Washington, DC – The Institute of Makers of Explosives (IME) President Clark Mica released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Water Resources Development Act by a vote of 359-13:
“IME applauds the bipartisan work of House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Sam Graves and Ranking Member Rick Larsen to advance the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA) in the U.S. House of Representatives. If signed into law, WRDA will improve and strengthen our nation’s ports and harbors, inland waterway navigation, flood and storm protection, and other aspects of our water resources infrastructure.
“A healthy and efficient network of ports, harbors, and navigable waterways is essential to moving goods and products, including commercial explosives, efficiently throughout our nation’s supply chains. The projects authorized by WRDA will also create jobs and provide support to local, state and national economies.
“IME and our members are proud to play an important role in the implementation of many of these critical infrastructure projects through the safe and secure use of commercial explosives for the extraction of aggregate materials used in construction, removal of old structures and preparing areas for new construction.
“We thank Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen and Subcommittee Chairman Rouzer and Ranking Member Napolitano for their bipartisan efforts and urge Senate Leadership to bring up for consideration and pass the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 and send the legislation to President Biden to be signed into law.”
ABOUT IME: The Institute of Makers of Explosives' mission is to promote the safe and secure manufacture, transport, distribution, and use of commercial explosives. For more than 100 years, the Institute has represented U.S. manufacturers of commercial explosives and other companies that distribute commercial explosives or provide related products and services. Today, the commercial explosives industry accounts for over 60,000 jobs with an economic impact of more than $19 billion. Each year, an average of three million metric tons of commercial explosives are consumed in the United States and are essential to energy production, communications, technology manufacturing, highway and building construction, the healthcare delivery system, food, and the manufacturing of nearly all metals and mineral products. If you use or consume it, explosives make it possible.
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