Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Randy Weber (TX-14) announced today that the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4553, the FY2026 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. This bill contains substantial funding for TX-14 projects. The following priorities were included in the bill:
$9,061,000 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) construction account to deepen the Sabine-Neches Waterway (SNWW) from its current 40-foot depth to its congressionally authorized depth of 48 feet, as authorized in WRDA 2014. The SNWW is one of the most relevant and vital federal projects of our time, given the geopolitical, national security, environmental, and defense challenges it uniquely addresses for America and its allies. Increasing speed of deployment and throughput capacity of the Sabine-Neches Waterway’s unique blend of heavy military tonnage and clean LNG will help our nation continue to lead the world’s pursuit of peace and stability.
$5,000,000 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) investigations account, for the pre-construction engineering and design for the Texas Coastal Project (locally known as the Ike Dike). This funding would support an integrated and comprehensive coastal resiliency strategy, addressing immediate and long-term coastal risk reduction and ecosystem restoration needs across the entire Texas coast. Estimates suggest that the project would result in $2.31 billion in annual economic savings from reducing flood damage. This project would also result in over 6,000 acres of improved coastal habitat, a significant component in reducing the impacts of storm surges.
Report Language in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) investigations account for advancing state funds to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) Brazos River Floodgates project. This funding would be used for the construction of modern floodgates along the GIWW, bolstering the resiliency of our coastline and protecting our communities from storm surges and other natural disasters. Additionally, this project would protect a myriad of our nation’s most essential sectors, such as energy, agriculture, and defense, all of which play a crucial role in strengthening our national security and protecting our way of life.
“This bill contains critical wins for Texas-14,” said Rep. Weber, “and I am proud to have fought for the priorities that were included in the bill to secure investments in energy dominance, storm resiliency, and strengthening our critical infrastructure.”
