Water Resources Development Act
Public Law 93-251 · H.R. 10203 · 93rd Congress · began in the House
Signed by Richard Nixon (R) on Mar 7, 1974 · Emergency Management
Sponsor: Rep. John Blatnik (D-MN-8)
Cosponsors (24): Rep. Robert Jones, Rep. William Harsha,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 374 yea, 4 nay374–4
- SenateRecorded vote: 78 yea, 7 nay78–7
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Water Resources Development Act - =Title I: Water Resources Development= - Authorizes the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Corps of Engineers, to undertake the design, construction, repair, improvement, and modification of specified public works on rivers and harbors for navigation, flood control and other enumerated purposes. Authorizes appropriations to carry out such projects.
Directs the Secretary of the Army to conduct navigational and flood-control projects on specified public works. Authorizes appropriations to carry out such projects.
Streambank Erosion Control Evaluation and Demonstration Act - Authorizes and directs the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, to establish and conduct for a period of five fiscal years a national streambank erosion prevention and control demonstration program. Provides that the program shall consist of: (1) an evaluation of the extent of streambank erosion on navigable rivers and their tributaries; (2) development of new methods and techniques for bank protection, research on soil stability, and identification of the causes of erosion; (3) a report to the Congress on the results of such studies and the recommendations of the Secretary of the Army on means for the prevention and correction of streambank erosion; and (4) demonstration projects, including bank protection works.
Requires that demonstration projects authorized by this section shall be undertaken on streams selected to reflect a variety of geographical and environmental conditions, including streams with naturally occurring erosion problems and streams with erosion caused or increased by manmade structures or activities.
Shoreline Erosion Control Demonstration Act - Directs the Secretary to conduct, for a period of five fiscal years, a national shoreline erosion control development and demonstration program. Provides for the establishment of a Shoreline Erosion Advisory Panel. Sets forth the duties of such Panel. Authorizes an appropriation of $8,000,000 for construction of such projects.
River Basin Monetary Authorization Act - =Title II: River Basin Monetary Authorizations= - Authorizes specified amounts to be appropriated for the prosecution of development plans on enumerated river basins. States that such sums shall not exceed $764,000,000.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 93rd Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 374 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
374 yea4 nay51 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(206)
- Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-7
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-8- Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-9
- Rep. Elizabeth HoltzmanD-NY-16
- Rep. Bella AbzugD-NY-20
- Rep. Phillip BurtonD-CA-5
- Rep. Herman BadilloD-NY-21
- Rep. Robert EckhardtD-TX-8
- Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
- Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
- Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
- Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-21
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-19- Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
- Rep. Shirley ChisholmD-NY-12
- Rep. Jerome WaldieD-CA-14
- Rep. Ralph MetcalfeD-IL-1
- Rep. Andrew YoungD-GA-5
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16- Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
- Rep. William FordD-MI-15
- Rep. Benjamin RosenthalD-NY-8
- Rep. Michael HarringtonD-MA-6
- Rep. Leo RyanD-CA-11
- Rep. Yvonne BurkeD-CA-37
- Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-35
- Rep. Patsy MinkD-HI-2
- Rep. George BrownD-CA-38
- Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
- Rep. Frank ThompsonD-NJ-4
- Rep. Floyd HicksD-WA-6
- Rep. Charles DiggsD-MI-13
