(Washington, D.C.)  Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers was appointed today by House Republican Leader John Boehner to serve as a conferee for the Water Resources Development Act. The U.S. Constitution requires that in order for a bill to be presented to the President for signature, it must pass both the House and Senate in the exact same form. The role of a Conference Committee is to work out differences between the House and Senate version of the bill. McMorris Rodgers will be the Republican representative of the Resources Committee in Conference, making her well positioned to protect water and infrastructure projects important to the Pacific Northwest.

“Being selected as a conferee is an important opportunity to ensure the voice of the Pacific Northwest is represented in this conference report,” said McMorris Rodgers. “There are several water projects included in this bill that are crucial to our region, including the Columbia Channel Deepening Project and rebuilding Seattle’s seawall.”

“As the ranking member of the Water and Power Subcommittee, McMorris Rodgers will be a vocal advocate for issues important to the Northwest,” said House Republican Leader John Boehner. “I look forward to working with her on both this legislation and other issues to ensure we conserve and develop our water resources.”

The Columbia Channel Deepening Project is a major transportation, economic development, and international trade issue for the region. The Columbia River is the United State's largest wheat export system, with 40 percent of all U.S. wheat exports shipped through its ports.

The Seattle seawall was damaged in the 2001 Nisqually Earthquake and plays an important role in protecting Seattle’s Waterfront. This bill would require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to consider the environmental, economic, and public safety benefits of the seawall.

The Water Resources Development Act provides for the development of water resources. It also authorizes the Army Corps of Engineers to construct various projects for improvements to rivers and harbors.