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Alaskan Congressman Don Young released the following statement today in response to the President’s veto of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2007:

"I am very disappointed in the President’s decision to veto the WRDA bill," said Rep. Young. "We have been working for five years to put together a comprehensive bill that allocates funds to projects of vital importance around the Nation. This bill was supposed to be reauthorized in 2002 but agreements could never be reached in Congress. Now that we have finally reached an agreement, the President has sent us back to the drawing board. This bill is NOT a spending bill! It’s an authorizing bill and it works to enact many important projects around our country. Throughout this whole process I have fought tooth and nail to get backing for critical projects in Alaska such as increased wastewater infrastructure and water supply, shoreline protection programs, dike repairs for flood protection and ecosystem restoration projects. The WRDA bill is very important for Alaska, a state that is years behind the rest of the Nation in infrastructure. I believe we have enough votes to override the veto, and I hope the Administration is willing to take another look at what we are trying to do here, and work with Congress."