- Rep. Charles WilsonD-CA-31
- Rep. James O’HaraD-MI-12
- Rep. Charles CarneyD-OH-19
- Rep. Lucien NedziD-MI-14
- Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
- Rep. Bertram PodellD-NY-13
- Rep. William BarrettD-PA-1
- Rep. John DentD-PA-21
- Rep. Henry HelstoskiD-NJ-9
- Rep. Lloyd MeedsD-WA-2
- Rep. John BrademasD-IN-3
- Rep. James CormanD-CA-22
- Rep. Teno RoncalioD-WY
- Rep. George DanielsonD-CA-29
- Rep. Donald FraserD-MN-5
- Rep. Robert LeggettD-CA-4
- Rep. Jonathan BinghamD-NY-22
- Rep. Robert DrinanD-MA-4
- Rep. William LehmanD-FL-13
- Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-15
- Rep. Robert TiernanD-RI-2
- Rep. Tip O’NeillD-MA-8
- Rep. Wayne HaysD-OH-18
- Rep. Brock AdamsD-WA-7
- Rep. James BurkeD-MA-11
- Rep. Joshua EilbergD-PA-4
- Rep. Julia HansenD-WA-3
- Rep. Henry ReussD-WI-5
- Rep. Paul SarbanesD-MD-3
- Rep. Edward KochD-NY-18
- Rep. Spark MatsunagaD-HI-1
- Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
- Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-7
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7- Rep. Thomas ReesD-CA-26
- Rep. William BurlisonD-MO-10
- Rep. Clarence LongD-MD-2
- Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-12
- Rep. Frank DenholmD-SD-1
- Rep. John MelcherD-MT-2
- Rep. William GreenD-PA-3
- Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
- Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
- Rep. Mike McCormackD-WA-4
- Rep. Richard HannaD-CA-34
- Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
- Rep. Douglas OwensD-UT-2
- Rep. Harold JohnsonD-CA-2
- Rep. William HungateD-MO-9
- Rep. Ray MaddenD-IN-1
- Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
- Rep. John McFallD-CA-15
- Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-14
- Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
- Rep. Edward MezvinskyD-IA-1
- Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
- Rep. Joseph EvinsD-TN-4
- Rep. Peter KyrosD-ME-1
- Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
- Rep. John MurphyD-NY-17
- Rep. Leonor SullivanD-MO-3
- Rep. Robert BerglandD-MN-7
- Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
- Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
- Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-23
- Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
- Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
- Rep. Bernice SiskD-CA-16
- Rep. Joseph KarthD-MN-4
- Rep. Richard FultonD-TN-5
- Rep. Thomas MorganD-PA-22
- Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
- Rep. William MoorheadD-PA-14
- Rep. Kenneth HechlerD-WV-4
- Rep. Mario BiaggiD-NY-10
- Rep. Richard BollingD-MO-5
- Rep. Morgan MurphyD-IL-2
- Rep. Harold DonohueD-MA-3
- Rep. Dominick DanielsD-NJ-14
- Rep. Lionel Van DeerlinD-CA-41
- Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
- Rep. Joseph VigoritoD-PA-24
- Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
- Rep. Martha GriffithsD-MI-17
- Rep. Robert MollohanD-WV-1
- Rep. Frederick RooneyD-PA-15
- Rep. Torbert MacdonaldD-MA-7
- Rep. Robert JonesD-AL-5
- Rep. Daniel FloodD-PA-11
- Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
- Rep. Gus YatronD-PA-6
- Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
- Rep. Frank EvansD-CO-3
- Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
- Rep. James SymingtonD-MO-2
- Rep. John YoungD-TX-14
- Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
- Rep. Frank ClarkD-PA-25
- Rep. Lester WolffD-NY-6
- Rep. John SlackD-WV-3
- Rep. Joseph MinishD-NJ-11
- Rep. Robert GiaimoD-CT-3
- Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
- Rep. Thomas AshleyD-OH-9
- Rep. Ella GrassoD-CT-6
- Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
- Rep. Thomas SteedD-OK-4
- Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
- Rep. James HanleyD-NY-32
- Rep. Jerry LittonD-MO-6
- Rep. Koln McKayD-UT-1
- Rep. Ray ThorntonD-AR-4
- Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
- Rep. Clem McSpaddenD-OK-2
- Rep. John BreauxD-LA-7
- Rep. George ShipleyD-IL-22
- Rep. John RoushD-IN-4
- Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
- Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
- Rep. Albert UllmanD-OR-2
- Rep. John DavisD-GA-7
- Rep. Richard WhiteD-TX-16
- Rep. Bo GinnD-GA-1
