Washington Waves: Waterway News From D. C.

Top leaders of a key House committee released a bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026 that will help keep intact their record of enacting a WRDA every two years since 2014.

“WRDA 2026 helps build and maintain safe and reliable waterways, flood protection and other water infrastructure throughout the United States,” said Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

“This bill streamlines Corps of Engineers’ processes, providing targeted and commonsense reforms to improve project delivery and empower local stakeholders.” Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), the panel’s ranking member, said the biennial bill will “improve water resources infrastructure across the country, grow our economy, ensure communities can affordably access U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ expertise and build resilient infrastructure in the face of more frequent and severe storms.”

According to the lawmakers’ press release, WRDA 2026 authorizes 131 new feasibility studies for locally proposed water resources infrastructure projects and 10 projects that have been vetted by the Corps and are ready for construction authorization by Congress.

In addition, the proposal includes various policy changes to improve infrastructure project delivery, such as strengthening and reauthorizing alternative project delivery programs, emphasizing non-federal interests’ input for feasibility studies and helping ensure non-federal interests can find the right Corps resources to get projects off the ground.

Other provisions are designed to improve the partnership between the Corps and non-federal interests by establishing offices with expertise on inland navigation, alternative delivery, water supply and technical assistance, to improve non-federal interests’ ability to obtain valuable technical assistance and to fund construction more quickly, as well as to encourage the Corps to increase use of multi-year contracts.

The Senate’s version of its WRDA is expected in July.

Energy And Water Bill Derailed

A derailed House vote on the Energy and Water appropriations bill for fiscal year 2027 did not make it on the leadership’s latest floor schedule.

H.R. 9022 was sidelined last week by Republican frustration in both chambers over the Senate’s failure to vote on an elections bill pushed by President Donald Trump.

It was unclear when action on the Energy and Water spending bill, which provides funds for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, would be rescheduled.

That bill was cited by Julie Ufner, president and CEO of the National Waterways Conference, in an NWC News Alert: Navigating a Crowded Congressional Calendar.

“The calendar is tight,” Ufner stated. “Before the August recess, the House and Senate have roughly 15 to 25 legislative days remaining, depending on the chamber.”

Once lawmakers return in September, Ufner added, they have about 12 to 14 legislative days to get all 12 annual spending bills enacted before September 30, a legal deadline that has not been met in more than 30 years.

Bordelon Vessel Contract

The Coast Guard announced the launch of a commercial vessel program to “deliver faster, more effective fleet support.” According to the announcement, the service has awarded a contract to Bordelon Marine to provide a commercial support vessel that will transport supplies, equipment and personnel to cutters operating in the Caribbean, Gulf and other maritime areas in the Western Hemisphere.

“The contract supports the Coast Guard’s Homeland Security Cutter-Ocean (HSC-Ocean) initiative, a new effort to strengthen fleet readiness by using commercially operated vessels to provide logistics support to cutters while they remain at sea on mission,” the announcement stated. “The HSC-Ocean initiative will rapidly deploy this leased commercial asset to augment the Coast Guard’s existing fleet, enhancing the service’s ability to control, secure and defend U.S. borders and maritime approaches. The initiative is designed to provide a rapid, adaptable and effective way to deliver logistics support to high-demand, multi-mission cutters such as the Fast Response Cutter fleet.”

By delivering supplies and personnel directly to cutters underway, the service added, the vessel will help keep its assets on station longer and focused on mission execution.

Under the contract, Bordelon Marine is to provide a fully crewed commercial vessel operated by civilian mariners under the direction of a Coast Guard crew to transport supplies, equipment and mission-essential personnel in support of Coast Guard operations.

The contractor also is to be responsible for vessel operations and maintenance while embarked Coast Guard personnel will coordinate logistics and support mission execution.

Ostwind To Merchant Marine Academy

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the appointment of Rear Admiral (lower half) David Samuel Ostwind to serve as deputy superintendent at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA).

“Rear Admiral Ostwind will be instrumental to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy’s great comeback,” Duffy said. “For years, the Academy and its midshipmen were neglected, but thanks to President Trump, we’re putting Kings Point back on the map and ensuring our midshipmen have the leadership that will prepare them for a career on the seas keeping our supply lines strong and our military equipped.”

Ostwind, who has more than two decades of experience in military leadership, public service and academia, joins the USMMA’s leadership team with Rear Admiral Tony Ceraolo as superintendent and Dr. Jonathan Gajdos as provost. Duffy announced their appointments in January.

Robotics Competition

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the launch of the “DOT Bots Challenge,” described as the first-of-its-kind competition inviting Americans to submit ideas on how robotics can transform the nation’s transportation networks.

Up to $1.5 million in prize money is offered across two stages: 1) Proof of Concept with up to five finalists to receive $100,000 and 2) Demonstration with one winner to receive the grand prize of $1 million.

The submission deadline is 5 p.m. ET August 10.

To enter, participants complete a Challenge Intake Form, prepare a submission package and email the package to robotics@dot.gov.

A webinar is scheduled at 3 p.m. ET on July 8, and additional details are available at www.transportation.gov.

“From supersonic flight to autonomous vehicles to delivery drones, American innovation is already reshaping how we think about transportation,” Duffy said.