Press Releases

Congresswoman Frederica Wilson issued the following statement on the passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2018:

"I was thrilled that the House passed the Water Resources Development Act today. This is a win for Florida and for communities across the country. As chair of the Florida Ports Caucus, I fought to bring relevant stakeholders together and to ensure that Florida's interests were considered at each stage of the process.

"I founded the bipartisan Florida Ports Caucus in 2013 as a vehicle for the third-largest congressional delegation to amplify its voice and ensure the passage of bills like this. I am proud of the crucial role that its members played in shaping the legislation. In total, seven amendments offered by caucus members were added to the bill.

"I am also proud of the central role that District 24 in drafting WRDA. In October 2017, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee held a field hearing at PortMiami to learn about industry needs and priorities. The Florida Ports Caucus subsequently hosted two meetings during which those priorities were reiterated, many of which were addressed in the bill. One such measure was my amendment that provides credit to local sponsors to cover the federal share of navigation projects, which was included in the base text of WRDA.

"Our ports serve as an economic engine for Florida and their vitalization creates jobs for our state. This is why I fought to bring Florida's ports' agenda to Washington and sent letters to the Department of Transportation in support of INFRA grants for PortMiami and Port Everglades. The $7 million awarded to PortMiami is a big win for our community.

"The grant and WRDA's passage are significant steps toward creating jobs and injecting much-needed funding into District 24. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to take up and pass this legislation."