Democrats bashed the Trump administration Friday for cutting funding for water infrastructure in several blue states, calling the move politically motivated.
The Army Corps of Engineers has zeroed out of its budget hundreds of millions of dollars for ports, dams and other projects in California, Washington state and Hawaii, while giving projects in some red states a funding boost, according to top Democrats on the House and Senate Appropriations committees.
The shuffling of funds was revealed this week in the Army Corps’ work plan for this year. Because of the continuing resolution that Congress passed in March, President Donald Trump has more discretion on spending decisions than would normally be allowed.
Among the water projects losing funding is Washington state’s Howard A. Hanson Dam, which was set to receive $500 million to help protect water supplies, reduce floods and restore salmon habitats, said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), vice chair of Senate Appropriations Committee. Similar to other projects whose funding was cut, the dam improvements had been fully funded in the Senate and House appropriations bills last year, she said.
