HR 10387: To amend the Water Resources Development Act of 2000 to authorize the Secretary of the Army to carry out additional Great Lakes fishery and ecosystem restoration projects not eligible under current policy of the Department of the Army, and for other purposes.

HR 10387 in plain English: This bill would amend the Water Resources Development Act of 2000 to allow the Army Secretary to carry out additional Great Lakes fishery and ecosystem restoration projects that are currently ineligible under Army Department policy. Individual projects under this authority would be capped at $20,000,000.

Stated purpose

The bill aims to allow the Army Corps of Engineers to carry out Great Lakes fishery and ecosystem restoration projects that are currently ineligible under Army Department policy, while setting a spending cap per project.

Key points

• Expands eligible Great Lakes fishery and ecosystem restoration projects the Army Secretary can carry out
• Caps federal cost for any single project under this authority at $20,000,000

Arguments supporters make

• The Great Lakes support millions of jobs and provide drinking water to tens of millions of people, so expanding restoration efforts protects a critical national resource
• Current Army Department policy arbitrarily blocks worthwhile projects; this bill removes a bureaucratic barrier so more ecosystem damage can be repaired
• A clear $20 million per-project cap keeps spending accountable and prevents any single project from consuming a disproportionate share of funds

Arguments opponents make

• The bill does not specify which types of projects become newly eligible, leaving broad discretion to the executive branch with little congressional oversight
• A $20 million federal cap per project may be too low for large-scale ecosystem restoration, potentially limiting the effectiveness of the program
• Expanding Army Corps authority into areas previously excluded by department policy could blur the line between military engineering missions and environmental conservation work better handled by other agencies

Tradeoffs

Broadening eligibility for federally funded restoration projects could accelerate Great Lakes recovery, but it also expands federal spending authority and executive discretion without detailing which specific projects or criteria qualify.

Current status in Congress: In committee.

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