Senate Approves Water Bill, But Veto Looms

"The Senate on Monday overwhelmingly approved a bill authorizing $23 billion in water resource projects, including $3.5 billion in work for hurricane-ravaged Louisiana, despite warnings from some lawmakers and watchdog groups that the bill did not provide crucially needed changes to the Army Corps of Engineers, which would do most of the work."

"Supporters of the measure said it included critical projects for flood control and environmental restoration and would create a new national levee safety program with the goal of better preparedness for hurricanes."

"But opponents if futile, case that the bill would fail to address the most important needs, even in Louisiana, which is the biggest beneficiary of the measure."

"While the bill authorizes projects, it does not actually provide the money for them, which must be done in a future spending bill, meaning that there is no guarantee that a given project will go forward."