-engineers/", "Ricketts Discusses 2019 Floods, Water Management with Army Corps of Engineers", "2025-09-18", "2025", "2025-09", "Republican", "Senate", "NE", "Pete Ricketts", "R000618", "www.ricketts.senate.gov", "ricketts", "https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list&pagenum=", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, discussed the Army Corps of Engineers\u2019 need to prioritize river management practices that protect lives and support industries that depend on the river for commerce.\n\n\u201cWhen I was Governor in 2019, Nebraska and the Midwest experienced a devastating flood that affected many of our rivers and the Missouri River in particular,\u201d said Ricketts. \u201cFour people lost their lives. Farmers lost $400 million in corn and soybeans. Ranchers lost $400 million in cattle. Federal authorities estimate the damage to Nebraska alone cost $2.6 billion. I worked closely with the Corps to push for action.\u201d\n\n\u201cAt that time, the relationship with the Corps was rocky,\u201d said Ricketts. \u201cToo often, Nebraskans\u2019 concerns were met with only explanations of why something couldn\u2019t be done\u2026 At times, I saw the Corps as more of an obstacle than a partner, and one that failed to put people first in its decision-making. Today is a new opportunity though, with Secretary Telle and Lieutenant General Graham leading the change.\u201d\n\nRicketts also discussed the Corps\u2019 delays in realigning their mission priorities. He criticized a 2004 amendment to the Corps\u2019 flood control water management practices that raised environmental compliance to the same level of importance as the protection of human life and property.\n\n\u201cThe $3 million dollar 3-year Planning Assistance Study has now taken more than 5 years and has cost more than $10 million,\u201d said Ricketts. \u201cThis is a similar refrain to what we\u2019ve heard from other people: projects taking longer and costing more. Still, it hasn\u2019t changed the way the Corps conducts business. The study has yet to be finalized but it\u2019s not clear there\u2019s going to be any concrete, actionable steps in this plan for improvement.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe roots of the problem go back to 2004, when an amendment to the 1979 Manual reversed the Corps\u2019 historical flood control water management practices,\u201d said Ricketts. \u201cThat shift fundamentally scrambled the Corps\u2019 priorities for basin management. The amendment made environmental compliance equally as important as the protection of human life and property through flood mitigation. The Corps must refocus its management of the river on the agencies\u2019 core values which is water management for the benefit of those who rely on it for commerce. And protecting people.\u201d\n\nClick here to watch the video.\n\nThe Committee on Environment and Public Works hearing was entitled Oversight of the US Army Corps of Engineers.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:10:29Z"]], "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.ricketts.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ricketts-discusses-2019-floods-water-management-with-army-corps-of-engineers/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.2093540281057358, "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"}