Senate Approves New Army Corps of Engineers Leader by Josh Abel Jan 25, 2018 Water News The Senate approved the nomination of R.D. James to lead the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by a vote of 89 to 1 on Jan. 25. James has served on the Mississippi River Commission since 1981 and his nomination had broad bipartisan support. Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), chairman of the Senate and Environment and Public Works Committee with jurisdiction over the Army Corps, said “He will bring a wealth of experience and expertise to this critically important role in addressing our nation’s infrastructure needs.” Committee Ranking Member Tom Carper (D-Del.) agreed, noting that in his role as a member of the Mississippi River Commission, R.D. “had a direct impact on a number of successful initiatives for that region.”
