U.S. Reps. Grace Meng (D-Queens), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-Queens/Bronx) and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced in early January that then-President Biden signed into law their legislation that seeks to combat excessive flooding in Queens. The lawmakers’ measure aims to address severe flooding like the type that Queens experienced from the remnants of Hurricane Ida and other storms. It authorizes the Army Corps of Engineers – in working with the City of New York – to spend nearly $190 million to enhance and upgrade environmental infrastructure in the borough such as improving water and wastewater infrastructure, storm water management and combined sewer overflows. The former president signed the legislation as part of the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA), a key bill passed by Congress in December that funds water infrastructure projects across the country. Now that the measure has been enacted, Congress must allocate the funding for it so that the Corps can move forward with needed improvements.