- Rep. John BreckinridgeD-KY-6
- Rep. Mendel DavisD-SC-1
- Rep. William RandallD-MO-4
- Rep. William RoyD-KS-2
- Rep. Otis PikeD-NY-1
- Rep. Thaddeus DulskiD-NY-37
- Rep. Robert StephensD-GA-10
- Rep. Lunsford PreyerD-NC-6
- Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
- Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
- Rep. Robert CaseyD-TX-22
- Rep. David HendersonD-NC-3
- Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
- Rep. Walter FlowersD-AL-7
- Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
- Rep. James JonesD-OK-1
- Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-28
- Rep. Bill GunterD-FL-5
- Rep. David BowenD-MS-2
- Rep. Thomas GettysD-SC-5
- Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
- Rep. Richard IchordD-MO-8
- Rep. George MahonD-TX-19
- Rep. Phillip LandrumD-GA-9
- Rep. Herbert RobertsD-TX-4
- Rep. Harold RunnelsD-NM-2
- Rep. William ChappellD-FL-4
- Rep. Otto PassmanD-LA-5
- Rep. Roy TaylorD-NC-11
- Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
- Rep. William PoageD-TX-11
- Rep. Jack BrinkleyD-GA-3
- Rep. Robert SikesD-FL-1
- Rep. William NicholsD-AL-3
- Rep. William DornD-SC-3
- Rep. Edith GreenD-OR-3
- Rep. Lawrence FountainD-NC-2
- Rep. Marvin MathisD-GA-2
- Rep. Felix HébertD-LA-1
- Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
- Rep. Thomas DowningD-VA-1
- Rep. Dale MilfordD-TX-24
- Rep. Joseph WaggonnerD-LA-4
- Rep. James HaleyD-FL-8
- Rep. Goodloe ByronD-MD-6
- Rep. John FlyntD-GA-6
- Rep. Ovie FisherD-TX-21
- Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
- Rep. Omar BurlesonD-TX-17
- Rep. Dan DanielD-VA-5
- Rep. David SatterfieldD-VA-3
Republicans who voted yea(167)
- Rep. Donald RiegleR-MI-7
- Rep. Charles WhalenR-OH-3
- Rep. Margaret HecklerR-MA-10
- Rep. Gilbert GudeR-MD-8
- Rep. Robert SteeleR-CT-2
- Rep. Peter PeyserR-NY-23
- Rep. Matthew RinaldoR-NJ-12
- Rep. Edward BiesterR-PA-8
- Rep. Paul CroninR-MA-5
- Rep. Mark AndrewsR-ND
- Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
- Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
- Rep. John StantonR-OH-11
- Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-34
- Rep. Ronald SarasinR-CT-5
- Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
- Rep. Benjamin GilmanR-NY-26
- Rep. Charles MosherR-OH-13
- Rep. William CohenR-ME-2
- Rep. William WalshR-NY-33
- Rep. Bob MathiasR-CA-18
- Rep. Tim CarterR-KY-5
- Rep. Marvin EschR-MI-2
- Rep. Charles SandmanR-NJ-2
- Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-25
- Rep. Donald MitchellR-NY-31
- Rep. Henry HeinzR-PA-18
- Rep. Donald ClausenR-CA-1
- Rep. Joel PritchardR-WA-1
- Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
- Rep. Donald BrotzmanR-CO-2
- Rep. Elwood HillisR-IN-5
- Rep. Charles ThoneR-NE-1
- Rep. William MailliardR-CA-6
- Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
- Rep. Pierre du PontR-DE
- Rep. Joseph MarazitiR-NJ-13
- Rep. William HarshaR-OH-6
Rep. Don YoungR-AK- Rep. James AbdnorR-SD-2
- Rep. Garner ShriverR-KS-4
- Rep. John AndersonR-IL-16
- Rep. Tennyson GuyerR-OH-4
- Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
- Rep. Lawrence WilliamsR-PA-7
- Rep. Orval HansenR-ID-2
- Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-21
- Rep. Jerry PettisR-CA-33
- Rep. Vernon ThomsonR-WI-3
- Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
- Rep. Jim JohnsonR-CO-4
- Rep. John ZwachR-MN-6
- Rep. Lawrence HoganR-MD-5
- Rep. Albert QuieR-MN-1
- Rep. James ClevelandR-NH-2
- Rep. Herbert BurkeR-FL-12
- Rep. Larry WinnR-KS-3
- Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
- Rep. James HastingsR-NY-39
- Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
- Rep. James GroverR-NY-2
- Rep. Bob WilsonR-CA-40
- Rep. Manuel LujánR-NM-1
- Rep. Alan SteelmanR-TX-5
- Rep. Edwin EshlemanR-PA-16
- Rep. Philip RuppeR-MI-11
- Rep. Louis FreyR-FL-9
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16- Rep. John MyersR-IN-7
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5- Rep. John BuchananR-AL-6
- Rep. Dan KuykendallR-TN-8
- Rep. Samuel YoungR-IL-10
- Rep. Joel BroyhillR-VA-10
- Rep. David TowellR-NV
- Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-6
- Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
- Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
