Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, the Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, delivered an opening statement at a hearing focused on the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects. The hearing included testimony from Assistant Secretary Telle and Lieutenant General Graham.
Whitehouse began by thanking Chairman Shelley Moore Capito for organizing the hearing and acknowledged both witnesses. He expressed disappointment with recent developments, stating: "I wish we were convening under better circumstances."
Addressing Assistant Secretary Telle directly, Whitehouse said: "ASA Telle, I supported your nomination. You committed to work collaboratively with this Committee to tackle our priorities and deliver the Corps’ missions to all American people." However, he criticized communication between the Corps and congressional offices: "Yet, communications between the Corps and congressional offices have been effectively shut down. Your office does not answer requests for information from my staff. Letters from members of this Committee receive no response. Questions for the Record from last September’s hearing remain unanswered."
Whitehouse also raised concerns about implementation delays regarding previous legislation: "As we convene today to discuss the Water Resources Development Act of 2026, your office has issued implementation guidance for just three of over 180 provisions in the Water Resources Development Act of 2024. This is ridiculous—when Congress passes a law, the relevant agency must move swiftly to implement it."
He went on to allege political interference within the Corps' operations: "Most egregiously, in the seven months since the Senate confirmed your nomination, we have witnessed the worst politicization of the Corps of Engineers in modern times." He further stated: "As with other federal agencies, the Corps’ permitting processes have been corrupted to stymie safe, affordable renewable energy, to help out the President’s big fossil fuel donors."
Whitehouse asserted that such actions violate both legal requirements and internal regulations: "Wielding the permitting authority granted to the agency by Congress in this manner violates the law and contravenes the Corps’ own regulations, which state that it is neither a proponent nor an opponent of any permit proposal."
He also addressed funding decisions affecting certain states: "You have announced an unprecedented pause on $11 billion in funding for Corps studies and projects in Rhode Island and 11 other states represented by Democrats in the Senate—including six other members of this Committee —for the reason according to Russell Vought that we are Democrats." He described these actions as an attack on opposition party members as well as coastal regions.
Highlighting longstanding disparities in project funding allocation between inland flood projects and coastal areas, Whitehouse remarked: "Annual funding for inland flood projects has long outpaced funding for coastal projects, by 20 to 1, even 100 to 1. Instead of addressing this problem, you made things worse by pausing work on large-scale nonstructural flood risk projects, the vast majority of which protect coastal areas. With our coasts facing severe increases in flood risk from rising sea levels and worse storms, it’s just wrong for you to so disfavor coastal areas."
He voiced concern about potential policy changes affecting port infrastructure funding: "A rumored Administration proposal to fund inland waterways projects off the backs of coastal ports—by significantly increasing the Harbor Maintenance Tax and merging the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund with Inland Waterways Trust Fund—worsens the Corps’ reputation as bureaucratic tributary of Mississippi River with no regard for coasts."
Emphasizing economic implications tied to global trade through U.S. ports he said: "The U.S. economy relies on global trade through our coastal ports. You should not be party to Administration schemes that would jeopardize our country’s long-term economic security to harm coastal states as retribution for not bowing to President’s will."
Concluding his remarks Whitehouse stated: "It is hard to imagine what your theory is pursuing a bill that requires bipartisan support to pass. A hard fast and convincing course correction is required get yourselves on track. Remember that you lead U.S Army Corps Engineers not Donald J Trump Corps Engineers."
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee maintains its administrative base at Senate Dirksen Office Building where it supports hearings like this one (https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/). The committee oversees federal programs related to environmental quality natural resources infrastructure conservation needs (https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/), handles nationwide legislation concerning environment infrastructure (https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/), influences federal policy including wildlife protection maintenance (https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/), collaborates through subcommittees on water resources transportation clean air topics (https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/), and includes Chair Shelley Moore Capito among its membership alongside Kevin Cramer Cynthia Lummis (https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/).
