South Asheville News

U.S. Congressman Chuck Edwards of North Carolina has announced the signing into law of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024, which incorporates several of his legislative initiatives aimed at enhancing dam safety and reducing government waste. The WRDA includes provisions for funding water system improvements in Western North Carolina, alongside four bills proposed by Edwards.

The legislation secures funding authorizations for various projects within North Carolina’s 11th congressional district, including over $41 million allocated for flood mitigation efforts along the Pigeon River in Canton, $1.5 million for water system rehabilitation in Murphy, $4 million designated for water plant expansion in Weaverville, and more than $3.4 million for infrastructure upgrades in Robbinsville.

Among Edwards’ contributions to the WRDA are three bills focused on dam safety: the National Dam Safety Program Reauthorization Act of 2023, the National Dam Safety Program Amendment Act, and the Low-Head Dam Inventory Act. These measures aim to bolster federal dam safety programs by providing states with necessary information and resources to ensure dam security.

Additionally, Edwards introduced the Federal Use it or Lose it Leases (FULL) Act with Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez as co-lead. This bipartisan effort seeks to eliminate wasteful government spending by mandating that federal agencies dispose of unused office space.

Edwards emphasized the importance of fiscal responsibility, stating, “During a time when our nation’s debt is spiraling out of control, we need to root out wasteful government spending throughout the federal government.” He added that the FULL Act would enhance accountability regarding federal expenditures on unused office spaces.

Gluesenkamp Perez echoed these sentiments: “Hardworking taxpayers shouldn’t be footing the bill for empty office buildings and their landlords.” She highlighted that their initiative aims to repurpose unused federal office space effectively and determine whether leases should be renewed.

The FULL Act requires agencies to submit monthly reports on office space usage to the General Services Administration (GSA) and establish procedures for returning underutilized space if occupancy rates fall below 60 percent over six months within a year. Currently, GSA's portfolio includes 6,659 leased spaces costing taxpayers over $6 billion annually.

Despite high levels of telework among federal employees, a Government Accountability Office report from 2023 revealed that many agency headquarters remain largely unoccupied. Between 2020 and 2022, agencies continued significant expenditures on new furnishings despite low occupancy rates.