- Rep. Charles GubserR-CA-10
- Rep. Vinegar Bend MizellR-NC-5
- Rep. Paul FindleyR-IL-20
- Rep. Victor VeyseyR-CA-43
- Rep. Elford CederbergR-MI-10
- Rep. Louis WymanR-NH-1
- Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
- Rep. John HuntR-NJ-1
- Rep. Robert BaumanR-MD-1
- Rep. William BrayR-IN-6
- Rep. George O’BrienR-IL-17
- Rep. Charles ChamberlainR-MI-6
- Rep. John DellenbackR-OR-4
- Rep. John McCollisterR-NE-2
- Rep. Robert PriceR-TX-13
- Rep. Stanford ParrisR-VA-8
- Rep. Clarence BrownR-OH-7
- Rep. Henry SmithR-NY-36
- Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
- Rep. Delbert LattaR-OH-5
- Rep. Roger ZionR-IN-8
- Rep. Marjorie HoltR-MD-4
- Rep. Richard MallaryR-VT
- Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
- Rep. Howard RobisonR-NY-27
- Rep. Robert HanrahanR-IL-3
- Rep. Edward DerwinskiR-IL-4
- Rep. Floyd SpenceR-SC-2
- Rep. Robert McCloryR-IL-13
- Rep. Manley ButlerR-VA-6
- Rep. Alphonzo BellR-CA-28
- Rep. Andrew HinshawR-CA-39
- Rep. Robert DanielR-VA-4
- Rep. Keith SebeliusR-KS-1
- Rep. Harold FroehlichR-WI-8
- Rep. Clair BurgenerR-CA-42
- Rep. Earl RuthR-NC-8
- Rep. Garry BrownR-MI-3
- Rep. Robert McEwenR-NY-30
- Rep. Carleton KingR-NY-29
- Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
- Rep. William HudnutR-IN-11
- Rep. Ancher NelsenR-MN-2
- Rep. Edward YoungR-SC-6
- Rep. Jack KempR-NY-38
- Rep. John ErlenbornR-IL-14
- Rep. John WydlerR-NY-5
- Rep. John WareR-PA-5
- Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
- Rep. Leslie ArendsR-IL-15
- Rep. LaMar BakerR-TN-3
- Rep. Marion SnyderR-KY-4
- Rep. Carlos MoorheadR-CA-20
- Rep. Barry GoldwaterR-CA-27
- Rep. Gene TaylorR-MO-7
- Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
- Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
- Rep. Skip BafalisR-FL-10
- Rep. Harold CollierR-IL-6
- Rep. Robin BeardR-TN-6
- Rep. John CampR-OK-6
- Rep. David MartinR-NE-3
- Rep. Donald ClancyR-OH-2
- Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-6- Rep. William KetchumR-CA-36
- Rep. David TreenR-LA-3
- Rep. William ArmstrongR-CO-5
- Rep. Edward HutchinsonR-MI-4
- Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-35
- Rep. Walter PowellR-OH-8
- Rep. Herman SchneebeliR-PA-17
- Rep. Charles WigginsR-CA-25
- Rep. Benjamin BlackburnR-GA-4
- Rep. Craig HosmerR-CA-32
- Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
- Rep. Sam SteigerR-AZ-3
- Rep. Robert HuberR-MI-18
- Rep. Glenn DavisR-WI-9
- Rep. Delwin ClawsonR-CA-23
- Rep. Bud ShusterR-PA-9
- Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
- Rep. Samuel DevineR-OH-12
- Rep. George GoodlingR-PA-19
- Rep. John RousselotR-CA-24
- Rep. John AshbrookR-OH-17
- Rep. James CollinsR-TX-3
- Rep. Steven SymmsR-ID-1
- Rep. Earl LandgrebeR-IN-2
Data notes
The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 566 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. 1 yea vote was cast by members of neither major party and is highlighted on the compass but not listed. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 18 actions.
- Mar 7, 1974Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 93-251.
- Feb 25, 1974PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Feb 21, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report, roll call #39 (78-7).Senate roll call 39
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report, roll call #39 (78-7).Senate roll call 39
- Feb 19, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report, roll call #36 (374-4).House roll call 36
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report, roll call #36 (374-4).House roll call 36
- Feb 13, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 93-796.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 93-796.
- Jan 24, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
- Jan 22, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, in lieu of S. 2798, roll call #8 (78-6).Senate roll call 8
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- Oct 16, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- Oct 12, 1973FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #521 (337-14).House roll call 521
- Oct 3, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Sep 12, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.