In preparation to put together the Water Resources Development Act of 2020, Congress's Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment heard from non-committee members as to what they want in the bill. These included congressional members from New York, California, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky and other states.

 
The act, which is usually rewritten every two years, is what the Army Corps of Engineers relies on to select which civil works projects to work on that reduce flood dangers, improve water navigation, protect water supplies and restore aquatic ecosystems.

According to E&E News, which focuses its reporting on energy and the environment issues, there were four priorities that emerged from those meetings. One was reforming the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, which collects money from the shipping energy with the desired outcome to subsidize the maintenance and operation of U.S. harbors. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) argued that ports that donate to the fund, like the Port of Seattle, are not getting their fair share of the money.

Another area of importance was the improvement of locks and dams. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) advocated for the modernization of the Soo Locks in her state. The Army Corps of Engineers estimates that 90% of U.S. iron ore passes through those locks. Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.) promoted replacing his states Big Creek Dam complex, and repairing the Willamette Falls Locks, which have been closed since 2011.

Protecting waterways from invasive species and preventing harmful algae blooms was reportedly brought up by many lawmakers including Rep. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.), Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio).

The fourth key request was restoration funding and resilience studies of the Great Lakes, the Everglades and the San Francisco Bay.