The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“Nomination of Michael Lee Connor (Executive Calendar)” mentioning the Department of Interior was published in the in the Senate section section on pages S7699-S7700 on Nov. 3.
The Department oversees more than 500 million acres of land. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the department has contributed to a growing water crisis and holds many lands which could be better managed.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
Nomination of Michael Lee Connor
Madam President, I come to the floor briefly today to support Michael Connor's nomination to serve as Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works.
Senator Hoeven and I are here together because we both care very much about getting this position filled. All of us have major, major projects in our States that need to be built, and he needs to get in this job. We are hopeful that we will have a vote on this tomorrow.
Michael brings to this position unparalleled experience in water management, and I am not just talking about his professional work but also his upbringing. He grew up on the edge of the desert in New Mexico, and he was raised with a heightened understanding of the importance of water practices. Over the course of his career, he has spent nearly two decades at the Department of the Interior. During that time, he led efforts on water resource management. This experience will be vital as he takes on this new leadership role.
We all know about the importance of the Army Corps of Engineers' Civil Works Program, from supporting navigation on our inland waterways and coastal ports to maintaining reservoirs that supply water to communities, to providing flood protection and risk management.
Senator Hoeven and I are here together because we care a lot about flood protection. The Red River doesn't divide us between Minnesota and North Dakota; it unites us in our efforts to protect our communities. The Red River of the North has exceeded flood stage 55 times between 1902 and 2019, and the problem has worsened in recent years, with 7 of the top 10 floods occurring during the last 30 years. As we begin to see more and more severe impacts from extreme weather events, water management and resiliency will be increasingly important all over the country.
To build up sustainable water infrastructure that can manage flooding across all 50 States, we need leaders like Michael Connor overseeing the Army Corps. Time and again, he has proven himself to be a dedicated and capable leader.
Michael Walsh, a retired Army major general and former Corps of Engineers Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations, said in an interview that Michael Connor ``has deep experience with water resource issues. He'll bring that experience to the Army.''
I am proud to be supporting him. Again, we are very hopeful that we can have this vote tomorrow.
I want to thank Senator Hoeven for the work that he has done in making sure we can clear the way for this vote on his side of the aisle.
Senator Hoeven.
Mr. HOEVEN. Madam President, I thank the senior Senator from Minnesota for her hard work in getting Michael Connor to the floor. I have been very pleased to join with her, and, obviously, we are hopeful that, tomorrow, we will have that vote.
The position of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works is critical to every Member of this body. Every State has interactions with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Assistant Secretary is the top civilian who oversees the Corps of Engineers. The Assistant Secretary plays a vital role in formulating the Corps' budget, in setting policy and priorities for the Corps, and in ensuring that an incredible array of projects is managed and executed across the Nation.
For example, in my State of North Dakota, we have Corps projects in communities like Minot on flood protection. A number of years ago, we had 11,000 people and 4,000 homes and buildings inundated. Obviously, flood protection is incredibly vital for them, and we need the Corps working to get that done.
In the Red River Valley of the North, as Senator Klobuchar said so accurately, we are working together for comprehensive flood protection in that region. It is a multibillion-dollar, multi-State project that uses the latest approach of a public-private partnership with a WIFIA loan guarantee. We are doing things in a way that hasn't been done before that can really help us cut into the backlog that the Corps has on these flood projects.
But it takes a lot of work and a lot of creativity to keep that moving forward, and so we need the Assistant Secretary in place to help us do that, and that is why we need to move forward with this confirmation vote.
And as Senator Klobuchar said correctly, Mr. Connor is well qualified for this position. He held the No. 2 position at Interior from 2014 to 2017. He also served as Commissioner of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation from 2009 to 2014. He worked on Capitol Hill from 2001 to 2009 as counsel to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
So he has got the background to do this. He is ready to go. Let's have this vote on confirmation and let's put him to work for the great people of this great country.
And with that, I would defer again to the Senator from Minnesota for any concluding remarks she has, but, again, I want to thank her for working on this in a bipartisan way.
Ms. KLOBUCHAR. With that, I will turn it over to Senator Murray.
Thank you very much, Senator Hoeven.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington.
