A defining objective of the Trump administration for America is to reclaim our ability to maximize our resources, to grow, and to build. In contrast, the federal bureaucratic state has come to view its mission as to stop, slow, prevent and block projects of significance. In short, we have a clash of two vastly different value systems — the Trump goal to build America versus the bureaucratic state’s opposition and resistance.
At stake is whether America will be a dynamic, vibrant country or one of inertia and decline.
Caught in this conflict is Jackson, Mississippi’s capital, which mirrors other struggling U.S. cities, grappling with the nation’s fastest percentage population decline. We have represented the great state of Mississippi in different roles at the federal and state levels stretching back decades. Collectively, we have sought to reverse Jackson’s decline by addressing the Pearl River’s flooding threat while reconnecting the city to the riverfront to drive economic revitalization.
Throughout our different tenures, we advocated for this commonsense flood control project, but were all thwarted by the opposition of a stagnant federal bureaucracy.
An alliance of bureaucrats and environmentalists have portrayed this straightforward project — widening the Pearl River through Jackson between the current levee system to keep flood waters from encroaching into neighborhoods and businesses — as a radical threat. Despite years of nonsensical objections, the Biden administration promised to build the flood project after Jackson experienced a major flood and water crisis in 2022 and even allocated federal money to get the project built. It was not to be — even Biden could not overcome the bureaucratic resistance.
After 45 years, the time for study is over. It is time to build in America again.
Now, with President Trump in the White House, bureaucrats are falsifying the costs. A project that just three years ago was certified by the Army Corps of Engineers to cost $325 million was estimated last year by to cost $655 million and is now projected to cost over $900 million. These unexplained and unjustified cost increases are two to three times actual construction costs and include a 47 percent contingency on top of the inflated and false projections.
This isn’t a budget, it’s a blockade.
No reasonable person would believe it should cost almost $1 billion to excavate dirt between two levees. It is outrageous the lengths to which Washington bureaucrats have gone to keep Jackson and surrounding cities from building and protecting their communities.
In addition to flood control, the proposal would create what every great city in America has — a beautiful riverfront, brimming with economic growth, recreation and public access, and a gathering place for the entire community. This is where the desire to have a great city comes into conflict with the deep bureaucratic state committed to stopping anything resembling progress.
We agree with President Trump that it is time to rebuild America. In Mississippi and nationally, it is past time to rebuild cities like Jackson. We have a project that protects our citizens from flooding and offers an opportunity for economic growth in one of the nation’s most disadvantaged cities. We are tired of asking for permission. We are asking for leadership. Let us build, we are ready!
Haley Barbour (R) served as governor of Mississippi from 2004 to 2012. Phil Bryant (R) served as governor of Mississippi from 2012-2020. Trent Lott (R), a former U.S. Senate majority leader, represented Mississippi in the U.S. Senate from 1989 to 2007. Chip Pickering (R) served as member of the U.S. House from Mississippi from 1997 to 2009. Gregg Harper (R) served as a member of the U.S. House from Mississippi from 2009 to 2019.
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