WESLACO, RGV – Just hours after Ron Whitlock penned an exclusive story in the Rio Grande Guardian about U.S. Sen. John Cornyn not knowing how badly underfunded the International Boundary & Water Commission was, Texas’ senior senator has acted.
The headline to the original story read: Cornyn: I did not know how badly underfunded IBWC was.
In a tweet issued Thursday morning, Cornyn said congressional appropriators have tentatively added $15 million to IBWC’s budget, at his request. Here is his tweet:
With the additional $15 million, IBWC could, conceivably, fund clearing out overgrown vegetation in the Arroyo Colorado. The IBWC Floodway feeds the Arroyo Colorado. Jayne Harkins, commissioner of the U.S. section of IBWC, said at a roundtable discussion attended by Sen. Cornyn that she is struggling to find $10 million for the project. During two recent heavy flooding situations, there has been a negative flow from the Arroyo Colorado, with floodwaters flooding back into cities such as Weslaco and Mercedes.
Click here to read the updated, original story, headlined: “Cornyn: I did not know how badly underfunded IBWC was.”
