Why It Matters

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a business meeting on Wednesday, July 15, to consider the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 and the nomination of Kevin Lilly to serve as Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife.

The committee will take up the Water Resources Development Act of 2026, which authorizes U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects and studies, alongside Lilly's nomination. The water bill follows months of bipartisan negotiations and a House version that authorizes construction-ready projects and hundreds of new feasibility studies.

The Water Resources Development Act 2026

The House released its bipartisan version of the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 on June 26, 2026, authorizing 10 construction-ready projects and 131 new feasibility studies for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The legislation would authorize four new projects and modify six existing authorizations. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee marked up the bill on July 1, 2026.

The Senate is drafting its own version of the legislation rather than taking up the House bill. The Senate EPW Committee held a hearing in February 2026 to examine Army Corps priorities and lay the groundwork for its legislative proposal.

Kevin Lilly Nomination Advances

The committee will also vote on Kevin Lilly of Texas to serve as Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife. President Donald Trump nominated Lilly in February 2026, and the committee held a confirmation hearing on June 24, 2026.

According to Inside Climate News, Lilly has no prior conservation or public lands management experience. During the confirmation hearing, one senator described the nomination process as "long overdue," citing delays in filling senior Interior Department positions.

The Hearing

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, chaired by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) serving as ranking member, will hold its business meeting Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at 2 p.m. in Room 406 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

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