Today, Representatives Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) and Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18) discussed their work to move forward the Texas Coastal Spine.  Earlier this week, a bipartisan group of Texas members sent a letter calling on Congressional leadership to include a funding mechanism for coastal resiliency projects in the American Jobs Plan.  

“Through the American Jobs Plan, we have the opportunity to reimagine and rebuild—investing in the future of our country by investing in our infrastructure.  For our region, that means investing in infrastructure that is resilient to floods, storms, and other threats,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher.  “The Texas Coastal Spine is the type of bold, imaginative, and necessary infrastructure that is called for in the American Jobs Plan.  Investing in this project is smart, timely, and in our economic and national security interests.  Securing funding for coastal resiliency projects like the Texas Coastal Spine in the American Jobs Plan would be an innovative and important part of our path forward.” 

“I am pleased to join Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher and my other Texas Congressional Delegation Colleagues in the fight against catastrophic regional flooding. In 2017, when I led on the Hurricane Harvey recovery, everyone could see the devastation inflicted on the residents of Houston and Galveston caused by the decades of neglect of the area’s infrastructure needs. As a senior member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I have worked tirelessly to advance solutions to solve the impact of climate change on the Houston Gulf Coast region.  Harvey’s 21 trillion gallons of rainfall on Texas, mostly in the Houston-Harris County area over six days, was proof that larger and more powerful storms are with us to stay. My work, along with my colleagues, to advance the construction of a coastal barrier to protect the entire upper Texas Coast began with my support for the funding of an Army Corps of Engineers roadmap—the report was completed in 2020. It is time to be bold—and to Build Back Better—as we work with the Biden-Harris Administration on securing the Texas Coastal Spine. Our united effort should expedite this priority project’s inclusion into the American Jobs Plan because it will bring benefits to the region and the nation,” said Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. 

The American Jobs Plan outlines President Biden’s infrastructure priorities, including strengthening infrastructure in areas vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.  The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is currently crafting its legislation to move forward the American Jobs Plan.  Dedicating a stream of funding specifically for coastal resiliency projects will help ensure that there is a federal funding mechanism in place when the Texas Coastal Spine project is ready to move forward.  

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers unveiled its second draft plan to construct a coastal storm barrier along the Gulf Coast in October 2020, and it plans to publish its final report for approval by Congress later this year.