Senate-House Agree On $20 Billion Water Projects Bill

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. Senate and House negotiators today reached agreement on a 20 billion dollar water projects bill.

It’s the Water Resources Development Act. Final votes by both chambers to approve the compromise agreement are expected next week, before the August recess. About one-fourth of the authorized money, some3.5 billion dollars, would go to Hurricane Katrina-damaged Louisiana.

The measure also has 298 million dollars for improvements to the Trinity River basin in the Dallas area. Representative Eddie Bernie Johnson of Dallas heads the House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee. Johnson says correcting problems today saves money tomorrow, because the problems only get worse and their solutions only grow more expensive over time.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)