For the Treasure Coast, water is not a talking point. It is our way of life.
It is the river our kids grow up around, the lagoon that supports local businesses, the beaches that bring families here, and the reason so many of us are proud to call this place home. That is why every fight over water in Washington matters so much.
Last week, we took another step forward.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advanced the Water Resources Development Act, the major water infrastructure bill Congress takes up every two years. It is where the federal government sets priorities for the Army Corps of Engineers, and for our community. That means it is one of the most important tools we have to protect the St. Lucie River, the Indian River Lagoon, the Everglades, and our way of life.
I have used this bill before to deliver real results for Florida, such as authorizing the EAA Reservoir and forcing a rewrite of the outdated Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule.
This year, I kept pushing for the same goal: stop toxic discharges, send more water south, and make Washington answer to the people who live with the consequences.
One of my amendments puts more accountability on the Army Corps when water is released from Lake Okeechobee. If the gates are opened, our communities deserve clear answers. Why was the release made? Where did the water go? What was gained, what was harmed, and how did the decision affect the saltwater estuaries on our side of the levee?
That is not too much to ask. It is basic accountability.
Another amendment makes sure the purpose of the EAA Reservoir is written plainly and permanently. This project is 17,000 acres, built to store roughly 78 billion gallons of water, clean it, and move it south to the Everglades and Florida Bay. Floridians paid too much and fought too hard for anyone to forget what this reservoir is supposed to do: send clean water south and stop discharges.
The bill also includes more wins for our district: faster progress on Indian River Lagoon restoration, continued work on the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Restoration Project, authorization for the C-111 project in the southern Everglades, infrastructure support for Riviera Beach, and more oversight of federal project costs and easements in Florida.
This is what fighting for clean water looks like. It is not one speech, one vote, or one press release. It is showing up again and again, forcing the issue, writing the rules, demanding transparency, and making sure the Treasure Coast and Palm Beaches are never an afterthought.
We have made progress, but the mission is not finished until toxic discharges are stopped for good. I will keep pressing until Washington delivers the clean water Florida was promised.
Stand with me in the fight to stop toxic discharges and protect Florida’s water. Sign the petition and add your name today: